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Dear Fellow Floridians:
This week, Gov. Rick Scott signed Senate Bill 376, officially adding Florida to the list of states taking care of their first responder community. First responders are attempting suicide at a rate of more than ten times higher than the general population. This is unacceptable, so we worked together with legislative leaders to make sure our first responders have access to mental health benefits through Florida’s workers’ compensation system.
We heard many stories from Florida’s first responders about how what they see impacts their lives. Signing this bill into law tells every first responder that it’s okay to seek help and treatment, and that the entire state has their back. This bill is for every first responder who has shared their struggles with PTSD: Stevie LaDue, who committed suicide, and his sister Megan Vila who advocated on his behalf; David Dangerfield who took his life and his wife Leslie who gave him a voice; Gerry Realin, a Pulse Nightclub first responder who continues to struggle with the images of that day and his wife Jessica who is his constant champion; and all the brave men and women on the scene at Pulse, Parkland, and the FIU bridge collapse, this is for you.
Our first responders show up when we need them most, and we are proud to show up for them.
Sincerely,
Jimmy Patronis
Chief Financial Officer
State of Florida
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Stay Connected
 
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News of Interest
Fox 13 Tampa: Gov. signs bill expanding PTSD benefits for first responders
US News and World Reports/AP: Florida Gov. signs bill to add benefits to first responders
WFLA News 8: Smoke detectors recall: Kidde units might not detect smoke
Orlando Sentinel: Credit freezes soon free for Florida data breach victims
WINK News: CFO: $109M worth of property still unclaimed in SWFL
Florida Politics: Consumer Protection Coalition releases new video in AOB fight
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CFO Praises Gov. Scott for Signing Legislation to Modernize Agency
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis issued the following statement praising Gov. Rick Scott for signing House Bill 1073, streamlining and modernizing the Department of Financial Services (DFS).
“As someone who has spent most of my life as a small business owner, I know firsthand how important it is to make sure a business works best for those it serves. This year, we wanted to modernize my office so it works better for the people we serve.
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Florida Economic Briefs
Florida Continues to Create Jobs in February
Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity reported Florida created 25,600 additional jobs in February and 161,600 jobs since February 2017. The top subsectors leading job growth in the past year were the professional and business services and construction subsectors.
Source: Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity
Florida’s Housing Market Continues to Strengthen
Florida Realtors reported increases in closed sales, new listings, and median home prices in the last 12 months. Specifically, sales of single family homes increased 3.3 percent and the median price for a single-family home increased 9.6 percent compared to February 2017.
Source: Florida Realtors
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