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TALLAHASSEE, FL – Robert Joseph “Bobby Joe” Long is scheduled to be executed on Thursday, May 23 at 6:00 p.m. for the 1984 murder of Michelle Sims. Long additionally pled guilty to, and received life sentences for, seven other murders.

The Regular Session of the Florida Legislature will came to a close on Saturday, May 4. Due to a mandatory 72-hour "cooling off" period for legislators to review the budget before final passage, the session was extended one day beyond its May 3 scheduled end.

TALLAHASSEE, FL – The following is a statement from Michael B. Sheedy, Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops (FCCB), executive director, on final passage of SB 168 sponsored by Senator Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota): “Today’s passage of state-level immigration enforcement legislation is disheartening. There are many, including members of the Florida Legislature, who are frustrated that Congress has not enacted needed immigration reforms. However, immigration law is, and should remain, in the purview of the federal, not state, government.

At the invitation of President Bill Galvano, Fr. Tim Holeda delivered the opening prayer for the Senate Session on Friday, April 26. Fr. Holeda is parochial vicar at the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Tallahassee and also serves as chaplain of the Florida State University Catholic Student Union (CSU). Several CSU students were present in the gallery to join in prayer and view the session.

HB 527 (Byrd) was passed by the House (69-47). The Senate took up its similar companion measure, SB 168 (Gruters), amended the bill and passed it (22-18). Among other Senate amendments, protections were added for any undocumented immigrant who has been a witness to or victim of certain crimes, including domestic violence, rape, murder, and human trafficking. The Senate bill moves to the House for further consideration.

Formal negotiations on the state budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1, 2019, began earlier this week. The House and Senate reached agreement on allocations - specific amounts divided among major budget areas - and the budget conference process where details are negotiated is currently underway. A final budget must be passed by both chambers before the session ends on May 3.

On Tuesday, April 23, Governor Ron DeSantis signed his first death warrant since assuming office in January 2019. The execution of Robert Joseph Long is scheduled for May 23 at 6:00 pm EDT. Long was sentenced to death for the 1984 murder of Michelle Simms in Hillsborough County.

SB 7070 (Education Committee) would create the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, a new state-funded program for students from lower-income families to attend eligible non-public schools that meet their educational needs. The measure would also reduce the current 12,974 student waitlist for the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) Scholarship Program.

HB 469 (Fernandez-Barquin) and SB 874 (Rouson) would create a new statewide consumer-loan program that could charge interest rates as high as 36 percent on small-dollar loans. Florida statutes consider interest rates beyond 18 percent to be usurious. However, consumer finance loans (installment loans largely accessed by individuals with limited access to capital and traditional financial services) are allowed to charge up to 30 percent under current Florida law.

The St. John Paul II Catholic High School boys' basketball team was recognized in the Florida Senate and House galleries by Senator Bill Montford and Rep. Loranne Ausley. The Panthers captured their first ever Class 3-A State Championship on March 5. St. John Paul II is located in Tallahassee and was founded in 2001. Coach Titus Nixon is an alumnus of the school who played on the basketball team during his time as a student. Go Panthers!

HB 1335 (Grall) would require that a parent or legal guardian provide consent before a minor can undergo an abortion. Parental consent is required for medical and surgical interventions for minors including ear piercing and dispensing aspirin at school. However, this is not the case when a minor seeks an abortion. The bill contains a provision that would allow the minor to petition the court for a waiver when parental abuse may be of concern.

HB 527 (Byrd) and SB 168 (Gruters) passed their final committees of reference, House Judiciary (12-6) and Senate Rules (9-8). We recognize that many state lawmakers are frustrated, as are we, that Congress has not effectively addressed needed immigration reforms. However, we oppose the unnecessary, piecemeal framework proposed in these measures.

SB 7070 (Education Committee) would create the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, a new state-funded program for students from lower-income families to attend eligible non-public schools that meet their educational needs. The measure also increases educational opportunities for lower-income families who would otherwise be eligible to participate in the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) Scholarship Program by helping to reduce the current waitlist of 12,974 students. The bill goes next to the full Senate.

Florida transfers more children to the adult criminal justice system than any other state. 98% of those minors are transferred by the process of direct file.

On Monday, April 8, three students from Saint Leo University spent the day in Tallahassee touring the state Capitol and the FCCB office. The students were participants in Campus Ministry Day at the Capitol, a program launched two years ago by the FCCB.

HB 1335 (Grall) and SB 1774 (Stargel) would require that a parent or legal guardian provide consent before a minor can undergo an abortion. The bills contain a provision that would allow the minor to petition the court for a waiver in certain circumstances.

It's profoundly important to protect all of Florida's schoolchildren - including those educated in public as well as nonpublic schools. Tragedies have devastated school communities from Newtown, CT to our own Parkland, FL.

Every April, organizations and communities across the country, including Catholic parishes and schools, participate in National Child Abuse Prevention Month. While dioceses work year-round to prevent abuse, during this month, a special emphasis is placed on the importance of learning how to protect the vulnerable from this evil.

Florida transfers more children to the adult criminal justice system than any other state. 98% of those minors are transferred by the process of direct file.

In a letter to SB 410 sponsor, Senator Lori Berman (District 31, Boynton Beach), FCCB shared its concerns with a proposal requiring the Florida Department of Health to establish a long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) pilot program in Duval, Hillsborough, and Palm Beach counties. FCCB's correspondence cited the following: