J.E.J. & ASSOCIATES, INC.
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA

Two bills passed this year dealing with telephone solicitors. Senate Bill 568, sponsored by Senator Dana Young (R-Tampa), revises the definition of the term “telephonic sales call” to include voicemail transmissions and prohibits the transmission of voicemails to individuals who ask not to receive solicited calls. House Bill 1267, sponsored by Representative Sam Killebrew (R-Winter Haven), authorizes telecommunications companies who provide service to customers in Florida to preemptively block certain phone calls from reaching a customer’s phone. This bill requires an alarm company to make two attempts, by telephone, text or other means, to confirm that an alarm has been tripped for both residential or commercial break-ins. Despite the lack of new legislation, the 2018-19 budget includes $6.2 million in new funding for the expansion of human trafficking services. Community service providers such as The Porch Light, Voices of Florida: Open Doors Outreach Network, Bridging Freedom, and Selah Freedom received funding for their initiatives. Florida Commission on Community Service Reappointed were Chucha Barber, Tallahassee, president of Chucha Barber Productions; Todd Demko, Safety Harbor, financial advisor with Flaharty Asset Management; and Ashton Hayward, Pensacola, mayor of the City of Pensacola. Appointed were Christina Bonarrigo, Coral Gables, associate director of external affairs for the University of Florida Foundation; and Jayne Cerio, Tallahassee, a former public school teacher. Reappointed was Domingo Sanchez, Kissimmee, president of Titan Land Company, LLC and Titan Management, LLC Appointed was Maggi Montalvo, Oviedo, executive vice president and the chief operations officer of First Colony Bank of Florida. St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners Appointed was Anthony Bonna, Fort Pierce, Director of Advertising and Digital Strategy for The Stoneridge Group LLC and the founder of The Good Help Group LLC. Governor Scott wasted no time signing into law the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. Among other things, the Act raises the minimum age to purchase all firearms to 21; bans the sale or possession of bump stocks; creates a three-day waiting period for the purchase of firearms; allows law enforcement to seize firearms from individuals detained under the Baker Act; provides $162 million in funding for schools to hire safe-school officers, who must be worn law enforcement officers; creates the Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program which permits school districts, should they choose, to allow teachers and other school personnel to carry firearms; requires active shooter training in schools; provides $75 million in funding for expanded mental health counselors in schools and $28 million to increase mental health service teams statewide to serve young adults with mental illness; and requires schools statewide to have a threat assessment team. The Capitol Complex will include a new memorial dedicated to Florida’s history with slavery. The Florida Historical Commission will make recommendations to the Department of Management Services on the design. On the last day of session, the Senate unanimously approved the confirmation of nine heads of state agencies and water-management districts. Approved were: Phillip Sutton, executive director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; Jonathan Zachem, secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation; Lena has an innate ability to build relationships across a wide variety of individuals – she never fails to provide the right audience with decision makers so that Molina’s position is heard and understood. Lena and the JEJ team are an invaluable resource for the Florida State Beekeepers Association. Lena’s well-respected rapport with the key decision and policy makers at the state level has been an integral part of our success in Tallahassee. I am especially impressed by her ability to analyze an issue, break it down, then present it in a clear and concise manner. We are very pleased with the relationship and look forward to new challenges with the help of JEJ Associates. Lena Juarez is a true advocate for our organization. She is experienced and skilled at advancing our interests. She is respected by those she seeks to influence and by those within our organization. She passionately advocates on our behalf but always does so with honor and kindness. We are a better and more effective organization because of our association with Lena Juarez.