Takeaways from Tallahassee — Boys State

Editor’s note: Florida Politics will be going dark for the week of June 28 to give the entire staff a much-needed break. “Sunburn,” “Last Call,” “Takeaways from Tallahassee,” “Jacksonville Bold,” and “The Delegation” email newsletters, as well our podcasts will be on hiatus until July 6.

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Boys State

Vincent Lahera was sworn in as Governor Thursday — Governor of Boys State, that is.

Three-hundred fifty-two high school boys descended on Florida’s Capitol this week to create a mock government.

The weeklong nonpartisan civics lesson, which the American Legion runs in 49 states, has a reputation for notable alumni, such as former President Bill Clinton, Justice Samuel Alito, former Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles, and even Michael Jordan.

The program mirrors the structure of real-life government, except the mock political parties ‘delegates’ are divided into don’t reference any existing political party.

The delegates create mock city and county governments where they participate in elections and other simulations. Ultimately, delegates form a full state government composed of judicial, legislative and executive branches.

Being elected Governor might be the top honor of the program. Lahera hails from Lecanto, where he attends Lecanto High School in Citrus County. He was sworn in as the 77^th Governor of Boys State alongside his constitutional cabinet, legislative leaders, and Supreme Court justices.

“It’s an incredible honor to have been selected by my peers to serve as Governor of Boys State,” Lahera said. “This program has already taught us so much about our government in Florida, and I’m looking forward to seeing all the good we can accomplish over the course of our mock sessions.”

But Florida American Legion Boys State Director Forrest D. Boone said creating future politicians isn’t the program’s primary purpose.

“Most of them will end up somewhere else, whether that’s business or medicine or the military, law enforcement, something like that,” Boone said. “But all of them will be able to be engaged civically, even in that, whether that’s through a trade association or a union or the officer structure of their branch of the military.”

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Coming up, the usual assortment of tidbits, leftovers and not-ready-for-prime-time moments by Peter Schorsch, Drew Wilson, Renzo Downey, Jason Delgado, Haley Brown and the staff of Florida Politics.

Take 5

The “Takeaway 5” — the Top 5 stories from the week that was:

State of emergency declared over Surfside collapse — President Joe Biden and Gov. Ron DeSantis have declared states of emergency over the condo collapse in Surfside. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing support to Florida and Miami-Dade County in the search and rescue effort and with helping survivors move on from the tragedy. In a rare break from his criticism of the Biden administration, DeSantis lauded the President for waiving standard requirements before providing aid. He thanked him for “stepping up to the plate.” “They’re all in,” DeSantis said. “And so we really appreciate having the support of the President. And the people of Florida really appreciate the President and his administration stepping up to help people who are in need.”

DeSantis signs civics and intellectual diversity bills — The Governor signed a trio of education bills that boost the state’s civics curriculum and protect “intellectual diversity.” One measure prevents colleges and universities from shielding students from political speech, an attempt to crack down on liberal “indoctrination” on campuses. The measure also surveys professors to track faculty’s political leanings. The two other bills address civics curricula, including teaching students about the “evils of communism and totalitarianism.” Implementing the new civics measures will lead to a more informed and engaged citizenry, DeSantis said. The bill signings followed his and conservatives nationwide’s push against critical race theory.

Fantasy interests file sports betting initiative — DraftKings and FanDuel launched a ballot initiative to open the Florida sports betting market. Both already had a minor victory in the Seminole Compact, which effectively legalized gaming. But the Compact gave the Tribe exclusive rights to the potentially more lucrative and broader field of sports betting. The proposed constitutional amendment, launched by a new political committee called Florida Education Champions, would legalize betting at professional sports venues, pari-mutuel facilities, and statewide online platforms. The Tribe opposes the initiative, calling it a political Hail Mary as the federal government’s decision on the Compact nears.

DeSantis approves workforce system revamp — The Governor approved a series of bills expected to streamline Florida’s system to connect hopeful workers with jobs through vocational and technical training. House Speaker Chris Sprowls, who made the efforts one of his top priorities, called the new system a “melody of economic mobility.” The package includes the Reimagining Education and Career Help (REACH) Act, a bill for workers’ compensation for students, and a bill creating the Dual Enrollment Scholarship Program. The decision to improve the state’s workforce program came after an audit conducted earlier this year by the Department of Labor revealed weaknesses in the system.

Governor sends officers to Mexican border — The Governor is sending 50 law enforcement officers, and possibly himself, to Texas and Arizona to address border-related crime. DeSantis has blamed the Biden administration for increased drug crimes and human trafficking statewide, particularly in North Florida. The Governor isn’t sure how much of the burden to deploy officers will fall on Florida’s taxpayers, calling it an ongoing “point of discussion.” Democrats have criticized the move as a political stunt over a manufactured crisis that pulls law enforcement resources from crime in the Sunshine State. But DeSantis says he’s addressing crime at the source and is stepping up when Texas and Arizona asked for help.

Summer scams

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried partnered with the Federal Trade Commission this week to warn Floridians about the rise of fraudsters posing as rental car companies.

The partnership comes as rental car prices soar amid a nationwide car shortage. In turn, scammers are capitalizing on the situation — creating fake websites, phone numbers and advertisements.

“As vaccinations increase and the country is opening back up, Floridians are ramping up their travel plans, but that also means shortages in available rental cars, higher prices, and scammers looking to take advantage,” Fried said. “If the rental car deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

In a news release, Fried provided several consumer safety tips to consumers. Among them, consumers should always research prospective rental car companies and browse the reviews.

Consumers should also pay with a credit card when possible.

“You can dispute credit card charges, but gift cards and prepaid debit cards can disappear like cash,” Fried said. “Once you give the number and PIN to a scammer, the money is gone.”

Fried encouraged all Floridians who suspect rental car scams to contact the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or the Federal Trade Commission.