Legislative update from our Legislative Director, Jim Bonafiglio:

Gov. DeSantis, facing a recent suit filed by The Harvard Election Law Clinic, set the special election to fill the vacancies that arose when several electeds filed to fill the District 20 Congressional seat left vacant when Alcee Hastings passed. The three state districts, Broward Co. Senate District 33, and Palm Beach County House seats Districts 88 and 94 were left vacant as of January 2022 when Sen. Perry Thurston and Reps. Bobby DuBose and Omari Hardy, resigned to qualify for Hasting’s open seat. The governor set the primary date for each seat on Jan. 11, 2022 and the general election on March 8.Coincidentally the Democrats will have fewer members in each chamber for the 60-day legislative session next year, which starts Jan. 11 and ends March 11 because whoever wins will not be seated for the 2022 session. For more info see:

Gov. DeSantis’ right wing Surgeon General designate  Dr. Joseph Ladapo and his aides refused to wear a mask at a scheduled meeting to garner support for his confirmation hearing with immuno-compromised Sen. Tina Polsky. Sen. Polsky is fighting stage 1 breast cancer. She underwent a lumpectomy in September and is scheduled for radiation treatment. Sen. Polsky’s office has a sign asking visitors to wear a mask. The smug appointee and his aides refused, so after several uncomfortable minutes no meeting occurred. The right wing media has blamed Sen. Polsky for her “inconsistent” stance, and her refusal to compromise with Dr. Ladapo. Sen. Polsky noted that she sometimes does not wear a mask when meeting with people she knows have been vaccinated.   For more info see: