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Florida politics, policy, personalities and power collide in Tallahassee weekly. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

From: Extensive Media Enterprises

Missing Children’s Day isn’t an observance that screams “feel-good story.”

But this week’s 28th annual ceremony in Tallahassee paired the necessary remembrance with considerably more hopeful news.

It’s been more than four decades since FDLE launched the Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse, a first-of-its-kind effort in 1983, and it continues producing brag-board-worthy stats. The latest: In 2025, MEPIC issued 81 Missing Child Alerts and seven AMBER Alerts. As of Monday, all seven AMBER Alerts and 77 Missing Child Alerts had ended with the safe recovery of the missing children.

But MEPIC doesn’t work alone — it relies on juvenile justice workers, local police, federal law enforcement, some very good dogs and even everyday people to ensure reports and tips become reunification trips — and this year, FDLE handed out awards to more than 20 people and a trio of K-9s without whom Monday would have had substantially more gloom.

At the top of the list with the Commissioner’s Award was Katherine Gomez, whose work touched three major operations that recovered 60 children in the Tampa Bay region, 122 missing children across several states and 43 vulnerable youths across three states. Canh Bui, Crystal Patterson, Anthony Corso, Madeline Lopez, Michaela Darty and Kailee Healey shared the John and Revé Walsh Award for their work on Operation Cupid’s Arrow, a multiagency effort to locate critically missing and endangered children.

Other honorees did the painstaking investigative work that doesn’t fit neatly into a paragraph block on an awards ceremony itinerary. In St. Petersburg, Detective Rachel Hunter found a 14-year-old in immediate danger, then spent months mapping the network of offenders who had preyed on the child; FDLE’s Douglas Patterson and Green Cove Springs Police Detective Cora Milliken pursued a child-exploitation investigation from Florida to Rhode Island, securing 15 felony charges and an arrest; and federal officers Alvin L. Vincent and William Talaera were recognized for Operation LOCATE, which FDLE says located 408 unaccompanied children who had been placed with sponsors.

Florida has some heroes working to ensure this poster gets smaller. Image via FDLE.

FDLE spared us from asking the J-school 101 question and named the K-9 honorees — Layla, Hank and Ziva — and their humans, too. Layla and Ritchie Kaplan found hidden digital devices that proved crucial to a Tampa child-exploitation investigation; Hank and Coleman “Ryan” O’Gara followed a one-mile trail through streets, sugar sand and woods to find a missing teen unharmed; and Ziva and Tony Sun located two endangered juveniles.

Then there were two Duval County Public Schools employees whose ordinary workdays took an extraordinary turn. School bus operator Ann Tatum, certified only five months earlier, was transporting 34 kindergartners and two chaperones to the Jacksonville Zoo when a semi rear-ended her bus. She kept her cool, phoned dispatch, and maintained control of the situation until firefighters arrived to take the baton, earning her School Bus Operator of the Year honors.

The same event saw teacher Franz Lerch act without hesitation to get the youngsters to safety — he even aided a student trapped by a seat belt while comforting the students, coordinating with first responders and keeping parents in the loop. The parent of the entangled kindergartner later showed up at a Duval School Board meeting to call him a “hero” on the record, a clear precursor to receiving the Citizen of the Year award.

The story behind another award began with someone whose name does not appear on the list. A citizen recognized a vehicle associated with an active Georgia AMBER Alert and provided authorities with real-time updates. The call set in motion a pursuit involving Law Enforcement Task Force/Team of the Year Award winners Richard K. Norris and Adrian Myers of FHP and Liberty County deputies William Buckhalt, Robert Livingston and Wesley Tharpe — a chase that ultimately ended with the infant safely returned to family.

But the unknown tipster’s act makes it clear that heroism doesn’t require leading multistate operations, being on the human end of a bloodhound's leash, or piloting 10 tons of steel with three dozen hyperactive distractions in the rearview.

It can be rather ordinary: noticing an alert, recognizing the vehicle and making the call. More information on Florida’s AMBER & Missing Child Alerts, as well as the Purple Alert, Silver Alert and the newly created Spectrum Alert can be found here.

