Latin People News LPN: Early Session Update

Weston • Pembroke Pines • Southwest Ranches • Davie

The Florida Legislature meets for 60 consecutive days every year to pass laws for our state. In January, I packed my bags and headed up to Tallahassee to advocate on your behalf and introduce legislation to improve our home district.

The 60 days are moving quickly and we have hit the ground running. My office has moved a bill to rectify South Florida's failing flood management infrastructure and another to address health disparities in our state's Medicaid program. Local leaders from across Broward County also met with me to advocate on behalf of their constituents and bring home funding for their municipalities. Below, are just a few highlights from these past weeks.

While I am in Tallahassee, my office is always here to help. If you or a loved one are in need, call me for assistance at (954) 217- 4833 or email me at robin.bartleman@myfloridahouse.gov.

Representative Robin Bartleman

House District 104

Earlier this week, my bill to improve Florida's Medicaid Program passed unanimously through its final committee and is now headed to the House Floor! Florida's Medicaid program makes up over 1/3 of the state budget and we must ensure these dollars are spent efficiently and effectively. To address this issue, I have proposed HB 855 to collect data including disability status, race, and sex on recipients so that Medicaid plans will provide more targeted services and recipients receive high quality health care.

Representative Busatta Cabrera and I held a press conference on our bill to improve South Florida's flood management system. We were ecstatic to receive such widespread support. Broward County Mayor Michael Udine, Commissioner Steve Geller and elected officials across the county including the Town of Southwest Ranches, Parkland and the City of Miramar stood with us.

We must adapt to rising sea levels and enhance flood protection to protect the 11 million residents and one- third of Florida's economy by retrofitting and retooling our water management infrastructure. This legislation will be a next step in Florida's historic investments in flood resilience.

Click below to read the Sun Sentinel article on this issue and what we are doing to address it.

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Pembroke Pines Capitol Project

Pembroke Pines is breaking ground on a new independent living complex for persons with disabilities. HB 2611 assists in delivering the water, sewer lines, and electricity to the site.

Weston Storm Water Pump Station

Weston's aging storm water management system is in need of repair. HB 3251 will provide funding to replace these structures so that residential communities and roads can properly drain storm water run off.

Southwest Ranches Safety Guardrail

Hancock Road, connecting Sterling and Griffin in the Town of Southwest Ranches, narrows near a canal and has resulted in several serious injuries. HB 2177 provides the Town with the funding to install a guardrail along the edge of Hancock rd. so that motorist will not fall into the nearby canal.

South Broward Drainage District

Refurbishing the drainage system in the South Broward Drainage District is vital. HB 3249 will provide the funds to replace the lining in these pipes and extend their lifespan.

I met with county and local elected officials, community members, the school board, Superintendent Cartwright and students

from all across our county at the Broward Days event.

I recently met with the directors from CARD (The Center for Autism & Related Disabilities) to discuss upcoming legislation that directly affects persons with disabilities. As a former special education teacher, this topic is near and dear to my heart.

I met with Children's Harbor, which has a campus in Pembroke Pines, and AMI Kids to discuss what we can do to help Florida's at-risk youth.

I met with Broward County Property Appraiser, Marty Kiar, to discuss his priority bills including Rep. Michael Gottlieb's bill to create homestead exemptions for widows and widowers. I am proud to have cosponsored this legislation.

The Robotics teams from both Cypress Bay and Western High Schools visited me at the Capitol this week. We talked about how important STEM education is for their futures and how I will continue to fight to protect Bright Futures!