| | | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard | |  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis gives away a pen after holding a bill signing ceremony at the Florida National Guard Robert A. Ballard Armory on June 07, 2021 in Miami, Florida. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images | Good morning and welcome to Monday. Gov. Ron DeSantis has been all over Florida ever since his failed presidential bid. And now that the annual legislative session is done, he can make those stops over months and months while authorizing new laws. The governor has long used his public appearances to grab headlines and weigh in on the news of the day. Sometimes he does so by taking off-topic questions from journalists, while other times he kicks off an event with a scathing monologue criticizing the Biden administration on topics ranging from the economy to illegal immigration. Though much of the political oxygen in the coming months will be sucked up by a rematch between President Joe Biden and ex-President Donald Trump, the bill signings offer just one way to help DeSantis stay relevant and try to position himself as a can-do executive, though it’ll be four years before the next presidential cycle. There’s a showmanship element at play, too. For instance, the governor signed bills opposing vaccine mandates in Brandon, Florida, in a jab at the anti-Biden chant “Let’s go Brandon.” He authorized a slew of tax cuts on family staples in a big-box store. He signed a bill to import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada and then, as if to underscore the point, stood in an empty warehouse meant to house those medicines after he sued the Biden administration for slow-rolling the plan. This session didn’t carry as much “anti-woke” red meat as the last two years, but the bills lawmakers passed still give DeSantis an opening to brag about cuts to tolls, temporarily nixing taxes on property insurance, helping Floridians access health care and taking on “Big Tech” by banning most minors from the platform. There also are several measures to override local governments, including on workplace conditions and community IDs, to help the governor stomp over rules in Democratic-majority cities. During an interview with Playbook at the Capitol last week, state GOP Rep. Rick Roth of Belle Glade praised DeSantis for going out and marketing legislation to voters before signing. “He explains our bills and he defends what we have done,” Roth said. Of course, the next few months are not all going to be a good time for state lawmakers. The governor can also flex his power through dolling out vetoes, including on line-item budget measures. He has already indicated the $117 billion version the Legislation approved won’t stay as is. “There’ll have to be a little trimming to be done but, you know, that’s just the way that the cookie crumbles,” DeSantis said during a news conference Friday with Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch at: kleonard@politico.com |  | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | SESSION SUM UP — Florida Republicans inch away from DeSantis, reports POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. The GOP-controlled Legislature — no longer tethered to the demands of a governor aiming for the presidency — on Friday ended its annual session in a relatively low-key fashion as lawmakers wrapped up their work and quickly headed home. This year marked the first instances of lawmakers giving mild pushback against the governor, who was widely considered one of the state’s most powerful governors before he dropped out of the presidential race in January. Republican legislators rejected some of his appointees and rebuffed his push to bring gambling to a Miami Beach resort hotel owned by a top DeSantis donor. RIGHT-WING BACKLASH — “‘Republicans need to grow a spine:’ Florida Legislature disappoints some conservatives,” reports Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel. “Despite Republicans holding a supermajority, the Florida Legislature disappointed some conservatives and left them wanting more this year. GOP lawmakers didn’t approve controversial bills on guns, mail voting, transgender issues and abortion, all on conservative wish lists. ‘Republicans need to grow a spine,’ said Bob White, chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida. ‘What’s the point of having a Republican majority if you are going to govern like Democrats?’” WANE ON WOKE? — “DeSantis faces pushback in Florida as voters tire of war on woke,” reports the Washington Post’s Lori Rozsa. “The Sunshine State is the birthplace of conservative parental rights group Moms for Liberty, the original law restricting LGBTQ+ discussion in classrooms, one of the strictest abortion laws in the country and legislation that has led to the banning of more books than in any other state in America. But the pushback is growing. Parents and others have organized and protested schoolbook bans. Abortion rights advocates gathered enough signatures to put the issue on the ballot in Florida in November. A bill that would have established ‘fetal personhood’ stalled before it could reach a full vote.” | | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S HEALTH CARE SUMMIT: The stakes are high as America's health care community strives to meet the evolving needs of patients and practitioners, adopt new technologies and navigate skeptical public attitudes toward science. Join POLITICO’s annual Health Care Summit on March 13 where we will discuss the future of medicine, including the latest in health tech, new drugs and brain treatments, diagnostics, health equity, workforce strains and more. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
UNFINISHED BUSINESS — “Florida lawmakers finish legislative session, leaving behind a daunting to-do list,” by the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times. “Healthcare reforms passed this year still leave an estimated 789,800 Floridians without health insurance. Years of property insurance reforms haven’t lowered Floridians’ sky-high homeowners and automobile insurance premiums. Passidomo’s attempt to create more affordable housing has done little for low-income Floridians so far.”
