| | | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard | Good morning and welcome to Tuesday. The GOP-controlled Legislature is pushing along a bill to have Florida public schools start teaching young children about the dangers of communism. The Senate Appropriations Committee on Education is taking up the bill this morning and at 12:30 p.m. GOP lawmakers will hold a press conference on the steps of the old Capitol alongside people who've lived under communism. (Tune in here.) The bill would give Gov. Ron DeSantis and subsequent governors the power to assemble a task force that would create the anti-communist curriculum. Lessons would start as early as kindergarten and begin during the school year that kicks off in the fall of 2026. (Under current standards, students start learning about communism in seventh grade.) DeSantis hasn’t yet stated his position on the legislation. The governor did, however, sign a bill into law in 2022 establishing November 7 as “Victims of Communism Day,” when students would receive 45 minutes of instruction on the topic. DeSantis has especially been a vocal critic of China, calling it the U.S.’s biggest adversary “by a country mile” when he ran for president. As governor, he cut off schools from receiving tuition vouchers for alleged “direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party” and blocked people from being able to access TikTok on public school servers. The latest bill would clearly resonate with Floridians who’ve fled from countries like Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. Many lawmakers have said they relate; Speaker-designate Rep. Daniel Perez of Miami-Dade, who is Cuban American, told Playbook in an emailed statement that he grew up listening to his grandparents’ stories, saying it taught him how power could be abused and that it was important “everyone knows the horrors this type of movement can cause a country.” “Educating future generations about the atrocities committed by these countries, the philosophies behind the communist thought and the increasing threat it had in history to our countries and our allies will help ensure history does not repeat itself,” said Perez, who will be at today's press conference.
|  Florida State Rep. Daniel Perez is seen during a joint session of the Florida State Legislature at the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla., Jan. 9, 2024. (Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images) | AP | But the dialogue around communism has also become politically loaded given that Republicans, including presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, often throw around the term “Marxist” or “communist” to describe their Democratic opponents. An earlier version of the House bill also contained the term “cultural Marxism,” which has been used to refer to an antisemitic conspiracy theory. Some Republicans also use it interchangeably with “wokeness” or to refer to critical theory, which is the study of how people are dominated and oppressed. The term has since been removed from the bill. State Sen. Shev Jones of Miami Gardens, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee on Education, said he’ll have questions about age appropriateness, who would develop the curriculum and “why the state is eager to fear-monger starting in kindergarten.” He also raised concerns about where Florida’s “politically charged” education system was now — including rules on how students are taught about Black history, leaving “educators grappling with growing cultures of distrust and fear.” Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch at: kleonard@politico.com | | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S GOVERNORS SUMMIT: Join POLITICO on Feb. 22 to dive into how Governors are wielding immense power. While Washington remains gridlocked, governors are at the center of landmark decisions in AI and tech, economic development, infrastructure, housing, reproductive health and energy. How are they setting the stage for the future of American politics, policies and priorities? How are they confronting major challenges? Explore these questions and more at the 2024 Governors Summit. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | |  | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | |
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT — “Florida kids who carry guns could face higher penalties under proposal,” by the Tampa Bay Times’ Romy Ellenbogen. “Pointing to a fatal Christmas Eve shooting in Pinellas County that began as an argument between teen brothers over presents, lawmakers say penalties for youth who illegally possess guns must be increased. Both the House and Senate are moving forward with proposals that would make a minor’s first illegal possession of a firearm a third-degree felony instead of a first-degree misdemeanor. The legislation also increases the amount of time a child could have to spend in detention. The full Florida House will hear the bill on Wednesday.
