Florida

August 28, 2009 -- TALLAHASSEE – Florida Governor Charlie Crist today announced he will appoint former Deputy Attorney General George LeMieux to serve the remainder of Senator Mel Martinez’s term upon Martinez’s official resignation. LeMieux, 40, currently serves as chairman of the law firm of Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, P.A., and previously served as chief of staff to Governor Crist.    » read more »

Pledges U.S. will start process this week at meeting in Spain to re-list Everglades

June 23, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – After two years of pushing and with a change in U.S. administrations, Florida Democrat Bill Nelson has won the support of the nation’s lands czar for putting the Everglades back on a United Nation’s list of the world’s most treasured and endangered sites.    » read more »

Governor Crist Signs Legislation Strengthening Florida’s Seaport Security; House Bill 7141 increases access to Florida ports while maintaining strict security standards already in place

June 15, 2009 -- FORT LAUDERDALE – Florida Governor Charlie Crist today signed legislation strengthening Florida’s international trade by increasing worker access to Florida ports while maintaining strict security standards. Signed by the Governor at Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades, House Bill 7141 reduces the cost of doing business by eliminating unnecessary and redundant security reviews.    » read more »

Governor Crist Signs Legislature's Parameters For Historic Gaming Compact With Seminole Tribe Of Florida; Estimated to provide billions of dollars to support education

June 15, 2009 -- MIAMI – Florida Governor Charlie Crist today signed Senate Bill 788, relating to gaming, which outlines the Legislature’s parameters for a 15-year compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida that will maximize funding for K-12 public schools. To emphasize the benefit to Florida’s students and teachers, the Governor signed the legislation at Design & Architecture Senior High School, a magnet school for the visual arts located on a three-acre campus in Miami’s design neighborhood.    » read more »

Governor Crist Signs Legislation to Increase Access to Health Care for Floridians with Kidney Disease; Allows Medicare beneficiaries to purchase plans starting October 1, 2009

June 10, 2009 -- TALLAHASSEE – Florida Governor Charlie Crist today signed the Alonzo Mourning Access to Care Act which expands the availability of Medicare supplemental policies to Medicare beneficiaries with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). House Bill 675, relating to Medicare Supplement Policies, makes Medicare beneficiaries with ESRD eligible to receive supplemental coverage known as Medigap policies.    » read more »

Continues funding for pest control through Interstate Pest Control Compact membership

June 9, 2009 --
TALLAHASSEE – Florida Governor Charlie Crist today signed legislation that will protect Florida’s agriculture by affirming its good membership standing in the Interstate Pest Control Compact (IPCC) while joined by Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson. House Bill 255, relating to pest control, ratifies the IPCC which is a 37-state cooperative effort to help fund the control, suppression or elimination of agricultural pests. Representative Leonard Bembry and Senator Charlie Dean sponsored the legislation.    » read more »

“Nicole’s Law” promotes safety of children under 16 who participate in equestrian activities

June 8, 2009 -- LOXAHATCHEE – Florida Governor Charlie Crist today signed House Bill 169, “Nicole’s Law.” The legislation creates safety standards to minimize the number of serious or fatal head injuries to Florida youth sustained during equestrian activities and recreation.

“Today I am proud to sign legislation that will help ensure the safety of Florida’s children and prevent serious injuries that otherwise could have been prevented,” said Governor Crist. “I applaud our Legislature for taking action to protect Florida’s future leaders.”    » read more »

Continues efforts to promote preparedness at State Emergency Operations Center
www.FloridaDisaster.org

June 3, 2009 -- TALLAHASSEE – Florida Governor Charlie Crist today joined state leaders and the state emergency response team (SERT) for a hurricane tabletop exercise as part of his continued focus on Florida’s preparation for the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season. During this training exercise, Governor Crist praised the commitment of emergency responders to public service and reiterated his confidence that Florida is ready and able to handle a disaster.    » read more »

Company files plan to increase energy-efficiency by 50 percent in 10 years

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (June 2, 2009) -- Progress Energy Florida's customers have saved $1 billion since 1981 by participating in energy-efficiency programs, and the company is proposing a plan that would save customers even more money.

The company filed a 10-year plan with the Florida Public Service Commission Monday to increase the company's existing energy-efficiency goal of 412 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) by nearly 50 percent throughout the course of the plan. The plan also outlines Progress Energy Florida's forward-thinking approach to:

* Encouraging customer adoption of solar power and other promising alternative and renewable energy technologies;    » read more »

Protects rights of children involved in courts, increases children’s access to health care

June 2, 2009 -- TALLAHASSEE – Florida Governor Charlie Crist today signed legislation to improve the quality of life for Florida’s children. Senate Bill 1018, Guardian Ad Litem, expands the court’s ability to ensure children whose parents are involved in court proceedings have an advocate who will focus on the child’s best interests.

Senate Bill 918, KidCare, increases children’s access to health care by streamlining the Florida KidCare Program. After signing the bills in Tallahassee, Governor Crist will visit children’s hospitals in Tampa and Hollywood to promote the benefits of the legislation.    » read more »

June 1, 2009 -- TALLAHASSEE – Florida Governor Charlie Crist today urged Floridians to finalize their family disaster preparedness plans and ensure that family members, homes and businesses are ready for the possibility of a hurricane or other disaster. During a visit to a Home Depot in Tallahassee on the first day of the Atlantic hurricane season, Governor Crist encouraged all Floridians to have a disaster plan and supply kit that includes at least a three-day supply of drinking water and non-perishable food for the entire family – including pets.

Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp also promoted the importance of preparedness during a visit to the Collier County Emergency Services Center.    » read more »

June 1, 2009 -- “Today we begin the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, and I encourage all Floridians to have a plan and be prepared. Florida is a great place to live, work and play, but our paradise comes with the responsibility to make sure our families, friends and communities will be safe.

“As we have experienced during the recent flooding and last year during Tropical Storm Fay, a storm doesn’t have to be a hurricane to be destructive or deadly.

“We pray that the season remains quiet, but there is a very real possibility of a storm or other natural disaster. The National Hurricane Center is ready, and so are Florida’s emergency management teams. Every Floridian must also be ready.    » read more »

President Obama Calling for $600 Million in FY09-10 Funding

May 28, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Joined by U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), Florida’s Republican Governor Charlie Crist, and Congressman Kendrick Meek (D-FL), Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today underscored President Obama’s commitment to restoring the Florida Everglades, calling the unprecedented initiative a national priority requiring continuing commitment and bi-partisan support.    » read more »

Emphasizes safety and vigilance during hurricane season that begins June 1, 2009

May 28, 2009 -- TALLAHASSEE – Florida Governor Charlie Crist encouraged all Floridians to make the final preparations necessary to keep their families, homes, businesses and communities safe during the 2009 Hurricane Season in a video message released today. Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp is also promoting the importance of hurricane preparedness, emphasizing safety disaster plans at the 2009 National Hurricane Survival Initiative launch in Miami.    » read more »

May 28, 2009 -- Everglades And Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area – Florida Governor Charlie Crist today toured the Florida Everglades with United States Senator Bill Nelson and United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to discuss Florida’s natural resources. Governor Crist highlighted Florida’s commitment to the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), the 50/50 state and federal partnership to restore and protect the Everglades.

He also discussed the long-term needs of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) river basin.    » read more »