Last Call for 3.27.25 – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida

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

First Shot

After years of failed attempts, it took Senators mere minutes to pass a monumental bill to repeal a unique restriction that today blocks some exonerees from receiving just compensation for time wrongly spent in prison.

Senators voted 38-0 to pass SB 130 to repeal Florida’s “clean hands” rule, which bars exonerees with more than one nonviolent felony from being eligible for recompense without legislative action.

The measure’s sponsor, Fleming Island Republican Sen. Jennifer Bradley, noted that since state lawmakers created a compensation route for exonerees, just five have received it. Eighteen have been denied, totaling more than 300 years of lost liberty.

Six have waited for a decade or more.

“Each of us has an incredible honor to be able to represent our constituents, and part of that privilege … is the duty that comes with that to be able to right wrongs,” she said.

Bradley credited her husband, former Sen. Rob Bradley, and former Sen. Arthena Joyner for working on earlier versions of her legislation.

“The posture it’s in today (because of their efforts) is the right and just thing for a state to do (after taking) people’s liberty,” she said. “This bill rights that wrong.”

SB 130 and its lower-chamber twin (HB 59) by Tampa Republican Rep. Traci Koster, which now awaits a House floor vote, would also lengthen the window for exonerees to file for compensation to two years after an order vacating their conviction, up from today’s time frame of just 90 days.

Read more on Florida Politics.

Evening Reads

—”Donald Trump changes his tune on Signalgate: ‘I always thought it was Mike’ ” via Jake Traylor of POLITICO

—“Internal White House document details layoff plans across U.S. agencies” via Emily Davies and Jeff Stein of The Washington Post

—”America probably can’t have abundance. But we deserve a better government.” via Nate Silver of the Silver Bulletin

—“Is the White House censoring Laura Loomer?” via Will Sommer of The Bulwark

—”Taxpayers spent billions covering the same Medicaid patients twice” via Christopher Weaver, Anna Wilde Mathews and Tom McGinty of The Wall Street Journal

—“Elon Musk targeted FEMA. Storm-battered communities are paying a price.” via Christopher Flavelle, Eduardo Medina and Luis Ferré-Sadurní of The New York Times

—”How Trump wants to make one of the most dangerous jobs in America even worse” via Kenny Torrella of Vox

—”Florida House speaker uneasy with child labor bill” via Ana Ceballos and Romy Ellenbogen of the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times

—​​“House Democrats get on board with bill requiring media to remove certain online articles” via Jackie Llanos of the Florida Phoenix

—“‘Not discretionary’: James Uthmeier warns Donna Deegan not to veto Jacksonville illegal immigration law” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics

—”Heat-not-burn legislation is getting hot in Tallahassee” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics

Quote of the Day

“We have to protect the sanctity of the uniform and make sure they are represented correctly.”

— Sen. Tom Wright on his ‘stolen valor’ bill (SB 402).

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.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is fuming about the House undoing “millions of dollars in cost savings,” but it just sounds like Sour Grapes to us.

I’m sorry, parents of teenagers. Lawmakers are taking back your late mornings and replacing them with an Early Riser.

Florida’s new unemployment claims have dropped for the second week in a row, signaling that it’s time to order another Daily Grind.

Breakthrough Insights

Tune In

Gators continue March to a title

Florida will play Maryland in the Sweet 16 tonight, and the Gators will try to keep their hopes of a national championship alive (7:39 p.m. ET, TBS).

The top-seeded Gators beat Norfolk State 95-69 in the first round, then survived a 77-75 game against two-time defending national champion UConn, the eighth seed in the West Region.

All-America guard, Walter Clayton Jr., is a stand-out for Florida this season and in the tournament. Clayton scored 23 points in the first round in 27 minutes, making four three-pointers. He scored 23 against Connecticut, making five three-pointers, although he missed eight of 14 field goal attempts overall. 

Maryland, the fourth seed in the West, opened the tournament with a dominating 81-49 victory over Grand Canyon, and, like Florida, narrowly won in the second round, beating 12th-seeded Colorado State 72-71.

Four Terrapins scored at least 12 points in the first-round win, led by senior forward Julian Reese. Against Colorado State, all five Maryland players scored in double figures, led by top scorer Derik Queen. During the season, all five Terrapin starters averaged at least 12 points per game this season. 

Maryland has not advanced past the second round of the NCAA tournament since 2016. Florida has not made the Elite Eight since 2017.

The winner of the game will face the winner of tonight’s matchup between Texas Tech and Arkansas in the regional finals.

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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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