LAWSUIT LIMITS — “Florida could make it harder to sue polluters, assisted living owners,” reports Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald. “Florida lawmakers in recent years have passed sweeping changes that make it harder to sue insurance companies. This year, they could extend protections to a variety of companies, including in instances where businesses pollute communities or lose consumers’ personal data to hackers. The bills are backed by powerful business groups, but most of them have seen some bipartisan pushback.” SUNSHINE STATE — “Florida's solar power surge: Why the Sunshine State is investing so much in the sun,” by Dave Berman and Laura Layden of USA Today Network - Florida. “Florida Power and Light has 78 solar centers generating a total of about 5,700 megawatts of power in operation in 31 of Florida's 67 counties, including 16 locations that opened in 2023 and 12 that opened this January. That's enough energy to power more than 1.1 million homes … Still, solar currently accounts for just 6 percent of FPL's energy mix, compared with about 70 percent for natural gas and 20 percent for nuclear. With more solar centers in the planning stage, FPL projects in its latest 10-year forecast submitted to the Florida Public Service Commission that solar will increase to 35 percent of the company's power generation by 2032.” WIN FOR GREEN GROUPS — Judge overturns Trump-era decision giving Florida federal wetlands authority, reports POLITICO’s Annie Snider. “In a decision handed down late Thursday, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Judge Randolph Moss concluded that EPA and the Fish and Wildlife Service had erred in 2020 by approving protection from Endangered Species Act liability as part of the Clean Water Act permits. He found that the agencies had failed to conduct a rigorous analysis of how transferring the program to Florida would impact the 139 endangered or threatened species that live within the state.”
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the Governor's Day luncheon during a visit to the Florida State Fair, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, in Tampa, Florida. | Chris O'Meara/AP Photo | SLOW UPTAKE — “Few apply to Florida universities after DeSantis order to help Jewish students,” reports WUFT’s Lauren Brensel. “At least five people in the United States have applied to Florida universities through DeSantis’ emergency order to encourage students across the country to transfer to Florida who feel they experienced religious persecution on campus after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. The governor’s order announced last month waives application fees and, in some instances, grants in-state tuition to transfer applicants.” OCEAN SETBACK — “Big blow to Florida reef recovery: First survey after record heat finds coral graveyards,” reports the Miami Herald’s Alex Harris. “The first survey of Florida’s reefs after an ‘apocalyptic’ marine heat wave offers a bleak picture of the future of the state’s renowned corals — and the restoration efforts to save them. Scientists with NOAA’s Mission: Iconic Reefs program visited five reefs throughout the Florida Keys on Thursday to check on the health of the nursery-raised and transplanted corals researchers installed there over the last few years. They found coral graveyards.” RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS — “Efforts to reduce global warming hurting manatees in an unusual way,” reports Kimberly Miller of the Palm Beach Post. “More than half of Florida’s manatees have since found shelter during the darkest and chilliest days of the year huddling in the balmy discharges from the state’s power plants, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. But a move to alternative energies to mitigate climate change means many of those warm water releases may go offline over the next several decades, leaving hapless manatees who depend on the life-sustaining flows out in the cold.” NO. 1 FOR 2024 — “The Southern Group is Florida’s top earning firm for 2023,” reports Florida Politics’ Drew Wilson. “The firm led by founder Paul Bradshaw closed out the year with a pair of reports totaling $8.52 million, with $4.79 million flowing in through its legislative lobbying practice and another $3.74 million earned in the executive branch.” As for the fourth quarter … “Ballard Partners tops all firms in Q4,” reports Florida Politics’ Drew Wilson. It had $8.55 million in receipts. | | CAMPAIGN MODE | |
TODAY — Deadline to register to vote or change party affiliation ahead of the March 19 primary, as the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Anthony Man details.
