Politics

Jose Alvarez claims he’s no longer welcome in Democratic office for supporting GOP bill

Published

15 hours ago

March 10, 2025

The House Democratic caucus is already the smallest in Florida history. Now, one member said he’s not welcome in the House Minority Office after voting for a Republican bill.

Rep. Jose Alvarez surprised many in attendance at a March 6 subcommittee hearing when the Kissimmee Democrat backed petition-gathering restrictions (HB 1205). That included House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, who showed up at the end of the hearing to discuss the lawmaker’s vote. And by Alvarez’s recollection, the tone was combative from the start.

“It was very disrespectful of her to speak to another member of the House that way,” Alvarez said, “for someone who calls herself a leader, to disrespect me in front of that, to tell me I vote whichever way she wants me to vote. I’ve been in public office long enough to know never to tell people to do a vote.”

Driskell recalls the conversation otherwise. She said it surprised her to see a Democratic member support the Republican-sponsored bill, which would impose a $1-million bond before sponsors of a constitutional amendment can pass out petitions, among other things. The bill cleared the House Government Operations Subcommittee on a 14-4 vote. It would have been a party-line vote but for Alvarez casting his lot with the bill’s supporters.

But Driskell said more than a member voting out of line, she was concerned the vote came from nowhere.

“Part of the culture we are trying to develop here is, we understand the part in some ways is a coalition, and we may not vote the same on every bill,” Driskell said. “What I ask is that people let us know.”

It wasn’t just members. Lobbyists working against the bill said Alvarez indicated he would be down on the bill. It wasn’t until Alvarez made remarks as part of debate that he would support the bill advancing from committee.

“If I were to just vote my particular political party beliefs in one point, I would have leaned in a different direction. But then I sat there with a clear and open mind, just as an American citizen that loves this country, that gave me democracy, that gave me an opportunity that I didn’t have,” Alvarez said during debate. “The more I read about this bill, the more I see that really what this bill is doing is protecting the state of Florida.”

It was that speech that prompted Driskell, a Tampa Democrat, to show up in the last minutes of the committee vote. Several at the meeting, including allies of the Leader, said she wanted to speak with Alvarez immediately about the vote.

Driskell doesn’t typically show up at committee hearings to dress down members about their votes. But multiple sources in the room said Driskell questioned Alvarez about why he changed his position without giving any colleagues a heads up.

“Rep. Alvarez didn’t really want to talk,” Driskell said.

Alvarez said he felt no obligation, and nobody had told him the caucus wanted him to vote against the bill, not that such direction would dictate his vote. Driskell confirmed as much, and said leadership at the caucus and committee level were not whipping votes.

One lawmaker present said Driskell “berated” Alvarez. But other witnesses say it was Alvarez who raised his voice, and that Driskell spoke quietly and tried to move the conversation to a break room. Both Driskell and Alvarez said it was the other party who turned the conversation into a confrontation.

Those close to Driskell said she wanted to take the conversation to a breakroom but Alvarez said he had another pressing meeting, so the conversation unfolded in the committee room and spilled into the hallway.

Driskell said Alvarez at one point told the Sergeant-at-Arms present “this woman is trying to block me from getting to a meeting.”

“He knows my name,” Driskell said.

Alvarez acknowledges telling the Sergeant-at-Arms that Driskell was preventing him from leaving, and that until he did so, she was physically blocking his exit from the room. After that, the two left and the argument continued until he reached an elevator.

That was when Driskell told Alvarez he was kicked out of the caucus, by his account.

“She said I would not step foot inside the caucus office again,” Alvarez said. “Fine. I’m not planning to. I am a proud Democrat, and will remain a Democrat, but I don’t want back in that office with the so-called leadership they have. I don’t work that way.”

Driskell, however, said Alvarez hasn’t been booted from the caucus.

“I was told he didn’t want to step foot in the caucus again, but he is not banned,” she said. He remains on email lists and is still listed on the Florida House website as a Democrat.