UNDERAGE WORKING — “Labor bills take over the last hours of Florida's 2024 Legislative Session,” reports Ana Goñi-Lessan of USA Today Network - Florida. “The final result no longer allows 16-and 17-year-olds to work more than 30 hours a week unless they obtain parental permission. Home schoolers and virtual school students do not need parental permission. The bill also prohibits 16- and 17-year-olds from working more than eight hours if they have school the next day, unless it's a Sunday or a holiday, and requires a 30-minute break every four hours if the minor has a shift longer than eight hours.” OVERRIDING LOCALS — “Workers could see changes to their wages in 2026 if DeSantis signs bill,” reports the Miami Herald’s Ana Ceballos. “Starting in September 2026, tens of thousands of workers may see their wages change in 11 municipalities — including Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties as well as the cities of Miami Beach and St. Petersburg. That’s because Florida lawmakers on Friday approved legislation that would block local governments from requiring contractors to pay more than the state’s minimum wage, which will be $15 per hour in 2026.” CANNABIS POLICY — Florida reins in euphoric-inducing Hemp products, reports POLITICO’s Arek Sarkissian. Florida lawmakers approved a measure during this year’s legislative session that tightened controls over the state’s hemp industry, with new limits proposed for products like Delta-8 that contain euphoric-inducing chemicals. But legislators also failed to approve a measure that sought to limit THC in marijuana if voters legalize it in November. The new hemp restrictions are now in the hands of DeSantis, who said on Friday during a news conference that he has not yet reviewed the bill. REPLENISHED — “My Safe Florida Home funding increased to $200 million,” reports C.A. Bridges of USA Today Network - Florida. “The My Safe Florida Home program, which matches up to $10,000 of the costs Florida homeowners pay for home improvements designed to protect against tropical storms and hurricanes, has run through funding nearly as quickly as legislators could provide it … New applications will be weighted toward residents aged 60 and older, and residents who qualify as low- or moderate-income.” CLEANUP — “Florida lawmakers want $3.5 million for clean water pipeline in Ocala,” reports the Tampa Bay Times Max Chesnes and Christopher O'Donnell. “Florida officials have known for years that chemical pollution from a state firefighting college in Ocala has threatened the drinking water supply of nearby homes, prisons and businesses, but efforts to remove the area from at-risk well water have gone nowhere since 2021. This year, that may finally change.” WOOF — “Who’s a good boy? Bill allowing virtual vet visits in Florida passes, awaits Governor’s signature,” reports Fresh Take Florida. “Current state law allows veterinarians to treat animals via telemedicine only if the patient has been seen in person within a year. The new measure, still awaiting the governor’s signature, would allow telemedicine for pets as a regular form of treatment, and would create a series of regulations for televet care in the state. It also would authorize telehealth for initial appointments establishing the veterinarian/client relationship — and would allow vets to prescribe certain drugs via televisits.” CITIZEN’S SITUATION — “DeSantis insists Florida’s largest insurer is broke. It has $5B,” reports Thomas Frank of Climate Wire. “DeSantis’ statements about insolvency have drawn little notice in Florida. But in Washington, Senate Budget Chair Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) referred to them when launching an investigation into Citizens and whether Florida would seek a federal bailout for the program.” CAPITAL PUNISHMENT — “On Florida’s death row, inmates often outlive the judges who condemn them,” reports the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Rafael Olmeda. “The state of Florida executed six inmates last year, including one from Palm Beach County. Four of them, including the one from Palm Beach County, lived longer than the judges who condemned them.” | | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | |
SUSPENSE — “Democrats worry how DeSantis ally Gilzean will run Orange elections,” reports the Orlando Sentinel’s Steven Lemongello and Skyler Swisher. “DeSantis’ surprise appointment of staunch Republican ally Glen Gilzean as Orange County elections supervisor has some Democrats and analysts worried about how elections will be run in the heavily Democratic county. A supervisor determines early voting days, including the important Souls to the Polls Sunday for Black voters, and how many drop boxes are available for mail-in ballots. They also decide how strongly their office promotes voting.”
| |  Officials have a harsh message for spring breakers. | Getty Images |
PRICE TAG — “Miami Beach spends $250,000 to tell spring breakers to stay away,” reports Bloomberg’s Anna J Kaiser. “The ominous warning to young party-goers underscores how the city is striving to portray a more-sophisticated and less-frivolous image as it welcomes ever more wealthy residents from the likes of New York and Chicago.”
