Eco-activism & More - BAM Action Alert May 5, 2025
- beachesactivistmov
- May 4
- 4 min read
BAM Meeting Focuses on Eco-Advocacy
Join us on Thursday, May 8th, for our monthly meeting featuring special guest John November Esq, Executive Director of the Public Trust for Conservation. Learn more about the group's success in environmental advocacy, as well as emerging threats to the progress made over the last four+ decades. Find out how we can be effective eco-advocates. Bring your green thinking cap too --- the meeting will feature a trivia contest to test your knowledge of environmental issues at the Beach! The May BAM meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Adele Grage Community Center, 716 Ocean Boulevard, Atlantic Beach. RSVP here and bring a friend!
No Budget, But More Barriers for
Citizen-Led Amendments
The GOP-controlled Florida Legislature wrapped up its regular session last Friday after failing to fulfill its only mandate: to adopt a state budget for 2025-26. Instead, it spent its final days putting the finishing touches on HB 1205, a bill that creates more barriers for the citizen-led amendment process. Despite widespread advocacy against it, the bill passed both houses and was quickly signed into law by the Governor, its most vocal proponent.
A reminder that citizen-led amendments increased the minimum wage, established universal pre-kindergarten, and restored voting rights for non-violent felons in Florida --- all things the Legislature refused to do. The current process already requires 60% approval by voters for passage. Proposed amendments to guarantee abortion access, and legalize recreational marijuana use by adults came close to approval in 2024, enraging the Governor and his allies and prompting enactment of further restrictions. FL Rep. Anna Eskamani described the vote as "...a sad day for democracy in Florida. . ." and an attempt by GOP leadership to silence the voices of everyday citizens and "make it harder for the people to directly shape their government." Several petition collection initiatives already underway, including Medicaid expansion and recreational marijuana use, will have to quickly retool to align with the new law.
The Legislature is expected to return to Tallahassee to work on the budget next week. Stay tuned for updates and a wrap-up of other session action.
DeSantis Owes Us $10 million: Sign the Petition!
Speaking of things the Legislature didn't do this session --- they also failed to hold the Governor and his co-conspirators accountable for funneling $10 million in Medicaid funding through the Hope Florida Foundation to dark money groups that used it to block citizen-led amendments in 2024. That little maneuver even caught the attention of the GOP-dominated Legislature. Hearings were held last week, but no witnesses showed up, and the issue was quietly dropped. Lawmakers gave DeSantis a slap on the wrist by prohibiting the use of state funding to influence citizen-led amendments in the final version of HB 1205, but folded on this investigation. DeSantis must be held accountable!
BAM is supporting a petition effort by two community activists and legislative watchdogs, Rachel Grage and Anne Tressler, demanding that legislators take action and investigate this egregious fraud. Act now! Sign the online petition and share widely. We can't allow the Legislature to buckle under pressure from DeSantis and sweep this under the rug.
Advocate NOW on Budget, Voting Rights
Budget Reconciliation: Despite assurances from the Trump administration and Congressional leadership, the GOP is working behind closed doors to figure out how to cut Medicaid and other programs that everyday Americans rely on. These cuts are the only way they can support increases in the budgets of the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, and continue tax breaks for billionaires --- all administration priorities. Regardless of their pretzel logic and semantics, Medicaid cuts will have a devastating impact on people who depend on this program for their health care. Use 5 Calls to contact FL Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, and Rep. John Rutherford, and demand they stop the cuts to Medicaid and other vital programs. They need to hear from us!
SAVE Act in Senate: The Senate is poised to vote on the SAVE Act, a dangerous voter suppression bill that will make it harder for millions of Americans to vote. Reach out today to Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody and urge them to vote against this bill. 5 Calls makes it easy!
A Personal Note: We had an opportunity to participate in meetings recently with Rep. John Rutherford and Senator Ashley Moody's Jacksonville staff and share concerns about the budget, SAVE Act, and other issues. These meetings happened because of the tenacity of ordinary citizens. Read an account of the Rutherford visit here, and continue to reach out and speak up. We need to keep challenging the MAGA echo chamber and demanding accountability from our elected representatives. They represent ALL of us!
May Day Signs!
BAM joined a diverse group of organizations in calling attention to worker rights, unions, and the contributions of immigrants to the American workforce at last week's May Day rally at the courthouse. There was also a pop-up rally earlier that day in front of the Neptune Beach library. Save these dates for upcoming days of action on June 6th for a D-Day protest to unite for veterans, and No Kings! on June 14th when we'll take part in a nationwide response to Trump's birthday celebration and planned military parade through Washington, DC.
This piece in the Contrarian rang true after seeing Mike Ludwick draw a crowd at the May Day Rally last week. Please take a break this week and find time to enjoy their "completely idiosyncratic, expansive yet non-comprehensive list of the best protest songs."An inspirational escape!
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