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Compiled by City & State Florida

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Good morning. It’s National Voter Registration Day. To register in Florida or check your status, visit the state’s website. 

First Up

Florida House Speaker-designate Daniel Perez caused some eyebrows to raise in the Capitol on Monday during his acceptance speech when he called the Legislature “the first branch of government.” Perez, a Miami-Dade Republican, is now set to take over the chamber for the two years after the 2024 election, succeeding Palm Coast’s Paul Renner. 

“In designing this American system, (the Founding Fathers) believed that the legislative power should be the first branch of government,” Perez said. “They believed that the great issues of the day should be debated in a deliberative body directly connected to the people. … Congress has obviously failed to live up to that ideal, but I don’t think we need to follow their example.”

The Legislature recently has been a compliant branch of government under Gov. Ron DeSantis, generally giving him what he’s wanted – including a change to the state’s resign-to-run law that cleared the way for his presidential candidacy. Speaking later with reporters, Perez was asked by Politico’s Gary Fineout whether he was sending a message to the governor about the House being more independent under his leadership. 

“It's not a message to the governor,” he said, giving DeSantis credit for the state’s successes. “... Granted, the legislature, in my opinion, is the most important part … (but) the legislature can't work alone. The legislature works with the governor; it's been like that since the beginning of statehood. So Gary, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it is not a message to the governor.”

– Jim Rosica 

Got tips, questions, comments? Email editor@cityandstatefl.com. 

A warm welcome back to Tallahassee to kickoff the first committee week of the season from Ron Book, Kelly Mallette, Rana Brown and Gaby Navarro. The firm also extends best wishes to Speaker Designate Danny Perez and his family and friends who have gathered to support him at his designation ceremony. Representative Perez’s leadership qualities have shone brightly, and we have no doubt that he will guide us admirably. Congratulations Speaker D!

Today on City & State

* BILL COTTERELL: Lately, the desire to get even has cheapened the impeachment process, which should be a grave, historic process reserved for truly evil or incompetent public officers, our Capitol Columnist writes.

* IMMIGRATION LAW AT ISSUE: Attorney General Ashley Moody urged a federal judge to reject an attempt to block part of a new state law targeting people who transport undocumented immigrants into the state.

* SHUTDOWN WATCH: U.S. House Republicans are planning to vote on a one-month stopgap bill that would reduce spending at non-defense, non-Veterans Affairs agencies by around 8%, launching a partisan measure not likely to find success in the Senate. 

Top News

* The idea that U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz will run for Florida governor in 2026 has been the topic of several conversations in Tallahassee Republican circles over the past few days, NBC News reports, which Gaetz later downplayed, Axios reports. 

* A second man has been arrested after a June demonstration by neo-Nazis in Orlando, during which members of hate groups hung antisemitic banners over Interstate 4 while other extremists waved swastikas near Walt Disney World, the Orlando Sentinel reports. 

* State Rep. Daniel Perez, the son of Cuban immigrants, was formally selected to become the next speaker of the Florida House as he offered a message of limited, and more effective, government, the News Service of Florida reports. 

* The Florida Board of Governors today will consider a new regulation that would make it a fireable offense if a trans employee at a state university uses a restroom that aligns with their gender identity, the USA TODAY Network-Florida reports. 

* DeSantis announced that Florida government employees are receiving expanded family and maternity leave under a new policy approved by him and the Florida Cabinet, Florida’s Voice reports. 

* More news below …

Congratulations Denise Grimsley, CEO of The Development Group. Your vision and commitment to go above and beyond is inspiring economic growth in Hardee County. As an engaged and innovative leader, you are building a strong community of integrity where people want to be.

* The director of a Daytona Beach domestic violence shelter said state Sen. Tom Wright confronted her with such force when she ordered him off a bus full of residents that she feared for her safety, the Orlando Sentinel reports. 

* As New College of Florida undergoes a conservative transformation, the small public liberal arts honors school saw a dramatic drop in its national ranking, according to a newly released list, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports. 

* Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan is off to a solid start with 47% of residents polled viewing her favorably, compared to just 15% giving her an unfavorable mark – but that still leaves a lot of residents waiting to make up their minds, the Florida Times-Union reports.

* Over a year since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Florida lies at a tipping point that will decide the future of reproductive care in the state, the Independent Florida Alligator reports.

* Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom and DeSantis have been sniping over which state has more to offer in terms of opportunity, livability and safety, but there’s no easy or widely accepted way to say which state is more attractive, the Sacramento Bee reports.

YOUR MESSAGE HERE: City & State First Read is the must-read morning roundup of Florida politics and government. Reaching thousands of subscribers each morning, it's the most effective and targeted digital ad venue to get your message in front of city and state elected officials, agency and industry leaders, and the staff, advocates, media and operatives who drive the issues of the day – all by 7 a.m. each weekday. For advertising information, please email: advertising@cityandstatefl.com

DeSantis Watch

The governor is scheduled to join Fox Business’ Stuart Varney on “Varney & Co.” at 9:15 a.m. ET. 

Become a News Service of Florida subscriber today for breaking news alerts straight from the Capitol. Join fellow professionals and civic leaders and get instant access to the News Service of Florida’s essential reporting on government, policy and politics in the Sunshine State. Request a 10-Day Trial.

2024 Roundup

* Fox News’ Howard Kurtz asked DeSantis to weigh in on one of the more awkward flaws in his struggling presidential campaign – his charisma – with the governor responding that it was a “bogus narrative,” HuffPost reports. 

* The governor is holding four fundraising events this week in Texas, where he hopes to collect more than $1 million, and is also ready to debut a new energy policy, The Messenger reports. 

* Billionaire hedge fund CEO Ken Griffin, a major Republican donor, now says he is sitting on the sidelines of the GOP presidential primary and not supporting DeSantis, whom he backed last year, CNBC reports. 

* As DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy have looked to appeal to populist voters, they have turned their backs on their Ivy League alma maters, Yale and Harvard, the Wall Street Journal reports. 

* House Speaker Kevin McCarthy predicted former President Trump will win the 2024 Republican presidential primary race, bashing DeSantis as “not at the same level,” Fox News reports.

* The DeSantis campaign announced its new Alabama chairman, Terry Lathan, the former chairman of the Alabama Republican Party and 2020 RNC Convention permanent deputy co-chair, the Alabama Political Reporter reports. 

Analysis & Opinion

* Americans like to think Florida is an outlier but the truth is that Florida is the country’s bleeding edge, foretelling changes from the political to the social, Meredith Haggerty writes in Vox. 

* DeSantis had to know it was risky to try to keep Trump off the Florida ballot by using a loyalty pledge, but the only person who seems surprised after his attempt failed is him, the Miami Herald editorial board writes.

* Florida’s attacks on education threaten science. More to the point, laws that gut science classes of social context and inclusive design jeopardize progress towards equitable science, Alyssa Shearer and Alex Music write in Scientific American. 

YOUR MESSAGE HERE: City & State First Read is the must-read morning roundup of Florida politics and government. Reaching thousands of subscribers each morning, it's the most effective and targeted digital ad venue to get your message in front of city and state elected officials, agency and industry leaders, and the staff, advocates, media and operatives who drive the issues of the day – all by 7 a.m. each weekday. For advertising information, please email: advertising@cityandstatefl.com

Deeper Dive with Dara Kam

Episode 58: John Stemberger Speaks about Abortion

John Stemberger, president and general counsel of the Florida Family Policy Council, joins the show to talk about the Florida Supreme Court's recent arguments in a challenge to a law banning abortions after 15 weeks, which could open the door to a 6-week abortion restriction in the state.

Listen here.

Announcements

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: To Andy Marlette, former cartoonist and columnist for the Pensacola News Journal … to Bill Varian, local government editor for the Tampa Bay Times. 

ON THE MOVE: Ashley Grimes has started a new position as interim executive director at NAMI Florida. 

Felicia Harvey has started a new position as director of media relations and corporate communications at Avantor, a biotechnology research and development firm.

The Florida House Democratic Caucus announced two new staff members: 

* Grant Golin will serve as legislative analyst for the Commerce and Ethics and Elections committees, as well as the Select Committee on Hurricane Resiliency and Recovery.

* Briana Saffold, Esq. will serve as analyst for the Judiciary and Ways & Means committees, as well as the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee.

Have a birthday, career change, birth, death or life event to announce? Email us: editor@cityandstatefl.com. 

Kicker

“Look, I served with Ron DeSantis. He's not at the same level as President Trump by any shape or form. He would not have gotten elected without President Trump's endorsement.”

– House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, via Fox News, on the Republican presidential primary field after DeSantis took the side of Republicans pressuring McCarthy. 

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