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Coming up, the usual assortment of news, intel, and observations from the week that was in Florida's capital city by Peter Schorsch, Drew Wilson, Drew Dixon, Liam Fineout and the staff of Florida Politics.

But first, the "Takeaway 5" — the Top 5 stories from the week that was:

Take 5

Cruel and unconstitutional — A lawsuit has arrived one year after Florida Politics detailed how the Department of Children and Families’ (DCF) failure to move mentally ill inmates into treatment centers due to insufficient funding from the Legislature exposed the state to costly legal action. Disability Rights Florida has filed a federal complaint accusing DCF of leaving people deemed incompetent to stand trial by a court stuck in county jails for months — far beyond the two-week deadline required under state law. Lawyers from the Southern Poverty Law Center, Florida Justice Institute and the Washington law firm Terris Pravlik & Millian filed the suit, which names DCF interim Secretary Kathryn Williams as the defendant in her official capacity. At issue: a state law that gives DCF 15 days to move a defendant found incompetent from jail to a state mental health treatment facility upon receipt of the court’s commitment paperwork, after which the criminal case is frozen until the defendant regains competency.

Constitutional clash — On Monday, the Republican Party of Florida announced its support for Amendment 1, which would increase the amount of money that could be kept in the budget stabilization fund to 25%. Then Gov. Ron DeSantis took the opposite position. “This is a foolish constitutional amendment proposal. We already have a maxed-out rainy-day fund and have recorded the largest surpluses in state history. Any additional revenue should be used to lower taxes, including by assisting local governments with grants so that homestead properties can be exempt from local property taxes. Surplus revenue could also be used to remove tolls once the property tax issue is settled,” DeSantis said Monday. His position runs counter to that of party Chair Evan Power. “Floridians work hard for what they have. Government should not spend it all and then come back for more,” said Power. “Amendment 1 keeps Florida prepared for storms, emergencies, and downturns without raising taxes.”

DeSantis has doubts — In the wake of a new St. Pete Polls survey showing Amendment 3 with just 45% support, DeSantis is voicing pessimism about whether the proposed homestead exemption increase can pass in November. “I don’t know if it’s going to pass with 60%. I wanted to be bolder, and I thought that would bring out more voters who maybe aren’t enthused about voting,” DeSantis said at the University of Alabama’s Shelby Institute. DeSantis wanted school levies to also be subject to the increased homestead exemption and for a trust fund to be set up for fiscally constrained counties, two planks of his proposal that didn’t make it into the version approved by the Legislature. But despite the final product not being what he ordered, DeSantis said as recently as last month that he thought it would succeed. While it’s unclear whether voters’ resistance to the amendment is because it didn’t go far enough, this week's poll makes clear that it clears 60% with only one group: Republicans. And just 63% of them support it. Independents favor it 40% to 32%, nowhere near the threshold, and Democrats oppose it, 48% to 24%.

Excellent prognosis — White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, a longtime Florida political consultant, has a clean bill of health after a breast cancer diagnosis in March. “After a medical appointment at the Mayo Clinic this week, my pathology results came back clear. I am cancer-free,” Wiles posted to social media. President Donald Trump revealed in March that Wiles had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, but that her prognosis was excellent and she would be able to continue to work as she battled the disease. “Her Strength and her Commitment to continue doing the job she loves, and does so well, while undergoing treatment, tells you everything you need to know about her. Susie, as one of my closest and most important advisers, is tough and deeply committed to serving the American People. She will soon be better than ever,” Trump predicted. Supporters of Wiles, many of them Floridians, expressed gratitude and joy in the comments following Wiles's update.

Case closed — Attorney General James Uthmeier has announced a settlement to an ongoing lawsuit with coffee giant Starbucks. The legal action, filed in December, alleged that Starbucks was engaging in “race-based quotas” when hiring employees at its 934 shops in Florida. Uthmeier now says the company has agreed to stop the practice. “Every Floridian deserves to be hired, promoted, and compensated based on merit, qualifications, and character — not race or sex,” Uthmeier said. “This resolution ensures that Starbucks’ policies and practices fully comply with Florida’s civil rights laws. DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) can never be an excuse to violate civil rights. We appreciate Starbucks’ cooperation in reaching this settlement.” The civil legal action against Starbucks was filed in the 10th Judicial Circuit Court in Highlands County. The 21-page lawsuit didn’t single out a particular incident or an individual. But it pointed to a series of practices Starbucks has engaged in over the past five years that the suit said resulted “in a pattern or practice of discrimination.”

Guns and ships

This week in Lakeland, DeSantis announced the second year of the Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday, which provides tax relief on firearms, ammunition and a wide range of hunting, fishing and camping supplies through Dec. 31.

DeSantis also broke ground on the Florida Archery Center at Tenoroc in Lakeland, which, on paper, will expand opportunities for Floridians to participate in shooting sports and enjoy the outdoors safely.

“Since I became Governor, we have enacted billions of dollars in tax cuts. This year’s hunting, fishing and camping sales tax holiday — ongoing through Dec. 31 — will provide Floridians with even more tax relief. We are proud to protect Floridians’ Second Amendment rights while helping hunters, anglers, and sportsmen keep more of their hard-earned money,” DeSantis said.

Save a few bucks on the gear to nab a few bucks.

The sales tax holiday began Sept. 1 and runs through Dec. 31. During the window, Florida will suspend the collection of sales tax on eligible firearms, ammunition and hunting, fishing and camping equipment.

“Consumers can take advantage of the 2026 Hunting, Fishing, and Camping Sales Tax Holiday by purchasing qualifying supplies tax-free from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31. Thanks to Gov. DeSantis and the Legislature, this is an opportunity to invest in equipment that helps connect people with Florida’s great outdoors,” added Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Chief Conservation Officer George Warthen.

The holiday is projected to provide approximately $40 million in tax relief to Florida’s hunters, anglers and sportsmen.

The Florida Archery Center at Tenoroc was authorized in this year’s state budget. Tenoroc provides the public with supervised rifle and handgun ranges, sporting clays, 5-stand, trap, air rifle and archery ranges, allowing Floridians to meet other sports enthusiasts, shoot responsibly and exercise their Second Amendment rights safely.

Green for the blue

This week, while visiting everyone’s favorite butter town, Land O’Lakes, DeSantis awarded more than $10 million in bonuses to 1,506 new law enforcement officers through the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Program, including 38 new recruits in Pasco County.

Nearly 12,500 new law enforcement officers across the state have received bonuses through the program since 2022, totaling more than $83 million.

“We have awarded nearly 12,500 bonuses totaling more than $83 million to our law enforcement officers. We have also made record-breaking investments in officer pay, benefits, training, and protections for the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect the people of our state. We continue to build on this foundation to keep Florida the most law enforcement-friendly state in the country,” said Gov. DeSantis.

To any LEOs on the fence … the well isn't dry.

The program provides a one-time $5,000 after-tax bonus to newly recruited and employed officers in recognition of their choice to serve in Florida. The bonuses are part of a broader initiative to solidify Florida’s position as the nation’s “law-and-order state.”

Under the Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget, DeSantis also secured an additional $19.8 million in pay increases for sworn state law enforcement officers. Beyond the $5,000 recruitment bonus, benefits of becoming a Florida law enforcement officer include financial stability, upward mobility, health and retirement benefits, student loan forgiveness programs, home loan programs and more.

For more information about the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment, visit FloridaJobs.org/Recognition-and-Recruitment.

No bars

Floridians fed up with nonstop scam calls and texts may soon see tougher penalties if Attorney General Uthmeier gets his way.

“If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably been on the receiving end of nonstop calls and texts” pitching potential rip-offs, Uthmeier said during a news conference in Pembroke Pines.

Uthmeier said his office is drafting proposals for lawmakers to consider during the 2027 Legislative Session. He said the office has acted against several scams, but penalties are often limited to misdemeanor charges. Uthmeier wants the state to beef up sentences.