And Alvarez said he remains more of a Democrat than some colleagues, citing his work as a Housing and Urban Development regional director under President Joe Biden.

“I will continue to run my seat from my office,” Alvarez said. “You come here and try and get work done, and that’s what you concentrate on. This is not my profession. I work for a living. I was more shocked to be listening to this lady more than anything else. I lost all respect for her.”

Post Views: 0

Source link

Politics

Adam Anderson’s ‘Sunshine Genetics Act’ advances, offering promise for rare disease research and treatment

Published

17 minutes ago

March 11, 2025

May Greene

Legislation that seeks to position Florida as a national leader in genetics, gene therapy and precision medicine cleared its first committee hearing Tuesday, 17-0.

Rep. Adam Anderson’s bill (HB 907), dubbed the Sunshine Genetics Act, would establish a free, opt-in newborn genetic testing program that would create a statewide research network to advance the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases.

“The future of health care is now, and Florida is the catalyst for this transformation,” Anderson said. “By expanding access to genetic testing and accelerating medical research, we can change lives and make our state the epicenter of medical breakthroughs.”

The screening program would be administered by the Florida State University (FSU) Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases’ Rare Disease Day Symposium.

Sen. Colleen Burton is carrying the Senate counterpart (SB 1356). It has not yet received a committee vote. If enacted, the bill would take effect July 1.

The issue of rare diseases is one Anderson often champions. His son, Andrew, suffered from Tay-Sachs disease, an ultrarare fatal genetic disorder with only 16 cases annually nationwide.

“Ensuring every newborn has access to life-saving screening and treatment is both a moral and economic imperative,” Anderson said. “I appreciate my colleagues’ support as we work to make Florida a leader in cutting-edge health care solutions.”

The FSU pediatric rare diseases institute opened last February after Anderson advocated for it and secured an initial $1 million grant. He later helped secure another $5 million in state funding, announced at the institute’s first symposium. The institute is part of FSU Health and works to help kids with rare diseases through research, education and clinical care.

There are more than 7,000 known rare diseases that affect some 350 million people worldwide, according to Anderson’s Office. His bill seeks to expand testing for such diseases, while accelerating medical research into their treatment and bringing hope to those who suffer and their families.

Last year, Anderson successfully ushered through a bill (SB 1582) that created a grant program to fund scientific and clinical research on rare diseases.

The program facilitates scientific and clinical research grants to study pediatric rare diseases and calls for collaboration among universities, research institutes and community practitioners to ensure a comprehensive approach to advancing detection and treatment of rare diseases in children.

Since his son’s death, Anderson and his family have been active in advancing research in rare diseases through the Cure Tay Sachs Foundation and their AJ Anderson Foundation. Anderson previously worked with former House Speaker Chris Sprowls to create Tay Sachs Awareness Day in Florida on Aug. 10, Andrew’s birthday.

Post Views: 0

Source link

Politics

Jim Oberweis becomes first Republican to file for Byron Donalds’ seat in Congress

Published

48 minutes ago

March 11, 2025

May Greene

A former Illinois state Senator just became the first Republican to file to succeed U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds.

Jim Oberweis, former Chair of Oberweis Dairy, filed on March 5 to run in Florida’s 19th Congressional District.

The Bonita Beach Republican is no stranger to federal campaigns. Shortly after his 2012 election to the Illinois Senate, the businessman became the Republican nominee against U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, in 2014, according to Ballotpedia. He also ran for an open U.S. House seat in Illinois in 2020 but lost to Democrat Lauren Underwood, who still holds that seat today.

But now, Oberweis hopes to stake out ground early in a heavily Republican district in Southwest Florida. Donalds has already announced he will run for Governor in 2026, opening the federal office.

