| | | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard | |  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, center, speaks at a news conference after a meeting of the Democratic Steering & Policy Committee Field Hearing on Reproductive Freedom, Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | Wilfredo Lee/AP Photo | Good morning and welcome to Wednesday. President Joe Biden’s top health official dropped in on Florida yesterday to talk about how the administration is helping LGBTQ+ patients access medical care. And it happened to be at the start of Pride Month. Xavier Becerra, the secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services, visited the LGBTQ+ community center Pridelines in Miami, where he told the group gathered that “even in places where you seem to be going backward, if you fight this you’ll get there.” Becerra’s banner on X celebrates Pride Month and this week the agency raised the flag at its DC headquarters while kicking off its Pride Summit. Becerra was in Florida in an official capacity, but Biden campaign officials have made it clear that they’ll try to drive home contrasts on LGBTQ+ rights ahead of the election. First lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris attended Pride events elsewhere in the country over the weekend, and the pro-LGBTQ+ rights group Human Rights Campaign plans to spend $15 billion on paid media. The Biden administration recently reinstituted anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people started under the Obama administration — and reversed under the Trump administration — that apply to health care providers and insurers. They also have a complaint form people can fill out to report instances when they’re refused care because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Becerra didn’t specifically criticize Florida when Playbook asked why he chose to come here. He instead said that he has traveled all over the U.S. so people could know their rights and so he could talk about new medicines, insurance coverage or lower costs they might not have heard about. “I work for the federal government and may not be able to dictate what the state does through its state laws,” Becerra said. “But I certainly know what the federal laws are when it comes to access to health care. And we're going to enforce those federal laws to protect people's rights to access care.” Florida has numerous restrictions on LGBTQ+ people. The state bans transgender althletes from participating in youth and college sports alongside cisgender athletes of the same gender identity. Transgender people aren’t permitted to use public restrooms that match their gender identity. Many of the books that have been challenged in school libraries have been over LGBTQ+ characters or themes, and teachers can’t instruct on these topics. The DeSantis administration prohibits trans people from changing their IDs or driver’s licenses to match their gender identity. And specifically on health care for transgender people, minors in Florida are not allowed to receive medications or surgery related to transitioning. Adults too now face more barriers after lawmakers mandated in-person doctor visits for treatment, blocking off approval from providers such as nurse practitioners or through telehealth. Becerra said the Biden administration doesn’t have a specific policy on transgender medicine for minors but instead defaulted to professional associations. The care is supported as medically necessary by organizations like the American Medical Association, the nation's largest lobbying group for doctors. Once the professional organizations endorse it, “then we support the funding of that service, whether through Medicare, Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act marketplace,” he said. The governor’s office pointed to his past statements when asked about Becerra’s visit. DeSantis has argued that he’s protecting children and accused medical associations of being driven by ideology and of wanting to “mutilate” minors. He also has defined affirming the identities of transgender people as being "unmoored from truth" and as being “complicit in a lie.” Despite new laws and patriotic lights eclipsing rainbow-themed lights on bridges this summer, Pride events are flourishing throughout Florida. The Florida Legislature also rejected several measures last session, including a bill to ban flags from government buildings that represent a “political viewpoint,” such as Pride flags. Another measure that never got a hearing would have affected how government employees can use pronouns in the workplace. Judges have also blocked certain laws, including a crackdown on minors attending drag shows. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch at: kleonard@politico.com.
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SO MUCH FOR THAT — Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office quickly denied that the governor wanted to host his own show, as had been reported by anonymous sources to “In Touch Weekly.”
