Support S.B.10 and H.B. 761

2017 Florida State Legislative Session

The near unanimous vote (36-3) in the Florida Senate to pass S.B. 10 this past Wednesday raises the hopes of people all around Florida. This victory was the result of grassroots organizing and constant pressure on senators. The bill was introduced by Senator Rob Bradley (R-Fleming Island), pushed through the senate by Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart), and supported by clean water advocates, sportsmen, and the tourist industry — all who value the importance of clean water to public health and safety and our way of life. All Floridians should get behind this important effort to build a reservoir south of  Lake Okeechobee where waters flowing from the lake will be treated, stored and released into the Everglades. This will recharge the Biscayne Aquifer which is already suffering from salt water intrusion from climate change and rising sea levels.

“Our goal was to explore all available options to deliver this much-needed and long-anticipated storage south of Lake Okeechobee,” said Senator Bradley. “These algal blooms have occurred before and will occur again unless high volume discharges from Lake Okeechobee are stopped and pollution in the Lake Okeechobee basin is abated. Algal blooms are not simply an unsightly nuisance for residents and tourists. They bring real health risks to humans and wildlife and result in severe economic damage to local businesses.”

While we are grateful this bill has now passed the Florida Senate, we now turn our energies to demanding passage of H.B. 762 in the Florida House — starting with the House Natural Resources & Public Lands Subcommittee. We need to let our public servants know that we are watching and we will remember at election time. They are either with us — we the people — or they’re with the Big Sugar companies.

We have reason to believe that State Rep. Matt Caldwell is planning to introduce a new bill in the House next Wednesday to replace H.B. 761. We hear it will be pretty bad and we were already very concerned with where S.B. 10 ended up after several unfortunate compromises. And now Caldwell is calling S.B. 10 a ‘starting point.’

 

PLEASE CALL THE CHAIR AND SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS TO ENSURE THE BILLS MOVE FORWARD.  Here’s a short script and the names and contact information of the committee members:

“Dear Representative:

“I urge you to vote for H.B. 761 to restore our Everglades, recharge and replenish our aquifer,  and keep our waterways clean for everyone.

Your vote on this bill will be remembered at election time. You are either with us — we the people — or you are with the Big Sugar companies and other such special interests. Please vote to protect our drinking water

Thank you.”

Also, feel free to add your own messages.

 

To E-mail Representatives: firstname.lastname.@myfloridahouse.gov

Example: evan.jenne@myfloridahouse.gov

 

Chair: Raschein, Holly (R-HD-120-Miami Dade/Monroe) (850) 717-5120

Vice Chair: Albritton, Ben (R-HD-56-DeSoto/Hardee/Polk) (850) 717-5056

Minority Ranking Member: Jacobs, Kristin (D-HD-96-Broward) (850) 717-5096

Altman, Thad (R-HD -56-Brevard) (850) 717-5052

Ausley, Loranne (D-HD-9-Leon) (850) 717-5009

Combee, Neil (R-HD-39-Osceola/Polk) (850) 717-5039

Diamond, Ben (D-HD-68-Pinellas) (850) 717-5068

Fine, Randy (R-HD-53-Brevard) (850) 717-5053

Fischer, Jason (R-HD-16-Duval) (850) 717-5016

Goodson, Tom (R-HD-51-Brevard) (850) 717-5051

Jacquet, Al (D-HD-88-Palm Beach) (850) 717-5088

Massullo, Jr., Ralph (R-HD-34-Citrus/Hernando) (850) 717-5034

McClain, Stan (R-HD-23-Marion) 850) 717-5023

Pigman, Cary (R-HD-55-Glades/Highlands/Okeechobee/St. Lucie) (850) 717-5055

Watson (C), Clovis (D-HD-20-Alachua/Marion) (850) 717-5020
Thank you for being part of this great grassroots effort and for taking the time to make calls, knock on doors, and lend your voice to our common cause.