— “No new measles cases at Manatee Bay in 3 weeks; health department says infection period over,” reports the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Angie Dimichele — “Less spring break ‘chaos’ on South Beach. But also less money for businesses,” by the Miami Herald’s David J. Neal | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | | |  Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) | Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Florida builders organizations are set to endorse Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) for reelection during an event in Orlando today, where the campaign will launch its Builders for Rick Scott Coalition. The groups endorsing Scott include the National Association of Home Builders, Florida Home Builders Association, Florida Transportation Builders Association, and Greater Orlando Builders Association. FLIPPED — “Billionaire DeSantis donors Liz and Dick Uihlein will back Donald Trump,” reports Alex Rogers of the Financial Times. “The Uihleins are the highest-profile Republican megadonors yet to announce their return to Trump’s fold, as the former president tries to build a financial war chest to fight what is expected to be the most expensive White House battle in history. The Uihleins each gave $1.5mn to DeSantis’ failed presidential bid. Liz Uihlein told the FT she would give a similar amount to Trump.” MARCH 19 — “With no competition to Trump, six other candidates remain on Florida GOP primary ballot,” reports Dave Berman of Florida Today. “With his last major competitor dropping out of the race ... there's not much in the way of stopping Trump from becoming the Republican nominee for president this year. But that doesn't mean there won't be a Florida Republican primary on March 19, with seven candidates still on the ballot. Only registered Republican voters can vote in the primary. There will be no Democratic presidential primary in Florida this year.” | | DATELINE D.C. | | | | 
Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) speaks with reporters outside the U.S. Capitol Feb. 6, 2024. | Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images | CUBA TO THE CAPITOL — Florida's three Cuban-American Republicans criticized progressive lawmakers for their recent trip to Cuba — and re-upped their support for keeping the country on the state sponsored terrorist list. Florida Reps. Carlos Giménez, Maria Salazar and Mario Díaz-Balart joined New York Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis on Friday as the four Cuban-American Republicans in Congress. "Respectfully, but vigorously we ask our colleagues to not be blinded, to follow the facts," Díaz-Balart said. "And to not be a useful idiot of a regime that has a state sponsor of terrorism 90 miles away that has not had free and democratic elections in six decades. The four repeated their claims that the Cuban government cannot be trusted, especially after progressive "Squad" members, including Congressional Progressive Caucus leadership members Reps. Pramila Jayapal and Ilhan Omar reportedly took a trip to Cuba. Progressives have long supported taking Cuba off of the State Department's list of terrorist states. But the four Republicans were met with their own critics — three protesters showed up at the press conference, calling for Cuba to be taken off the state terrorist list. Salazar jumped on using the demonstration as an example for why Cuba should not be trusted. "This is exactly what we want for Cuba," Salazar said. "This type of freedom that anyone can bring with a poster stand right in front of the Capitol and be able to talk to elected officials. That is what we want for Cuba." | | | | JOIN US ON 3/21 FOR A TALK ON FINANCIAL LITERACY: Americans from all communities should be able to save, build wealth, and escape generational poverty, but doing so requires financial literacy. How can government and industry ensure access to digital financial tools to help all Americans achieve this? Join POLITICO on March 21 as we explore how Congress, regulators, financial institutions and nonprofits are working to improve financial literacy education for all. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
PANNED — Biden slams Trump-Orbán meeting in Florida, reports Jones Hayden of POLITICO Europe. The get-together at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort came shortly after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán endorsed the former U.S. president’s bid to return to the White House this year. The meeting continued Trump’s embrace of autocratic leaders pushing back against democratic traditions.
The Hungarian leader has become an icon to some conservative populists for advocating “illiberal democracy,” including restrictions on immigration and LGBTQ+ rights. Biden said of Trump: “You know who he’s meeting with today down in Mar-a-Lago? Orbán of Hungary, who’s stated flatly that he doesn’t thinks democracy works, he’s looking for dictatorship.” “I see a future where we defend democracy, not diminish it,” Biden added, during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania on Friday. IVF RIGHTS — “Sen. Rick Scott proposes resolution supporting in vitro fertilization treatments,” reports Stephany Matat of the Palm Beach Post. “Incumbent Republican Rick Scott has introduced a resolution to reaffirm the Senate's commitment to the ‘growth of families,’ including through IVF. But one of the Democrats seeking to unseat him said Scott's resolution is a meager, symbolic action considering that much stronger legislation has been proposed by a Democratic senator. Scott, who is running to win a second term this November, said in a statement that he believes ‘it is important for the Senate to make clear our unwavering support for current and aspiring parents using IVF to start and grow their families.’” | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | |
— “Incredibly rare bird — half male, half female — appears in Florida yard. What is it?” by the Miami Herald’s Irene Wright
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