MILLIONS NEEDED FOR AC — “‘Cooking someone to death’: Southern states resist calls to add air conditioning to prisons,” by POLITICO’s Siena Duncan. “Politicians across the conservative South have repeatedly balked at forking over tens of millions of dollars to improve conditions for a population that garners little public sympathy from their constituents … The vast majority of facilities remain without AC in many states. Roughly three quarters of Florida prisons lack AC, according to Florida Department of Corrections secretary Ricky Dixon … Both inmates and prison guards say the sweltering conditions are not only inhumane, but make the facilities much more dangerous for everyone.” — “DeSantis presses Floridians to prepare for hurricane season,” by Christie Zizo of ClickOrlando.
|  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, second right, speaks with the owners of Shrimp Boat, Horseshoe Beach's only restaurant, which was damaged by storm surge during the passage of Hurricane Idalia one day earlier, in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. | Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo | OFFICE OF INSURANCE REGULATION — “Florida regulators to insurance companies: no more games on rates,” reports Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times. “For years, insurance companies have routinely sought rate increases just shy of 15 percent, avoiding a public rate hearing required under state law. Sometimes the companies have followed up with additional, smaller, rate increases, causing some homeowners to see their premiums go up 20 percent or more when their policies renew. The practice has helped some companies avoid potentially embarrassing public hearings, where regulators, the public and the state’s insurance consumer advocate can ask executives detailed questions about their proposed rate hikes. But Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation is signaling that such tactics are no longer tolerated.” HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ENCROACHMENT — “Could thousands of new Florida homes harm ancient burial grounds? ‘We are concerned,’” by the Bradenton Herald’s Ryan Ballogg. “The Seminole Tribe of Florida is raising concerns that a major housing development along Sarasota Bay could disturb sites holding centuries-old Native American artifacts. Plans for Aqua by the bay, a project by Carlos Beruff’s Medallion Home, call for over 500 single-family homes, 2,300 multi-family units and 78,000 square feet of commercial retail space … conceptual plans for the next 169-acre phase show that its western boundary would butt up against two sites that have been marked worthy of the National Register of Historic Places. Test digs in the areas turned up historical artifacts with links to Florida Indigenous groups, state records show.” — “‘We’re not gonna barbecue our way out of this’: Wild pigs, conquering all Florida counties, are now taking over the U.S.,” by the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Shira Moolten.
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | TODAY — The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board is meeting at 10:30 a.m. over a possible expansion to Walt Disney World. (Tune in.) TIMELINE SET — “FAU presidential search ramping back up,” by POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury. “FAU is planning for the search to pick up in the fall with public events for faculty and students while the search committee produces a salary range for trustees to consider. The search committee is charged with delivering an ‘unranked list of qualified applicants’ to trustees by January.” ON THE CALENDAR — “Hillsborough teacher’s pronoun case gets federal hearing date,” reports News Service of Florida. “Granting a request to speed up the case, a federal appeals court will hear arguments in September in a battle about a 2023 Florida law aimed at restricting educators’ use of personal pronouns and titles in schools. The state took the case to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in April sided with a transgender teacher who challenged the law. Walker issued a preliminary injunction that blocked education officials from enforcing the law against Hillsborough County teacher Katie Wood, though the injunction did not apply statewide.”
| | CAMPAIGN MODE | | | | 
State Sens. Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula and Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota confer on Feb. 8, 2023 at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. | Phil Sears/AP Photo | 2026 HAS BEGUN — “Backed by Trump, Gruters make statewide bid official,” by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. “State Sen. Joe Gruters has made official his campaign to become the state's next chief financial officer, having already secured the support of former President Donald Trump before he launched. Gruters, a Republican from Sarasota and former chair of the Republican Party of Florida, late last week opened up a campaign account and signed the paperwork to become a candidate for the post that will open up in 2026. Current CFO Jimmy Patronis, who is considering a possible run for governor, is term limited and can no longer remain in the job. Gruters, who is a certified accountant, has been one of Trump’s strongest supporters and has helped with both of his presidential campaigns in Florida.” AMENDMENT 3 — “If marijuana is legalized will Florida smell like weed? It might,” by Samantha Neely of USA Today Network — Florida. “In the midst of critics and politicians — led by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis — arguing about the potential problems of marijuana legalization, many have highlighted another issue with the plant — its smell. Its pungent odor might be enough for some to still want to ban weed, claiming it is a ‘quality of life’ issue.” — “Former Ron DeSantis staffer seeks to become youngest School Board member in Florida history,” by Florida Politics’ A.G. Gancarski.
