For every really good idea that springs from the Republican supermajority in the Florida Legislature, there can be 10 really bad ones. Maybe 20.
We won’t hesitate to hold Republican senators and representatives accountable for their bad decisions, but we want to endorse some of the sound proposals advanced by Republicans this session. Democrats don’t hold a monopoly on wisdom in Tallahassee.
Here are eight good ideas from Republicans with bipartisan support (among many more). We spotlight these, even though, believe it or not, some are not likely to pass, despite the GOP’s lopsided numbers. Your citizen lobbying can help. Contact your lawmakers.
Animal protection. If any bill is sure to pass, it’s “Trooper’s Law,” which makes it a felony to restrain an animal during an emergency. The bill (SB 150) by Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, is a reaction to the case of an adorable bull terrier found tied helplessly to a fence in flood waters on I-75 during Hurricane Milton last fall. Renamed “Trooper,” he was rescued by a Florida Highway Patrol trooper and found a safe home through the Humane Society.
Cursive writing. Starting in second grade, students would have to show some proficiency in cursive under GOP-backed bills (HB 921, SB 1394). Cursive can make us better thinkers; 22 states require it. It’s in Florida’s academic standards, but it’s not required by law. This bill would make it so. It’s good to see cursive making a comeback.
Distracted driving. Driving with a phone in your hand can be deadly. More than 3,300 Americans died in distracted driving crashes in 2022, according to federal statistics. Twenty-nine states now require use of hands-free technology while driving, but Florida and Texas, both with pronounced Libertarian streaks to their politics, are the largest states that don’t. Republican Sen. Erin Grall of Vero Beach filed SB 1318, which treats distracted driving like a speeding ticket. Her bill is moving, but much too slowly.
Emergency plans. A comprehensive 52-page bill by Rep. Fiona McFarland, R-Sarasota, would improve state responses to hurricanes and other emergencies. In a notable shift from past years, this bill (HB 1535) makes it easier for people to vote by mail after natural disasters and gives election officials greater leeway to designate emergency early voting sites and add ballot drop-off sites. Democrats praised McFarland for a job well done — a rare sight in Tallahassee, especially on an elections bill.
Ethics fines. It’s bad enough when politicians and public officers violate ethics laws. What’s worse is, some of the guilty ones thumb their noses at the state and refuse to pay fines, forcing the state to go to court. A long-overdue get-tough policy (SB 348) allows the government to garnish the wages of an ethics scofflaw’s public salary until the delinquent fine is paid.
Come to Florida. Why is this needed? Republican-sponsored bills (SB 1760, HB 1445) would require directors of state agencies and state university trustees to live in Florida. It’s a logical reaction to Gov. Ron DeSantis’s appointments of far-away ideologues, like conservative activist Chris Rufo, a New College of Florida trustee, who’s from a harbor town near Seattle, of all places. Another DeSantis pick teaches in California; a third lives in Idaho; a fourth lives in Charleston, W. Va. Shouldn’t people shaping public policy for 23 million Floridians have to live here, too?
Utility rates. Here’s a jolt: The Legislature is standing up to Florida Power & Light, the state’s largest and most politically influential electric utility. Millions of Floridians are quietly cheering for the passage of SB 354, which requires regulators at the Public Service Commission to give more thorough justification for approving rate increases. The bill could also force public disclosure of the salaries of top utility executives for the first time.
Wrongful death. After 35 years and many failed attempts to close a legal loophole, advocates have gained momentum for a repeal of Florida’s harshly-named “free kill” law. Passed by Democratic lawmakers in 1990, it prohibits adults over age 25 and parents of deceased adult children over 25 from seeking damages for pain and suffering in wrongful death cases that involve medical negligence. Distraught survivors have told painful stories at hearings, and their champion is Rep. Dana Trabulsy, R-Fort Pierce, sponsor of HB 6017.
The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Opinion Editor Dan Sweeney, editorial writers Pat Beall and Martin Dyckman, and Executive Editor Gretchen Day-Bryant. To contact us, email at letters@sun-sentinel.com.
