Thread by @FloridaEA

At 9am this morning the Senate Judiciary Committee will again take up SB 78 after it was temporarily postponed in the committee's last meeting. We'll keep you updated in this thread. As always you can watch live, or later on demand, via @floridachannel thefloridachannel.org

As a reminder, SB 78 is a bill that offers a solution in search of a problem.

It creates additional governmental bureaucracy and hurts frontline workers including educators, police and firefighters.

Here are some examples of what professional educators think of SB 78

Wasting no time, the committee is taking up SB 78. Since they left off in their last committee on an amendment that's where they resume.

The amendment which sets a timeframe for employers to confirm union membership can be seen here: flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2…

Of note, Sen. Boyd is absent from today's meeting. Chair Brandes noted it was an excused absence but offered no reason for the senator's absence.

Sen. @SenatorThurston has a question on the amendment, "What happens if the employer doesn't confirm within the 30 days required by law?"

Sen. Rodrigues responds, "There is no provision to deal with that."

Sen. @SenAudrey2eet is next in questioning, "Does the employer go find the employee and ask them--'Are you sure you want to be a union member?"

Sen. Rodrigues responds, "We'll leave that up to the employer...whatever process they establish is fine with us."

Sen. @SenAudrey2eet continues, "If the employer can establish whatever process they want, why do we need to change the current process?"

Sen. Rodrigues responds, "I think it's cleaner."

(Spoiler alert: It would actually be much messier)

Sen. @SenAudrey2eet asks, "Are there any employees who have asked you for this bill."

Sen. Rodrigues, "I have not heard from a single employee who is in favor of this bill."

To be clear, this bill targets only public workers, and primarily frontline workers including educators, police and firefighters. And the sponsor of the bill just confirmed not a single worker has asked him for this bill.

Sen. @darrylrouson asks an essential question: "During the time before the employer confirms an employee wants to join, are they a member of their union?"

Sen. Rodrigues: "No."

Sen. Rodrigues says, "I'll go back to the point of the bill. It is to protect employees."

It has been fewer than five minutes since he acknowledged not a single employee has asked for this bill.

Sen. @SenAudrey2eet "You're not aware of any extra steps for employees to take to have charitable deductions taken from their paycheck?"

Sen. Rodrigues, "No. I did not survey public agencies before I sponsored this bill."

@SenatorThurston asks, "Earlier when you said nobody came to you and asked your for this legislation, has anyone ever complained this is a problem?"

Sen. Rodrigues, Nope. Again, this bill I'm sponsoring doesn't have a single employee I'm aware of that supports it.

Questioning has wrapped up and it is now time for public testimony. First to testify is a police officer who tells the committee, "This session of 2021 is seeing law enforcement come under attack...SB 78 has a chilling effect on officers giving what they are working in."

Stephanie Kunkel from FEA is up next in testimony, "There is no compelling reason for this legislation. We ask that you respectfully vote down this bill."

Dr. @rtemplin from @FLAFLCIO is up next. "Why? Why are we doing this? Who is asking for this? My phone has been ringing off the hook with frontline workers who are terrified? Who here in this room is asking for this?"

"We have big problems in the state of Florida, but one of the fastest pieces of legislation moving right now is a bill that nobody is asking for," @rtemplin concludes.

A representative from the Florida Chamber of Commerce is now speaking. The Chamber supports the bill. But, their reason isn't clear because the Chamber has nothing do with public sector workers who this bill impacts.

@SenatorThurston asks the representative of the Chamber of Commerce, 'How many public sector workers have come to you and supported this bill?"

@FlChamber: "None. I haven't heard from a single public sector work who supports this bill."

With that, public testimony has wrapped up and we are in debate.

Sen. @SenAudrey2eet is first in debate. "This is a solution in search of a problem. What is happening (currently) is working. That's why we aren't hearing frontline workers asking for this legislation."

Next in debate is Sen. Bradley who says she will support the bill. She notes, however, she is "concerned" and "isn't comfortable" with it and would like to see it improved.

@TinaPolsky, "Private employers have asked for this bill, but they aren't impacted by it. Public employers are. We don't need this bill," as she voices her opposition to SB 78.

"Not one mayor, county councilman, has come to us and said they need this for their police or their fire. This increases bureaucracy and increases the size of government" says @darrylrouson in his opposition to SB 78.

@SenatorThurston, "Trust me. I get lots of correspondence from frontline workers when they have concerns, and none of them are supporting this bill."

@dennisbaxley
"I love teachers. I'm looking out for teachers," and that is why I support SB 78 a bill that thousands of teachers have asked me to oppose and not a single teacher has asked me to support.

Debate is over. SB 78 passed on a party-line vote.

Sen. Boyd was absent from the meeting. Otherwise all Rs voted yes and all Ds voted no.

@threadreaderapp unroll, please.

Thanks!