Rep Clemens' HB757 Lets Corporations Be Rewarded For Giving Back

LAKE WORTH, Fla. -- Just in time for the holidays, Rep. Jeff Clemens (D-Lake Worth) has filed House Bill 757, establishing a new category of corporations in the state of Florida that will allow those corporations to be rewarded for service to the community, charity, environmental responsibility and civic responsibility.

Florida would become the eighth state to register Benefit Corporations, or B-Corps. The legislation has passed unanimously in Maryland and New Jersey, among others, where Republicans and Democrats sponsored bills to enact the new corporate category. The bill recognizes that government and non-profits alone cannot solve society’s problems, and that business can be a driving force for positive change.

“Investors want to put their money with companies that have a proven record of giving back to the community,” Clemens said. “This is a great way to increase stockholder value for these companies, and see a boost in their stock price.” More...

Representative Bernard Supports Measure to Cut Banks' Ties To Terrorists

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Representative Mack Bernard (D-West Palm Beach) announced this week that he has joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in sponsoring legislation to cut financial ties between Florida state-chartered banks and Iranian-financed terrorists.

House Bill 613 and Senate Bill 792, “The Financial Institutions Act,” would impose new rules on state chartered financial institutions to certify that their corresponding banks are not engaged in federally-prohibited activities with Iranian-linked counterparts. The financial restrictions would also apply to any other terrorist organization designated by the United States. Compliance and reporting violations could reap up to a $100,000 civil penalty.

One of the primary intentions of House Bill 613 is to weaken Iran’s nuclear weapons capabilities, as well as to inhibit the country’s ability to arm insurgents targeting U.S. combat troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"The proposed Financial Institutions Act is needed to help guarantee America's security and to combat terrorism," said Representative Bernard, the lead sponsor of HB 613. "I'm proud to be among the Democratic and Republican lawmakers in support of this important bill."

The Florida Division of Elections is making it  nearly impossible for seniors and the disabled to confirm their voting status. Do you think you could get the security key right the first ? Log on and try yours.

Florida Division of Elections Voter Status Page

REPRESENTATIVE BARBARA WATSON BLASTS HOUSE BUDGET
FOR FAVORING CORPORATIONS OVER KIDS, FAMILIES

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida House of Representatives is set to begin negotiations this week with the Senate to craft a new state budget that will take effect in July.

The proposed budget that the House approved last week cuts funding for critical education, health care and social service programs. Accordingly, Representative Barbara Watson (D-Miami) voted against the proposal.

"Instead of protecting Florida’s most fragile and vulnerable residents, the proposed budget cuts important programs as an excuse for balancing the budget,” said Representative Barbara Watson, House District 103. “If this budget wins approval, our most dependent populations will be forced to live without a safety net.”

Among state budget cuts in the House proposal are:

· Historically black colleges and universities – 23 percent cut;

· Florida Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs – funding reduced by 50 percent;

· Vocational rehabilitation, including day care services for disabled adults – 15 percent reduction;

· Eliminates hearing aids for 880,000 adults;

· Reduces funding for Take Stock in Children, a mentoring program created to guide at-risk youth to college;

• Eliminates Black Business Investment Loan Fund; and
• Slashes half the current funding for the YMCA State Alliance reading program for elementary school children.

“This week, our kids are required to take and pass the FCAT. The funding for reading programs helps to prepare struggling students,” said Representative Watson. “Funding must be available for these programs in next year’s budget. Otherwise, the children who access these programs to improve their scores, will no longer have the valid resources that push them to the level of achievement, as a result they will not do as well.” 

The House budget also authorizes the Department of Corrections (DOC) to privatize Miami-Dade and Broward County correctional facilities. This requirement seeks a 7-percent reduction in DOC costs, which will result in the elimination of jobs or replacement of current staff with inexperienced personnel.

“Hundreds of South Florida correctional employees and their families will be negatively impacted by this proposal to privatize correctional safety,” said Representative Watson. “Not to mention, this budget cut does not take into consideration the invaluable safety measures added by having a DOC employee living and working in the community. This budget does create jobs; but only jobs for big corporations.”

Representative Watson, a former Miami Gardens council member, represents the cities of Miami Gardens, Opa-Locka, and Miramar, Florida. To learn more about Representative Watson, visit www.myfloridahouse.gov or call her Tallahassee office at 850-488-0766.

For all the attention paid to the national stage and governors' races, no one has really mentioned the elephant in the room: redistricting. 2011 will be the year when Congressional districts are redrawn based upon the 2010 census, and as usual, it will be ugly.

Rewind to Tom Delay's shameless efforts to redraw Texas right down party lines. You might remember it better if you recall Texas state Democrats fleeing to Oklahoma to keep the state legislature from having a quorum to vote on them.

The documentary featured above was released in October and is currently being screened across the country. Via The WIP.net: More...

Perhaps using a reverse echo of MSNBC's new slogan ("Lean Forward"), Keith Olbermann launched into the tea party on Wednesday night during a special comment that included a bumper-sticker-ready catch phrase: "Vote Backward, Vote Tea Party."

The "Countdown" host railed against the movement, using an analogy to call their candidates, "a group of unqualified, unstable individuals who will do what they are told, in exchange for money and power, and march this nation as far backward as they can get, backward to Jim Crow, or backward to the breadlines of the '30s, or backward to hanging union organizers, or backward to the Trusts and the Robber Barons."