FLCAN E-Update
Inside this issue
  Catholic Days at the Capitol Unites Faithful for Advocacy, Prayer and Fellowship  
 
Archbishop Wenski of Miami addresses Catholic Days participants

On March 26 and 27, nearly 400 Catholics from across the state convened in Tallahassee to participate in Catholic Days at the Capitol. With a record crowd in attendance, including over 70 high school students, participants from as near as the local Tallahassee community to as far south as Cutler Bay in Miami-Dade County put their faith into action in Florida's capital city. Participants were briefed on important policy issues, met with legislators and/or their staff, observed lawmaking in action, posed for group photos with their bishops and enjoyed a luncheon and award presentation. The Red Mass (see more below) followed by a reception concluded the two days of activities. 

Additional Catholic Days photos are available on our website and Facebook page.

This year, participants engaged the following three issues:

Parental Consent Prior to a Minor's Abortion
SB 1774 (Stargel) and HB 1335 (Grall) require that a parent or legal guardian shall provide consent before a minor can terminate her pregnancy. Florida statutes require, in most cases, that a parent must consent to a minor's medical treatment. In 1989, a similar law was successfully challenged in our state. The Florida Supreme Court's concerns with the bypass procedure cited in striking down Florida's former parental consent law are addressed in these bills.
 
HB 1335 was passed by its first committee of reference last week and is now in the Judiciary Committee. SB 1774 has not yet been scheduled for a hearing by its first committee of reference, Health Policy.

Parental Empowerment in Education
SB 7070 (Education Committee) and HB 7075 (Education Committee; Sullivan) create the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, a new state-funded program for students from lower-income families to attend eligible non-public schools that meet their educational needs. The measures also increase educational opportunities for lower-income families who would otherwise be eligible to participate in the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) Scholarship Program by helping to reduce the current waitlist of 12,974 students.
 
The House proposal establishes a new methodology to calculate the value of both new and existing scholarships, which significantly decreases their value for students above 3rd grade. The change would significantly destabilize the scholarship programs. Catholic Days participants urged lawmakers to increase scholarship opportunities for lower-income families without harming existing scholarship programs.


James Herzog, FCCB associate director for education

HB 7075 was heard in its final committee of reference this week, during which James Herzog, FCCB associate director for eduction, gave testimony. It is now on the Special Order Calendar in the House for Wednesday, April 3. SB 7070 is in its last committee of reference, Appropriations.

Funding for Protection of Natural Resources
As part of a four-year, $2.5 billion environmental plan, Governor DeSantis in his propose budget for the coming fiscal year recommends an investment of $625 million for protection of Florida's environment and water quality. Protection of our state's natural environment and water resources are one of the most critical issues facing our state and requires immediate action.

Both the Senate and House have included environmental funding in their proposed budgets. The House budget proposal includes $658.5 million in environmental spending, while the Senate has proposed $656 million.
 
Save the date for next year's Catholic Days at the Capitol
January 28-29, 2020!
 

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  Bishops, State Leaders and Community Members Pray Together at Annual Red Mass  
 

On the evening of March 27, Catholic Days at the Capitol came to its official conclusion with the 44th Annual Red Mass of the Holy Spirit. All nine bishops of Florida were present to concelebrate the Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Tallahassee. The Red Mass provides an annual opportunity for bishops and the lay faithful to gather in prayer with elected and appointed officials as one body in Christ. Congregants invoke the Holy Spirit, praying that those who serve in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government will be divinely inspired and guided as they carry out their work for the people of Florida.



Bishop Enrique E. Delgado, an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Miami, offered the homily. He assured those present, including Catholic Days participants, members of the Florida bench and bar, legislators and state agency officials, "The Holy Spirit will guide us if we put our trust in the Lord."



Representative Erin Grall (above left), District 54, Vero Beach, and Helen Aguirre Ferré, director of communications, Executive Office of Governor DeSantis, served as lectors at the Mass.
 
Additional Red Mass photos are available on our website and Facebook page.
 

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  Catholic Bishops of Florida Honor Raoul G. Cantero, III, with Distinguished Catholic Leader Award  
 
Raoul Cantero (left) with Archbishop Wenski of Miami

Raoul G. Cantero, III, former Florida Supreme Court Justice, was honored on Wednesday, March 27, 2019, with the Thomas A. Horkan, Jr. Distinguished Catholic Leader Award. The award was presented at the annual Catholic Days at the Capitol luncheon attended by the Catholic bishops of Florida, current Florida Supreme Court Justices, state lawmakers, and nearly 400 Catholic faithful from across the state.
 
The Distinguished Catholic Leader Award is given to a Catholic Floridian whose life and work has deepened respect for life and increased appreciation for the human dignity of the people of Florida. The award is named for and was first presented in 1995 to Thomas A. Horkan, Jr., founding executive director of the Florida Catholic Conference. Cantero is the eighth recipient since the award's inception.
 

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  Bishops Meet with Senate President Bill Galvano  
 
Twitter: @BillGalvano

While in town for Catholic Days at the Capitol, the bishops of Florida were able to visit with Senate President Bill Galvano. The bishops engaged with the president on a range of issues, including abortion, the death penalty, parental choice in education, criminal justice, immigration reform, and access to health care.


Twitter: @BillGalvano

The bishops also took the opportunity to recognize the president's mother, Betty Galvano, for almost two decades of participation at Catholic Days at the Capitol. Betty is an active member of the Council of Catholic Women in the Diocese of Venice and has encouraged many of her peers to join her at Catholic Days over the years.
 

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  Recent News from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)  
   

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March 29, 2019

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2019 FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE SESSION


E-Update: Week 4

The 2019 Regular Session of the Florida Legislature began March 5 and is schedule to conclude May 3.

Each Friday during the 60-day session, the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops (FCCB) provides a summary of activity on priority bills and other items of interest at the Capitol.

For the current status of FCCB priority bills, see our legislative bill report.

E-Update: Week 1
E-Update: Week 2
E-Update: Week 3


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