Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.

First Shot

Higher education bills continue to move through the Legislature.

The Senate is advancing its own higher education bill, SB 1726. The legislation, sponsored by Republican Sen. Alexis Calatayud, has two new amendments.

One of them removes the requirement for a public policy office at universities.

The other removes the requirement for the Institute for Freedom in the Americas to partner with the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom.

Presidential searches were a topic of discussion, with Republican Sen. Blaise Ingoglia noting a key difference from the House bill just passed, which Gov. Ron DeSantis vowed to veto last week.

The House resoundingly approved HB 1321, which would publicize all presidential candidates’ identities, stop the Governor from discussing openings and lobbying for connected candidates with leadership of state colleges and universities, and let university Boards pick their Presidents rather than the Board of Governors (BOG).

Calatayud confirmed that the process on the Senate bill is “in the shade,” though the final three presidential candidates “are recommended for the public to see” in a manner consistent with current law. The House product offers full visibility on the field of candidates overall.

A university’s Board of Trustees, not the BOG, would make that final selection.

Read more on Florida Politics.

Evening Reads

—”Francis, the first Latin American Pope, dies at 88” via Jason Horowitz and Jim Yardley of The New York Times

—”Told to rest, Francis kept working: The Pope’s hectic last day” via Chico Harlan and William Booth of The Washington Post

—”What the next Pope could mean about the future of the Catholic Church” via Katherine Kelaidis of Vox

—”Papal transition: Traditional path sharply defined” via Daniel J. Wakin of The New York Times

—”Florida political leaders mourn Pope Francis” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics

—”Turns out it wasn’t such a great idea to put Pete Hegseth in charge of the military” via Ryan Bort and Asawin Suebsaeng of Rolling Stone

—“Don Gaetz: Senate won’t confirm two of Ron DeSantis’ top health care secretaries” via Christine Sexton of the Florida Phoenix

—“Report: Safety Net hospitals top statewide, national Match Rates” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics

—”Florida TaxWatch celebrates Taxpayer Independence Day” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics

—“You have to rent ‘Conclave’ today, because streaming is messier than ever” via Manisha Krishan of WIRED

Quote of the Day

“I’d have a hard time voting for Secretary Harris unless she came clean and had a very different story than what she’s telling the House.”

— Sen. Don Gaetz, saying the Senate won’t confirm Shevaun Harris as AHCA Secretary.

Put it on the Tab

Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.

Sen. Nick DiCeglie gets a Paw Paw now that his pet insurance overhaul is set to become law. While you’re at it, send one to Rep. Kaylee Tuck for carrying the House companion.

As best we know, there’s no official drink for Taxpayer Independence Day, so why not make it a Fresh Picked Freedom?

Send a round of Better Halves for Jacksonville City Hall, which recently announced the city has cut the homeless population by 49% year-over-year.

Breakthrough Insights

Tune In

Marlins open set with Reds

The Miami Marlins open a three-game series at home against the Cincinnati Reds tonight (6:40 p.m. ET, FanDuel Sports Network-Florida).

The Marlins snapped a five-game losing streak yesterday with a 7-5 extra innings win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Left fielder Javier Sanoja hit his first major league home run and drove in five runs in the victory.

Max Meyer (1-2, 2.63 ERA) is scheduled to start the game for the Marlins. In his last start, Meyer allowed three runs in five innings in a 6-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He has pitched into the sixth inning in each of his four starts this season.

The Reds will counter with Nick Lodolo (2-1, 2.31 ERA), who exited his last game in the fifth, his shortest outing of the season. In three of his four starts, the Reds have been involved in a one-run game, including a 1-0 loss to Milwaukee and a 1-0 win over the San Francisco Giants. 

First baseman Matt Mervis has provided most of the pop in the Miami lineup this season. Mervis has hit six home runs while the rest of the team has managed 10 combined. Mervis is tied for 11th in the National League in homers.

After the series, the Marlins will play six straight games on the West Coast, including three in Seattle and three in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.

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Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson, with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.

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Legislation to limit near-port anchoring is dead in the water after its sponsor opted to no longer pursue its passage this Session.