‘UNDERMINE THE GRASSROOTS’ — Florida GOP legislators could upend state elections with push to revamp primary, reports POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. Florida’s wide-open and potentially crowded 2026’s governor’s race could be upended by the Republican-led Legislature, which may force the top two vote-getters in party primaries to square off against each other in a runoff election ahead of the November general election. If approved, it would be a dramatic switch that could shake up a GOP gubernatorial contest that may include Reps. Matt Gaetz and Byron Donalds as well as Attorney General Ashley Moody and the two other elected members of the Florida Cabinet. Some Republicans, including Gaetz, were already voicing opposition to the proposed change. The proposed measure would move the state’s first primary election to June 2026 and, if a runoff is needed, it would be held in late August, which is when primaries are currently held. ENDORSEMENT — Democratic U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor of Tampa has endorsed Democratic candidate Whitney Fox for Florida’s 13th congressional district, which is held by GOP freshman U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna. PLATFORM PRIORITIES — Miami Young Republicans released their list of legislative priorities for Florida’s 2024 session. They include stopping China’s influence and “securing elections.” GOP INFIGHTING — Palm Beach County Republican chairman Kevin Neal, accused of libel, files counter lawsuit, reports the Palm Beach Post’s Stephany Matat. “The Palm Beach County Republican Party's top leader has filed a legal action in response to a lawsuit against him as what started as an internal conflict, fueled by grievances within the local party chapter, continues to play out in the courts. On Jan. 22, GOP chairman Kevin Neal countersued a fellow member of the local party's ruling body who had initially sued him for libel in December. That lawsuit was filed by Anthony Ruffa, who serves on the county Republican Executive Committee. Ruffa, a West Palm Beach physician, accused Neal in his complaint of making false allegations about him during an October meeting. Ruffa's lawsuit accuses Neal of falsely stating that the physician was threatening Neal’s family and had sent the party chairman more than 75 unwanted emails.” TAPED — “Audio released of Moms for Liberty cofounder Bridget Ziegler’s police interview,” reports Michael Barfield of the Florida Trident. “Bridget Ziegler denied knowing she had been mentioned in her husband’s subsequent attempt to have sex with the woman, but told Det. Llovio, ‘If there were any extramarital thing it wouldn’t blow my mind or surprise [me].’ She voiced surprise, though, at her husband’s sexual encounter with the woman, saying if her husband were to have sex with another woman she ‘felt like I would know about it.’” | | DATELINE D.C. | | | | 
Rep. Matt Gaetz speaks with reporters outside the U.S. Capitol after he triggered a motion to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy from his position as Speaker of the House on Oct 2, 2023. | Francis Chung/POLITICO |
PROFILE — “Matt Gaetz’s chaos agenda,” by Dexter Filkins for The New Yorker. “In seven years in Congress, Gaetz has helped make the institution even more dysfunctional than it already was, threatening to shut down the federal government and force a default on its debt. Gaetz is a paradox: he is determined to attack the modern democratic state, but he harbors ambitions that only modern American politics can satisfy. He articulates an idea of the country that seems so negative — ridiculing his colleagues, trashing the welfare state, scorning embattled democracies abroad— that it is sometimes difficult to see what he stands for. And yet the more Gaetz tears down, the more his supporters love him.”
FEDERAL CASH — Florida will receive more than $112 million toward 10 airports as part of President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law, per a release from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The highest amount, of $50 million, is going to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Another $27 million will go to Miami International Airport to help fix the People Mover train that has been down. OFFER STANDS — USDA says states who've missed deadlines for summer EBT could still participate, reports POLITICO’s Macia Brown. Fourteen states — including Florida — all led by GOP governors, have declined to participate in the program, which represents the biggest expansion of federal anti-hunger programming in decades. Summer EBT, which is based on a pandemic-era federal nutrition program, is expected to feed as many as 30 million eligible children, reducing hunger during months when children can’t rely on school meals. Unlike the pandemic program, however, the permanent program requires states to contribute half of the administrative costs. | | | | Don’t sleep on it. Get breaking New York policy from POLITICO Pro—the platform that never sleeps—and use our Legislative Tracker to see what’s on the Albany agenda. Learn more. | | | | | | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | |
TOO LATE — A lottery winner in Florida never claimed the winning $36 million ticket, reports Business Insider. The person bought the ticket from a gas station in Kissimmee.
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