TOP STORIES FROM LAST WEEK

Our panel of 100 influential leaders discusses the most important issues affecting you.

Lori Berman, member, Florida Senate. Damning new statistics have poked a massive whole in Gov. DeSantis’ argument that masks do nothing to slow the spread of COVID19 in schools. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried released data Thursday from the Department of Health showing that school districts that require masks had up to seven times lower COVID-19 cases per capita than districts that had a mask optional policy. This comes as the DeSantis administration continues its war on public education. Most recently, Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran recommended school districts requiring masks be stripped of state funds in an amount equal to any federal grant funds they were awarded.

Dan Daley, member, Florida House of Representatives. For the upcoming legislative session, I have once again filed “Jaime’s Law.” This bill is named in honor of 14-year old Jaime Guttenberg, who tragically lost her life in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in February 2018. House Bill 181 would require background checks on all individuals purchasing ammunition. Currently, in Florida, vendors are not required to run background checks on ammunition purchases to ensure that individuals are prohibited from doing so. This bill works to close this loophole and ensure that ammunition does not fall into the wrong hands. Twenty-five other states already have a background check in place; this bill is a step in the right direction.

Howard Dvorkin, CPA, chairman, Debt. com. Sen. Elizabeth Warren called Fed chairman Jerome Powell “a dangerous man” and announced she would oppose his re-nomination. You can disagree with Fed policy (and God knows I have) but name-calling won’t help. Financial regulations are complex and boring — and it should stay that way. If we politicize the Fed like we have everything ranging from vaccines to Dr. Seuss, then the Fed will end up as paralyzed as

Congress is right now.

Chip LaMarca, member, Florida House of Representatives. The first bill that I have filed this session seeks to repeal the current limit on the size of wine bottles that retailers can sell in Florida. HB 6031 relates to economic freedom and criminal justice reform. Believe it or not, there is currently a criminal penalty for selling oversized bottles of wine, which is classified as a second-degree misdemeanor. HB 6031 would make it legal to sell a bottle of wine larger than one gallon, or about 25 servings. A standard wine bottle is 750 millimeters, which is about 5 servings. The time is ripe to free the grapes!

Frank Ortis, mayor, Pembroke Pines. The hearts of all those in our city are heavy with the tragic passing of 19-year-old Miya Marcano, who grew up in Pembroke Pines and graduated from Charles W. Flanagan High School. From the time we learned she was missing in the Orlando area, where she attended college, to the moment the news broke that her body had been found, we held our breaths hoping for a different outcome. On behalf of all our residents, I extend our condolences to her family, her loved ones and the Caribbean community in our city and abroad who loved and embraced her.

Joshua Simmons, vice mayor, Coral Springs. This past week, the Coral Springs City Commission voted to allow Trulieve to operate a medical marijuana dispensary in our city. During the commission meeting, opponents of the dispensary used the phrase “unsavory individuals” when referring to patients of medical marijuana. I was reminded that we still have a long way to go with removing the stigma associated with marijuana and the people who use it. We must not let fear dictate the future. People are turning away from harmful chemicals and embracing a healthier, natural alternative.

Dean Trantalis, mayor, Fort Lauderdale .On Tuesday, the Fort Lauderdale City Commission took a big step forward in our goal of easing traffic congestion. We accepted the unsolicited proposal from Elon Musk’s The Boring Company to construct a 2.2-mile subterranean vehicular tunnel system from downtown Fort Lauderdale to the beach. This alternative method to get to and from the beach will lessen traffic chokeholds on key east-west routes and gridlock endured by the neighborhoods of Las Olas Isles and Colee Hammock. The decision gives staff the go-ahead to review the legal, financial and technical aspects of the proposal.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz, member, U.S. House of Representatives. America’s gun violence public health epidemic has even infected our school campuses. I filed the School Shooting Safety and Preparedness Act to allow parents and policy makers to annually collect, inspect and share gun violence data from in and around our schools. This vital information will help develop policies and strategies to curb this preventable bloodshed. This legislation would create a ‘school shooting’ definition, which currently doesn’t exist in federal law. We need this data to identify trends, gaps and solutions. This law would help save other communities from enduring the anguish and loss that Parkland and Sandy Hook experienced.