TOP STORIES FROM LAST WEEK

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

Jamie Cole, municipal attorney, various Broward County cities. Dr. Lisa Gwynn, a South Florida pediatrician who serves as president of the Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, was removed from the Florida Healthy Kids Board by Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis. Her infraction: speaking the truth about COVID vaccines for children and challenging the decision to block county health departments from obtaining vaccines for young children, which Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo conceded would prevent 30,000 disadvantaged kids from accessing vaccines. But her statements, while consistent with mainstream medical opinion and CDC recommendations, are at odds with those of the governor and surgeon general. Dissent in Florida is not tolerated.

Michael De Lucca,

president, Broward Regional Health Planning Council Inc.

Last week, a bill was passed expanding Florida’s Bright Futures scholarship program to help high school students with part-time jobs. In the past, Bright Futures required high school students to keep track of community service hours in order to qualify for financial assistance. With the new law, applicants will be able to log work hours instead and not have to choose between volunteer hours and a job that helps support their family. Bright Futures covers 75% or 100% of tuition costs for eligible Florida students. Approximately 120,000 Florida high school students used Bright Futures last year.

Sarah Emmons, regional director, Anti-Defamation League Florida. This Pride Month, ADL joined with Keshet, Catholics for Choice, the Interfaith Alliance, the Reform Action Center and the Faith for Equality Coalition to launch Faith for Pride, a monthlong effort to include the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in religious services and programs. Our overall goal is to demonstrate that people of faith support legal protections for LGBTQ+ people. We join together to ask people of various faiths to urge Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott to pass the Equality Act and afford the LGBTQ+ community the same rights and protections that all Americans should enjoy.

Lamar Fisher, vice mayor, Broward County. This weekend, many will enjoy our more than 300 miles of navigable waterways right here in Broward County, many of which can be found in our great Broward County parks. As residents and visitors are out there enjoying our beautiful sunny weather on a vessel, please keep in mind that boat operators bear the responsibility of safely operating the vessel. I encourage all boat operators to familiarize themselves or review the latest boating laws and guidelines. A great resource is the Broward Safe Boating Guide provided by the Board of County Commissioners through recommendations of its Marine Advisory Committee.

Marlon A. Hill, of counsel, Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman, P.L. This past week, the Marcano-Scarbriel family realized a small triumph from their pain in witnessing the signature of Miya’s Law by Gov. Ron DeSantis. With this new law, thousands of tenants in multi-unit properties will be safer with the requirement of background checks for employees, a log for master key distribution, and 24-hour notice for unit entry for any repairs. The statewide Caribbean community learned a lesson of collective will, resilience and advocacy toward a common goal benefiting thousands of others. Thank you, Miya Marcano, for leaving this legacy.

Frank Ortis, mayor, Pembroke Pines. The legal wrangling has begun regarding the Food and Drug Administration’s ban on Juul e-cigarettes. Both sides feel they are right, and both feel they were wronged. I am not an attorney or doctor, but as a community leader, I have researched the effects of vaping and am especially concerned about the CDC’s confirmation that there are over 2,800 cases, typically with modified devices, of e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury and 68 deaths attributed to that condition. As the legalities of selling these devices unfolds, we must also continue to focus on the education of potential dangers of vaping.

Joshua Simmons, vice mayor, Coral Springs. Last week, in a victory for Florida’s towns and cities, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed Senate Bill 620. This was a dangerous bill for home rule, seeking to create adversarial relationships between municipalities and their business communities. This bill was broadly defined and would have opened municipalities to legal disputes that taxpayers would ultimately fund. While this bill was defeated this time, legislators have shown they will resurrect bad bills to try to push them through during future legislative sessions. We must always keep an eye on what happens with our state government.

Dean Trantalis, mayor, Fort Lauderdale . On Thursday, Fort Lauderdale unveiled artwork on four of the city’s lifeguard towers along Fort Lauderdale Beach. The upgrades undertaken to the city’s lifeguard towers provided a unique opportunity to combine public art and public safety. We have created another iconic element for our world-famous beachfront that enhances safety by making the stands more visible to beachgoers. The city’s Public Arts and Placemaking Advisory Board chose local artist DJ Chery and his vision for incorporating local wildlife and other elements that make Fort Lauderdale Beach unique. Visit the towers the next time you are on the shore.