Time to Advocate with the Florida Legislature

Pat DeWitt is in the green sweater. See #2 below. I have two reports on this topic:

1. Friday, February 1: Local Legislative Visit

Another member of the Jacksonville branch, Kay McKenna, and I visited the office of Sen. Aaron Bean, where we spoke with his legislative assistant, Dee Alexander for over an hour. We presented her with a brief description of AAUW, The Simple Truth in full and one-page versions, and a card about the online Work Smart program. We gave her a partial list of bills that AAUW plans to support during the 2019 legislative session in Florida–leaving out those that Sen. Bean would certainly not support. That left us with several bills that seemed to interest Ms. Alexander. The conversation was pleasant and Ms. Alexander asked several questions which we were able to answer, with the aid of the AAUW publications.

We then asked her what Sen. Bean is working on that we might be able to support, and she mentioned a juvenile justice bill and a couple of local programs.

RENEWED CHALLENGE: the Florida state legislature is not active during the last week of February, February 25 to March 1, and that would be a good time to visit your Florida legislators in their districts.

2. Wednesday, February 6: Tallahassee Visit

I was invited to attend a press conference in Tallahassee on Wednesday, February 6 to “stand and support” three bills impacting women’s economic security: the Helen Gordon Davis Fair Pay Protection Act, which AAUW helped write three years ago; State Procurement, which would require the state to certify and favor suppliers that follow gender pay equity; and Employment Practices, a new paid family leave bill. Details of these are below.

I did not get to speak, but five legislators spoke forcefully: Dotie Joseph, Janet Cruz, Linda Stewart, Lori Berman, and Fentrice Driskell (detail below). At the end of the conference a lobbyist for NOW, Barbara DeVane, went to the microphone and introduced those of us who came from various organizations to support the legislation. We should each have been carrying signs with the names of our organizations. Supporters included the League of Women Voters, the Democratic Women of Florida, Planned Parenthood, NOW, and some women’s organizations from South Florida.

After the press conference, I spoke to Dotie Joseph and Fentrice Driskell, new legislators, and gave them copies of the AAUW’s The Simple Truth report (both one page and full versions) as well as the one-page Florida roadmap for pay equity.

IF ANY OF YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS ARE ON THE LIST BELOW, PLEASE WRITE AND THANK THEM!

Helen Gordon Davis Bill Sponsors (H 419, S 474)

Rep. Dotie Joseph, D 108 (Miami-Dade), Elected 2018

Sen. Linda Stewart, D 13 (Orlando area), and Janet Cruz, D 18 Hillsborough; Victor Torres D 15 Orange/Osceola Co.

State Procurement Bill Sponsors (H 633, S 652)

Sen. Lori Berman D 31 (Palm Beach County) and Victor Torres D 15. Berman, a longtime friend of AAUW, moved up to Senate in 2018

Rep. Fentrice Driskell, D 63 (Hillsborough, lives in Tampa), Elected 2018

Employment Practices Bill Sponsors (H 393, S 692)

Rep. Dotie Joseph (see above)

Sen. Janet Cruz, D 18 (Hillsborough)

Author: Pat DeWitt

I am a retired institutional researcher, a musician and musicologist, and support AAUW as well as several environmental causes. View all posts by Pat DeWitt