Rep. Chip LaMarca told Florida Politics he decided to halt consideration of the bill (HB 795) due to feedback he got from the state’s many water-faring residents.

He said the bill may return next year as local legislation from the Palm Beach County delegation “with more specific parameters to address port safety issues.”

“As a lifelong boater myself, as well as a local elected official in Broward, I am always looking to make this the best place for boaters,” said LaMarca, a Lighthouse Point Republican who in late 2023 was floated as the next Port Everglades Director.

“This bill was specifically written towards the safety of our Florida seaports. However, with the different makeup of each seaport layout, we were not able to effectively address the safety issue with this legislation as written. I would suggest that the Port of Palm Beach come back and work to address the safety issue without jeopardizing the safe boating public.”

HB 795 and its upper-chamber companion (SB 594) by Doral Republican Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez would establish new regulations for no-anchoring and no-mooring zones near state seaports.

The types of vessels and how stringent anchoring restrictions could differ between the two bills. HB 795 would apply to uninsured boats anchored for more than 45 days in port-adjacent waters and encompass a surrounding area of up to 1,750 feet from the navigational harbor.

SB 594, meanwhile, would apply to all anchoring vessels within 2,500 feet of a seaport entrance, pier or wharf adjacent to a harbor channel or turning basin.

Under both bills, each seaport would have to hold two public hearings and apply to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission before establishing a no-mooring and no-anchoring zone.

Proponents of the legislation say more needs to be done to ensure safe, unimpeded operations in and around seaports while also protecting sensitive marine habitats. Its opponents argue the changes are unnecessary, conflict with federal laws like the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 — which, among other things, established certain no anchoring zones and empowered the U.S. Coast Guard to create others around vessels and port facilities — and leave long-term boat dwellers with little elsewhere to live at sea.

Wally Moran, a longtime boater, sailing writer and President of the Cruisers’ Rights Network, said these and other boat-focused bills lawmakers are considering would create a confusing patchwork of maritime rules even the most experienced captains would have trouble following.

“(This) appears to be less about maritime safety and more about eliminating inconvenience for Palm Beach’s elite,” he wrote March 20, adding that alternative locations for boaters moored near harbors in Palm Beach County “don’t exist.”

“Municipalities to the north and south of Palm Beach will face an influx of vessels, exacerbating their own anchorage issues,” he warned. “There are no available anchorages within 50 miles of Palm Beach that can accommodate this influx.”

SB 594 and HB 795 each cleared the first of two committees to which they were assigned.

Florida Politics contacted Rodriguez for comment but received no response by press time.

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Higher education bills keep moving in the Legislature.

The Senate is advancing its own higher education bill (SB 1726). The legislation, sponsored by Republican Sen. Alexis Calatayud, has two new amendments.

One of them removes the requirement for an office of public policy at universities.

The other removes the requirement for the Institute for Freedom in the Americas to partner with the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom.

Presidential searches were a topic of discussion, with Republican Sen. Blaise Ingoglia noting a key difference from the House bill just passed, which Gov. Ron DeSantis vowed to veto last week.

The House resoundingly approved HB 1321, which would publicize all presidential candidates’ identities, stop the Governor from discussing openings and lobbying for connected candidates with leadership of state colleges and universities, and let university Boards pick their Presidents rather than the Board Of Governors (BOG).

Calatayud confirmed that the process on the Senate bill is “in the shade,” though the final three presidential candidates “are recommended for the public to see” in a manner consistent with current law. The House product offers full visibility on the field of candidates overall.

A university’s Board of Trustees, not the BOG, would make that final selection.

Ingoglia said the provision was unconstitutional, stripping powers from the BOG. Calatayud held to her belief the move is legal.

The legislation raises other constitutional questions, particularly with its proposed term limits for members of the BOG and university Boards of Trustees, and Florida residency requirements to be on the BOG.

Democratic Sen. Tracie Davis wondered why debates and speeches were to only be retained on video for one year, down by five years. Calatayud said the universities wanted that and other proposed revisions to public policy programming.

Davis also wondered why the bill restricts university polling operations from looking at candidates and races. Calatayud expressed fear that polls involving candidates and campaigns somehow “influence the public.”

The House version of the bill imposes no new restrictions on polling.

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