Thread by @FloridaEA

At 2:30 this afternoon the Senate Judiciary Committee will meet and SB 78 is on the agenda.

Click the link to see what professional educators had to say about this latest attempt at governmental overreach and union busting: feaweb.org/wp-content/upl…
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As always, you can watch the meeting live, or later on demand, via @floridachannel. And when the committee takes up SB 78, we'll continue this thread with live updates.

There are two presentations to the committee before they take up bills. Right now the committee is hearing an update on homeowner and auto insurance fraud.

Almost an hour into the meeting, the committee has moved on to its second presentation. When it's over, discussion of bills will begin. We'll keep you updated here.

In the meantime, here's what some professional educators had to say about SB 78.

Shouldn't be too much longer now before SB 78 is up for a discussion and a vote.

The presentations are over and the committee has taken up the first of three bills on the agenda.

Again, if you want to watch live you an do so on @floridachannel thefloridachannel.org

With just 45 minutes left in the meeting, the committee has now taken up its second bill--saving SB 78 for last. If 78 is heard, it will likely be in a rushed process. There's no need for this. We are still a month from session and there are two more interim committee weeks.

Twenty minutes left in the meeting, and the committee is now taking up SB 78. Chair Brandes has indicated they will try to get through with questions "as quickly as possible."

Again, we are still a month away from session starting. There is no need to rush this process.

Sen. @SenatorThurston is first in questioning. He starts his remarks by stating, the committee needs more time to get all necessary questions asked.

Thurston: Can you point to an individual who as asked for this bill?

Sponsor Rodrigues: Not really.

First in public testimony is @rtemplin from @FLAFLCIO

"I think it's really important to point out here, this bill hurts frontline workers...this bill will create chaos," Templin tells the committee.

Templin continues, "What is the problem we are trying to address? Who is clamoring for this bill? There are not workers in favor of this bill. Employers as not asking for it. Please stop this harassment of frontline workers."

A professor from Tallahassee Community College, Martin Balinsky, is up next. He tells the committee, "70% of our faculty have chosen to be union members. To require them to reassert their decision every year is insulting and government overreach..."

Balinsky's mic is cut off.

We'll note public comments have been limited to only one minute per person due to time constraints and that those time constraints are totally artificial as there is still plenty of time before session begins.

A Ph.D. candidate at Florida State University is up next. "This bill is unconscionable. You should be ashamed, please vote no on SB 78.

"This bill does public workers no favors, nor does it respect them," Matthew Lata, a professor at FSU tells the committee. "If the problem is so dire, it would be helpful to know why," he concludes.

Four minutes left now in the meeting, @StefKunkel is up to speak on behalf of FEA's 150,000 members.

"Think about the burden this puts on Miami-Dade public schools. They will have to verify all 30,000 members."

Like Balinsky was earlier, Kunkel's mic was cut off. And with less than two minutes in the meeting, the committee has begun debate on SB 78.

"You're creating extra governmental oversight. Our job should be to make people's jobs easier, not harder. I've received over 1,000 emails asking me to vote against this bill," says Sen. @TinaPolsky

With the committee's time for the day having run out, the meeting has adjourned without a vote on SB 78. It has been temporarily postponed.

Thank you to all those who reached out to your senators and expressed your opposition!

@threadreaderapp unroll, please. Thanks!