Statement from FDP Chair Terrie Rizzo on Jeanette Nuu00f1ez

Today, FDP Chair Terrie Rizzo released the following statement on Ron DeSantis’s decision to choose Jeanette Nuñez as his running mate:

“A Ron DeSantis-Jeanette Nuñez administration would be a disaster for Florida women and working families.

“DeSantis has selected a lobbyist who supports his agenda of denying health care to hundreds of thousands, destroying public schools, and taking away women’s health freedom. Nuñez has played a key role in Tallahassee’s war on women and been a staunch opponent of working families. She voted for mandatory ultrasounds, to defund Planned Parenthood, and to restrict a woman’s right to choose. As a Representative, she voted for a $1.3 billion cut to public schools and funneling taxpayer money away from public schools and to unaccountable private organizations. Together, DeSantis and Nuñez will enact an extreme agenda that undermines public education, and denies health care to 800,000 Floridians.”

Nuñez Voted To Deny Health Care to 800,000 Floridians

In June 2015, Nuñez Voted Against Expanding Medicaid to Over 800,000 Floridians. According to the Miami Herald, “Here is how South Florida House members voted Friday on a bill (SB 2A) to expand health care to more than 800,000 low-income Floridians. The bill failed, 72-41. […] NO: Frank Artiles, R-Miami; Bryan Avila, R-Hialeah; Michael Bileca, R-Miami; Manny Diaz, R-Hialeah; Erik Fresen, R-Miami; George Moraitis, R-Fort Lauderdale; Jeannette Nunez, R-Miami; Jose Oliva, R-Miami Lakes; Carlos Trujillo, R-Miami..” [Miami Herald, 6/4/15]

Nuñez Opposes Women’s Health Freedom

In April 2011, Nuñez Voted for Legislation Requiring Women to See an Ultrasound Prior to Terminating a Pregnancy. In April 2011 Nuñez voted for HB 1127. HB 1127, “Requires that ultrasound be performed on woman obtaining abortion; requires that ultrasound be reviewed with patient before woman gives informed consent for abortion procedure; requires that woman certify in writing that she declined to review ultrasound & did so of her own free will & without undue influence; provides exemption from requirement to view ultrasound for women who are victims of rape, incest, domestic violence, or human trafficking or for women who have serious medical condition necessitating abortion; provides grounds for disciplinary action for failure to comply with such requirements; provides rulemaking authority to AHCA.” HB 1127 passed the House 81-37, with Nunez voting yes, and was signed into law. [Florida House of Representatives, HB 1127, Vote #307, 4/27/11]

In March 2016, Nuñez Voted to Deny Public Funds to Any Organization Which Provided Abortions. In March 2016 Nuñez voted for HB 1411. According to House staff’s final analysis, “The bill requires AHCA to perform annual licensure inspections of all abortion clinics, including a review of at least 50 percent of the patient records generated since the last inspection. The bill requires AHCA to submit an annual report to the Legislature which summarizes all regulatory actions it has taken against abortion clinics during the prior year. The bill prohibits selling, purchasing, donating or transferring fetal remains obtained through an abortion, as well as advertising or offering to do any of the preceding acts. The bill prohibits public funding for an organization that owns, operates, or is affiliated with a licensed abortion clinic, and provides exemptions to this prohibition.” HB 1411 passed the House 76-40, with Nunez voting yea, and was signed into law by the governor. [Florida House of Representatives, HB 1411, Vote #825, 3/9/16]

• Sarasota Herald Tribune: “Florida’s Abortion Regulations Will Become Among the Most Restrictive in the United States” Under HB 1411. According to the Sarasota Herald Tribune, “Florida’s abortion regulations will become among the most restrictive in the United States under a bill that Gov. Rick Scott signed into law on Friday. The new law, which takes effect on July 1, is similar to a 2013 Texas law that has been challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court as an unconstitutional restriction on the right of a woman to have an abortion. Supporters say the laws improve safety at the clinics, while not restricting a woman’s right to choose. The Florida legislation (HB 1411), which passed the House in a 76-40 vote and the Senate in a 25-15 vote, will also prohibit any public funding for non-abortion services, including cancer screenings, birth control or STD tests, at clinics that also provide abortion services.” [Sarasota Herald Tribune, 3/26/16]
• Orlando Sentinel: Planned Parenthood Would Go Without Funding Under HB 1411. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “Planned Parenthood and other health clinics that provide abortions in Florida will go without taxpayer funds and face increased regulations for the procedure under a bill signed Friday by Gov. Rick Scott. Scott did not say why he signed HB 1411, which he approved with 67 other bills. But the flood of statements from pro-choice and anti-abortion groups reflected the sharp divide over the issue. ‘As a result of this bill, thousands of people across Florida may no longer be able to access essential reproductive health care, such as cancer screenings, birth control and well-woman exams,’ said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood. ‘This cruel bill is designed to rip health care away from those most at risk.'” [Orlando Sentinel, 3/26/16]

Nuñez Is An Opponent of Public Education

In May 2011, Nunez Voted for the 2011 Pre-K Through 12 Education Budget. In May 2011, Nunez voted for SB 2120 – the K-12 education budget bill. SB 2120 passed the House 79-39 with Nunez voting yea. SB 2120 was signed into law by the governor. [Florida House of Representatives, SB 2120, Sequence 606, 5/6/11]

Rick Scott’s 2011 Education Budget Cut Funding By Over a Billion Dollars. According to PolitiFact, “As Scott approached his first legislative session in 2011, he unveiled a budget proposal at a tea party rally that included steep spending cuts, including to education. Ultimately, the Republican-led Legislature backed some of those cuts. Multiple news articles described the cuts to K-12 education at more than $1 billion — and many articles used that $1.3 billion figure cited by Crist.” [PolitiFact, 11/11/13]

In April 2017, Nuñez Voted for HB 7069. In May 2017, Nuñez voted for HB 7069, “Requiring the Auditor General to conduct annual audits of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind; requiring that the lowest-performing elementary schools be determined by specified assessment results; creating the Schools of Excellence Program; providing charter schools are eligible for capital outlay funds pursuant to specified provisions; deleting a provision requiring the Algebra II end-of-course assessment to be administered; creating the Florida Best and Brightest Principal Scholarship Program; authorizing all students, including home education and private school students, to participate in specified virtual instruction options, etc.” HB 7069 passed the House 79-38 with Nunez voting yea. [Florida House of Representatives, HB 7069, Vote 115, 4/13/17]

• Sun-Sentinel Editorial: Over 10 Years, HB 7069 Would Cost Broward Schools $300 Million, Palm Beach Schools $230 Million. According to a Sun-Sentinel editorial, “HB 7069 is an enormous win for charter schools. They already get half the state money budgeted for school construction, though they serve just 10 percent of students. This bill will give them a cut of local property taxes, too. Over 10 years, Broward County Public Schools expects to lose $300 million; Palm Beach County Schools, $230 million.” [Sun-Sentinel, editorial, 6/18/17]
• Tampa Bay Times Editorial: HB 7069 “Handcuffs Public School Districts in Managing Federal Title I Money, Making it Harder for Local Districts to Shift Money to Schools that Need the Most Help.” According to a Tampa Bay Times editorial, “It takes local tax money for capital projects for public schools and hands it to charters, making it harder for counties to pay for new schools to accommodate growth. It handcuffs public school districts in managing federal Title I money, making it harder for local districts to shift money to schools that need the most help.” [Tampa Bay Times, editorial, 6/16/17]