Florida
Legislature votes to allow people to kill Florida black bears in self-defense anywhere in the state – Florida Phoenix
The GOP-controlled Legislature has approved a controversial measure to allow people to kill black bears in self-defense anywhere in the state. Most Democrats opposed the measure, and the legislation now goes to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who will need to decide whether to make it easier to kill bears in Florida.
The measure, called the “Self-Defense Act” (SB 632), says that an individual would not be subject to any criminal or civil penalty for shooting and killing a bear if the person believed that they were in an “imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to himself or to others.”
It would also be legal as long as the person did not lure the bear with food or “attractants for an illegal purpose,” such as training dogs to hunt bears. And it requires that the person who killed the bear that they must notify the Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) within 24 hours after the shooting, and may not possess, sell or dispose of the bear or its parts.
On the Senate floor on Wednesday, Democrats opposed the measure, with some saying that it would be more appropriate to emphasize education and mandate that people secure their garbage.
Animal rights advocates have argued strongly against the bill.
Kate MacFall, the Florida state director of the Humane Society of the United States, wrote recently in an op-ed published by the Tampa Bay Times, saying that “bears are critical to Florida’s ecosystem — they spread even more seed than birds.” She added in the op-ed: “They’re also extremely family-oriented, as mother bears will spend up to two years taking care of their cubs. Because bears have small litters and are extremely slow to reproduce, letting individuals to kill them for any perceived ‘threat’ would allow unacceptable losses to their population.”
MacFall now wants to call on members of the public to tell DeSantis to veto the bill.
The Senate bill passed 24-12, with Republican Ileana Garcia joining 11 Democrats in opposing the measure. In the House version passed last week, the bill passed mostly along party lines, with three Republicans voting against the measure and four Democrats supporting it.
Senators spoke about their views on bear killings.
“If you choose to live in an area where you know that there are bears, then you have to behave in a certain area, so as to not attract your bears,” said Broward County Democratic Sen. Tina Polsky. “And we know this is a gun happy culture and giving them the permission to shoot is what this bill is doing instead of taking every single precaution that we could possibly take.”
But Miami-Dade County Republican Ana Maria Rodriguez said that while bears may be prevalent in more rural areas of the state, she actually had a bear wandering along the same street where her children play every day in her South Florida district last year.
“To me this bill is about safety and protecting our families on our property,” she said. “I don’t live in North Florida. I live in the southernmost district. I live in Homestead, but I actually had a bear on my block, which is pretty rare. But I do think that it’s important for each and every Floridian in each and every district not just North Florida have the ability to protect their families.”
Broward County Democratic Sen. Lori Berman worried about “open shooting on our streets in any area.”
“You’re jeopardizing people. You’re jeopardizing children,” she said, adding that if people felt threatened by a bear, they should call local law enforcement to handle the situation.
But North Florida Republican Corey Simon, the sponsor of the Senate measure, said that many of his constituents live in rural areas where law enforcement may not be able to respond so quickly.
“In those fiscally constrained counties, when you only have two or three deputies on call at a time, showing up at your house could be two hours, or a bear issue could be the next day,” he said. “It just depends on how many folks and how close they may be to the residents. And what we don’t want to do is hamstring our people in thinking that they can’t protect themselves.”
Black bears (the only bear that lives in Florida) were labeled an endangered species by the Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) back in the 1970s, but after decades of statewide protections and management, FWC determined in 2012 that they were no longer facing a high risk of extinction and were removed from the state threatened list, according to a staff analysis.
FWC estimated the statewide bear population to be approximately 4,050 bears, according to a 2017 report – the last time they provided an estimate.
According to a Senate bill analysis, as the populations of both humans and bears have expanded in the state, there has been an increase in human-bear conflicts, particularly in residential areas, where bears often search for food. Between 2009 and 2018, FWC euthanized an average of 38 bears annually due to public safety risks. The FWC found that a majority of the mortalities were associated with bears seeking out unsecured garbage or other human-provided food sources. In 2022, FWC received 5,907 calls relating to bears, with 36 percent considered “core complaints.”
TAMPA, Fla – New SNAP restrictions will start Monday in Florida.
What we know:
These changes will ban the purchase of many sugary sodas, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed, shelf-stable prepared desserts.