“The priority of our Federal government needs to be families, students and businesses creating new jobs — not woke special interests,” Oberweis said in a statement on his campaign website. “We must work together to create economic opportunity, to create an impenetrable southern border, and create new monetary oriented foreign policy priorities needed to grow the Florida economy while shrinking the size of our bloated Federal government.”

Oberweis is curiously one of multiple candidates with roots in Illinois who now hope to represent Southwest Florida in Congress.

Jack Lombardi, a onetime congressional candidate in Illinois, already told Florida Politics before Donalds announced that he may run for the seat if it opens up. Catalina Lauf, another former Illinois congressional candidate who worked in the Commerce Department under Trump, has also moved to Florida and been suggested as a possible candidate.

A number of other candidates are reportedly considering runs, including former U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, former U.S. Rep. Chris Collins of New York, former state Rep. Spencer Roach, Lee County Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass, state Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka and Sun Broadcasting President Jim Schwartzel.

Democrat Howard Sapp, an air traffic controller who previously ran for the Florida House, has also filed for the seat.

But CD 19 remains a Republican stronghold, where Donalds won more than 66% of the vote in November.

Post Views: 0

Source link

Politics

Don Gaetz’s affordable housing bill advances through committee

Published

1 hour ago

March 11, 2025

May Greene

A Senate panel advanced an affordable housing bill that would allow homeowners to build accessory dwelling units on their primary property, in hopes of tackling the housing crisis in Florida.

Pensacola Republican Sen. Don Gaetz introduced the measure (SB 184). The committee adopted an amendment that clarified that accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, cannot be used as short-term rentals for less than 30 days, while allowing manufactured homes to be used as ADUs as long as they meet requirements.

“It’s styled as an affordable housing bill, but it could also be used as a private property rights bill,” Gaetz told members of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development.

“Through the Live Local Act, the state has taken significant steps to address the affordable housing and workforce housing needs. This bill takes another step. As an affirmation of property rights, this bill requires local governments to allow accessory dwelling units or ADUs in any areas zoned for single family residential use but does not apply and specifically exempts planned unit developments or master planned communities.”

Gaetz explained that an ADU is a smaller, independent and fully functioning house that would be located on the same lot as a standalone home. Local governments would be restricted from imposing additional parking restrictions or denying a homestead exemption on the portion of property that is maintained as a permanent residence by the owner.

The bill further allows a density bonus incentive in current law to apply to housing that’s affordable for military families receiving the basic housing allowance.

“ADUs increase workforce housing because ADUs cost less to build, they cost less to rent, and they’re often located in urban areas where workers need to live in order to be close to their jobs,” Gaetz added.

Orlando Democratic Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith supported the bill’s passage after the amendment clarified that ADUs would not be able to be used as vacation rentals. He noted that the legislation does a lot to address Florida’s housing shortage.

“We have a real affordable housing crisis in the state of Florida, and a big part of that crisis has everything to do with supply, or lack of supply,” Smith said. “Bringing in these ADUs to help add to the housing supply is a great idea that should be encouraged. Initially when I read the bill, I had questions on potential mischief around vacation rentals, but your amendment mostly addressed that question.”

Smith added that the bill would make other dwellings available if people are better able to get ADUs installed on their properties.

“I applaud you for bringing this forward, I think we should be doing everything we can to increase the housing supply that we have in the state of Florida,” Smith said. “Ultimately at the end of the day, you are making an additional available unit that any person would be able to occupy, and in theory, open up other available units that are being used.”

St. Petersburg Republican Sen. Nick DiCeglie, the committee Chair, praised the bill.

“I want to thank you for bringing this bill forward,” DiCeglie said.” I represent Pinellas County which is the most densely populated county in our state, there are 24 municipalities in Pinellas, it becomes very difficult to get all of them on the same page when it comes to housing, when it comes to affordable housing, so I commend you on your leadership on this bill as well.”

The bill passed unanimously and will now move on to the Senate Committee on Rules.

Post Views: 0

Source link