Florida's Latest News

Florida considers school chaplains amid growing concerns over kids' mental health

The issue has dominated conversations in the Florida legislature this year as lawmakers seek a myriad of ways to address growing mental health concerns around children. One idea they’ve had is to allow chaplains—people of religious faith—to come into schools to provide mentorship and counseling.

The proposal is backed by Rep. Stan McClain, R-Ocala, who recently defended it on the chamber floor. "Our children are in crisis," he said. "We agree parents need help. We agree there are a lot of needs, spiritual needs, that people could meet.” “This is a person with possibly, just a high school diploma and no mental health experience," she said during floor debate over the bill. 

The bill gained bipartisan approval, though not without concerns from Rep. Robin Bartleman, D-Broward, who worried about the lack of requirements placed on chaplains that want to work in schools.

The proposal has no requirements other than background checks for the chaplains. It’s voluntary for school districts and they can lay out other parameters for chaplains to meet. For districts that do want those services, they have to allow parents to opt out, and post a list of the chaplains along with their religious affiliations. The chaplains work would be in addition to the counseling services districts already provide.

Proposed Law Would Ban US Central Bank Digital Currencies

US Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Ted Cruz (R-TX) and others have filed legislation that would prohibit the national government from issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC). CBDC is a form of digital cash that can be tracked and regulated in real-time by a centralized regulatory authority. 

In September of 2022, President Joe Biden announced the launch of an inquiry into the risks and benefits of integrating digital currencies into the US government and economy. Since then, President Biden has encouraged the Federal Reserve to continue investigating the possibility of creating a CBDC. 

Conservatives are skeptical about the Fed’s interest in developing a CBDC and are calling for restraint.  According to Senator Scott’s office, the use of CBDC could be weaponized to persecute political opponents. 

Consequently, Senate Republicans filed the CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act to prevent the Federal reserve from directly issuing CBDC to any individual and to ensure any CBDC disbursements are Congressionally authorized.  “Big government has no business spying on Americans to control their personal finances and track their transactions,” stated Scott. “It is a massive overreach and a non-starter for me.”

Florida Senate revamps teen worker bill

A controversial proposal to loosen work restrictions for 16- and 17-year-olds is ready to go to the full Senate after changes Monday night drew at least some labor-union support.

The Senate Rules Committee voted 15-3 to approve the revised bill (HB 49), which addresses issues such as how many hours that 16- and 17-year-old youths can work. The House voted 80-35 on Feb. 1 to pass a more far-reaching version.

Rich Templin, a lobbyist for the AFL-CIO, said unions have long been concerned about child labor abuses. But he said the AFL-CIO could support the bill as revised by the Senate. "When we look at the product as it came over from the House, with truly draconian elimination of labor laws that have been on the books since 1986, this (Senate version of the bill) is an area where we have to break with tradition," Templin told the committee. "And we support this bill."

As an example, the bill, as passed by the House, would have eliminated a restriction on 16- and 17-year-olds working more than 30 hours during weeks when school is in session. The Senate version would maintain the 30-hour limit, but it would allow parents or guardians or school superintendents to waive the limit.

State seeks partial stay of court ruling in wetlands permitting case

Pointing to permits in “regulatory limbo,” the Florida Department of Environmental Protection on Monday asked a judge for a partial stay of a ruling in a legal battle about a 2020 decision that shifted permitting authority from the federal government to the state for projects that affect wetlands.

U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss on Feb. 15 ruled that federal officials did not follow required steps before transferring the authority to the state. Moss issued an order vacating the approval of the shift. Lawyers for the state said in a 21-page filing Monday that the ruling could affect more than 1,000 permit applications that are “now in regulatory limbo with no clear timeline or expectation for a permit decision.

This includes pending permit applications for roads and bridges, hospital construction projects, school buildings and facilities, affordable housing, military base projects, power grid reliability projects (including construction of new power generation facilities and transmission lines), and various projects necessary to improve water quality in the Everglades, just to name a handful of examples.”

The filing sought a limited stay of the ruling to keep the “bulk” of Florida’s program in place until a new plan can be put in place or until further court rulings. As an example, the Department of Environmental Protection suggested the state continue handling permits that would not affect endangered species.