Hunger Free America, an advocacy group, is against these restrictions.
Joel Berg, the CEO, said some regulation is a good thing, but he wants to see it support access to healthy foods as a choice.
“We do support mandates to mandate that healthier food is available in stores that do accept SNAP,” Berg said. “So, it makes a lot more sense to make it easier to get healthier food.”
Berg said these restrictions are unnecessary in achieving a healthier America.
“We should make America healthier again by making healthy food more affordable, convenient and physically available,” Berg said. “We shouldn’t micromanage the eating patterns of adults to try to achieve that goal.”
The other side:
This is part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said, “Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic disease epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.”
What they’re saying:
Berg said that these changes, on top of cuts to the program nationwide, will increase hunger.
“It’s not that low-income Americans don’t want healthier food; it’s that they can’t afford healthier food,” Berg said.
This coincides with the announcement that there will be cuts to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which supplies food to mothers and young children.
“President Trump’s budget just announced that he’s proposing taking away fruits and vegetables from the WIC program for pregnant women and children under five,” Berg said. “So, they’re taking away healthier food.”
The WIC cuts would take away $1.4 billion in fruit and vegetable benefits from 5.4 million people.
Big picture view:
The SNAP changes come as part of the MAHA movement and include more than 20 other states that will implement changes over the next two years.
The Source: Information in this story comes from WIC, SNAP and interviews done by Fox 13’s Danielle Zulkosky.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The engines are revving for one final day of high-stakes bidding and family fun at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction reaches its grand finale today with an action-packed “Super Saturday” lineup, promising to close out the weekend with a full slate of collector car sales, live entertainment, and fan attractions.
“Super Saturday,” presented by Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, officially kicks off at 8 a.m. when gates, food courts, and the exhibitor marketplace open to the public.
What to expect
- 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: The Fantasy Bid presented by Dodge begins early, running in tandem with the automobilia auction in the arena.
- 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Thrill-seekers can catch Dodge thrill rides on the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track.
- 10:00 a.m.: New amenities open to the public, including the Stella Artois, Staging Lanes, and Food Court patios, which offer shaded seating and auction views.
- 10:45 a.m.: The national anthem will be performed in the auction arena, signaling the start of the main collector car auction at 11 a.m.
- Afternoon Entertainment: DJ sets run from noon to 5 p.m. across the various patios, and a detailing clinic by Adam’s Polishes is scheduled for 2 p.m. near the South Showcase.
For those unable to attend, the whole event will be livestreamed throughout the day on the Barrett-Jackson website and the HISTORY channel from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Today’s finale comes on the heels of a high-energy Friday that saw significant sales and notable celebrity interest.
Star power was evident throughout the day, particularly with vehicles tied to the Busch family. A 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible owned by Samantha Busch and a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 Custom Coupe were among the day’s heavy hitters, each fetching $159,500. Kyle Busch’s 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom Coupe also drew a strong bid, selling for $143,000.
Other Friday highlights included:
- 1968 Ford Mustang Eleanor Replica: $137,500
- 2004 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Mamba Edition: $132,000
- 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Custom SUV: $126,500
- 1957 Ford Thunderbird Custom Convertible: $121,000
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
With a festival-style atmosphere and high-profile sales driving momentum, organizers expect a busy crowd for the final push at the auction block today.
-
Dallas, TX57 seconds agoDallas Mavericks Owners Might Be Making Big Mistake in Search for New GM
-
Miami, FL7 minutes agoDefense dominates, Mensah flashes in Miami’s spring game – The Miami Hurricane
-
Boston, MA13 minutes ago
A crowd scientist is helping the Boston Marathon manage a growing field of 30,000-plus runners
-
Denver, CO19 minutes agoDenver Nuggets Altitude broadcasts now being offered in Spanish for first time ever
-
Seattle, WA25 minutes agoNeed to shred? Free drive-up/ride-up shredding Wednesday at Village Green West Seattle
-
San Diego, CA31 minutes agoGame 21: San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Angels
-
Milwaukee, WI37 minutes agoOne person injured following early Sunday morning shooting in Milwaukee
-
Atlanta, GA43 minutes agoPlay Fair ATL kicks off ‘The People’s Cup’ in Candler Park