| | DATELINE D.C. | | TODAY — The Senate Budget Committee is holding a hearing at 10 a.m. on insurance markets, which will include testimony from a Florida resident. (Tune in.) CONGRESS MUST REPLENISH — “As busy hurricane season looms, FEMA warns it could run out of disaster cash,” by the Miami Herald’s Alex Harris. “The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund is on pace to run dry by August. Without congressional action, that could leave Florida and other states staring at massive expenses and slower recovery efforts if a major storm hits. The chances for that are high ahead of what is predicted to be the busiest season on record … Florida Sens. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, both Republicans, wrote a letter to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell highlighting the issue last month, where they called the potential funding shortage ‘unacceptable.’” STORMS BREWING — “DeSantis blasts Washington’s post-hurricane assistance,” by the Orlando Sentinel’s Jeffrey Schweers. “Gov. Ron DeSantis accused the federal government Tuesday of not doing enough to help the state recover from hurricanes, as he urged Floridians to take advantage of a sales tax holiday on emergency supplies for the storm season … The governor didn’t mention more than $9 billion that Washington pumped into Florida following Hurricane Ian in 2022, an amount that doesn’t include aid sent to help recover from other hurricanes since the governor took office in 2019.” ‘OSTRICH STRATEGY’ — “Florida Democrats lie low on Biden plan to lift some Cuba sanctions,” by Mitch Perry of the Florida Phoenix. “Curiously absent from any public discussion about the policy change were Florida’s eight congressional Democrats, whose offices did not respond to inquiries by the Phoenix.” — “Florida Immigrant Coalition slams Biden’s border closure plan,” by Mitch Perry of the Florida Phoenix.
| | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | TRUMP CAN STILL VOTE — “Trump's case casts a spotlight on movement to restore voting rights to those convicted of felonies,” by Gary Fields and Nicholas Riccardi of The Associated Press. “Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2018 restoring the right to vote for the estimated 1.8 million people in the state who had felony convictions, but the Republican-controlled Legislature watered that down by making the payment of all fines, fees and court costs part of the requirement before voting rights would be restored. That had the effect of making it complex, expensive and risky for people convicted of felonies to try to cast ballots.” — “Garland on use of force rule for Trump Mar-a-Lago search: We did the same for Biden,” by POLITICO’s Jordain Carney.
| | | | JOIN US ON 6/12 FOR A TALK ON THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY: As air travel soars again, policymakers and airlines are grappling with a series of contemporary challenges to the industry's future. Join POLITICO on June 12 for a topical and timely conversation with government leaders and aviation stakeholders about the state of the airline industry. From what passengers want to what airlines need amid the high demand for air traffic, workers and technology solutions. What can Washington do to ensure passengers and providers are equipped to fly right? REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | TRANSITION TIME | | — The Florida Democratic Coordinated Campaign has a slew of new hires, including Cramer Verde as political director, who was Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried’s political director when she ran for governor. Tiffany Hughes, the owner of the operations management consulting firm Brite Hire, is the new chief operating officer. Karol Molinares, who previously worked for Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) and LPAC is the new communications director; and Jackson Peel, who worked for Florida House Democrats, will be rapid response director. “We’re going to continue to work every day to earn the vote of every Floridian and make clear the threat Trump and MAGA Republicans pose to our health care, reproductive rights, fundamental freedoms and our democracy,” Biden-Harris Florida state director Jasmine Burney-Clark said in a statement to Playbook. — Dustin Carmack is now director of public policy for the southern and southeastern U.S. at Meta. He previously was policy director and senior adviser for Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign and is an ODNI and John Ratcliffe alum. — Greg Schuckman has been named administrator in charge for California State University’s Office of Federal Relations. Schuckman previously served as assistant vice president for federal relations for the University of Central Florida.
| | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | |
— “These veterans in Congress will mark D-Day by jumping out of a plane,” by CQ Roll Call’s Justin Papp.
— “'Date night with Mickey Mouse': Rolling Stones' Jagger calls out DeSantis at Orlando show,” by C.A. Bridges of USA Today Network — Florida. BIRTHDAYS: Former Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, founder of Ruth’s List … former State Rep. Seth McKeel … Heidi Otway, president and partner at SalterMitchell PR. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
