Tristyn Bailey was murdered. She was only 13. Her murderer is 14 and is being charged with second degree murder. But he should be tried as an adult. He showed no remorse for what he did. He posted on his Snapchat story a picture of him in a police car saying, “[Has anyone] seen Tristyn lately?” knowing he had just murdered her the night before. Tristyn deserves to have justice.

The prior petition for Darren Rainey was closed due to insignificant coverage and attention. Help me resurface this case back up and demand justice for this man who was wrongly killed.  We demand justice for Darren Rainey, a nonviolent offender who was locked in a boiling hot shower for 2 hours by prison guards, leading to his excruciatingly painful death. The prison guards responsible for torturing and killing Darren Rainey must be held accountable. Taken from DailyKos article: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/1/25/1375218/-Prisoner-060954 His name was Darren Rainey and on June 23, 2012, he was boiled alive. In our country. In our name. And paid for, by us. His last known words were: “I can’t take it no more, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.” According to reports, he screamed those words over and over and over again. And then he stopped screaming. After being removed from the shower, staff administered CPR, with one a nurse registering Rainey’s internal temperature at 102 degrees, well above the normal temperature of 98.6. The autopsy report states that 12 hours after his death, Rainey’s body still had a temperature of about 94 degrees. Darren Rainey was a 50 year old, non-violent offender serving a two year sentence for cocaine possession in Florida’s Dade Correctional Institution. He was housed in the psychiatric ward because he was schizophrenic. For reasons unknown, Rainey, a schizophrenic, had smeared feces on himself. When guards told him to clean it up, he refused. He was then hauled off and handcuffed in “the shower”. Scalding water poured over him for up to two hours. While he screamed in agony and for his life, officers reportedly taunted “how do you like your shower?”. When ‘clean up’ was called in, chunks of skin that had separated from his body were part of what remained. According to reporting, “The shower was just one tool the corrections officers used to torment prisoners in the ward, known as the transitional care unit.” Two full years after his death, no-one had been held responsible. According to a June 2014 Miami Herald report: A Herald investigation, first published in May, showed through public records and interviews by witnesses, including a nurse on duty at the time, that Rainey’s death was never properly investigated by the Department of Corrections or Miami-Dade police. Evidence also suggests that the Department of Corrections might have tried to cover up the incident. Update To The Original Diary (Published Last Year)According to the Miami Herald, four years after his death, the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s office has officially ruled what happened to Darren Rainey’s “accidental”. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s autopsy report, completed this week, concluded that Rainey died from complications of schizophrenia, heart disease and “confinement” in the shower back in June 2012, according to multiple law enforcement sources. Rainey, 50, did not suffer any burns anywhere on his body, and investigators could not conclude that the specially rigged shower was “excessively” hot the day he collapsed, the report said. Sources said the autopsy concluded that corrections officers had “no intent” to harm Rainey when they kept him in the shower for up to two hours.  Got that? A shower that was specifically rigged to scald human beings cannot be proven — years after the fact — to have contributed to Darren Rainey being boiled alive.  The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office must now decide whether to charge corrections officers with committing a crime, such as manslaughter, for locking Rainey in the shower and leaving him. A spokesman declined to comment. A federal criminal investigation is also continuing into Rainey’s death.

Florida Governor Ron Desantis our family are in risk, please SHUT DOWN Florida. Around 100 Florida residents are infected everyday. Governador de la Florida Ron Desantis nuestras familias estan en riesgo,por favor emita un cierre total para la Florida. Sobre 100 residente de la Florida son infectados a diario.

This is regarding a video circulating the internet, where a group of individuals traveling at high speed on the water dragged a shark around and laughed at its distress.  This sociopathic behavior demands attention and prevention. This act of violence was in fact a criminal act. We as the people summon Palmetto, FL man Michael Robert Wenzel, born June 07, 1996, and his accomplices in this video to 1,000 community service hours. These 1,000 community service hours will be held under the supervision of The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.  They will use that time to teach these men to treat our Florida wildlife with respect. Scheduling may involve either 125 days lasting 8 hours long, or as determined the FWC, given that it equals 1,000 hours and is completed within a year. Wenzel and his accomplices will pay for any costs associated. This may include hiring outside trainers and educators, on-the-clock hours, gasoline expenses, etc. We also demand that everyone in this video has their fishing licenses revoked permanently. We the people also request that Florida lawmakers pass a bill making this kind of animal torture a second-degree felony. We also demand that these people be punished for their crimes of animal abuse. This punishment should consist of jail time in addition to community service. [ Updates - 28 July, 2017 ] This act of violence is criminal per the Florida statute Chapter 828. We expect charges to be pressed as per law. The public is growing more concerned as no charges have been pressed yet. 828.12 section 2 states that a person who intentionally commits an act to any animal which results in the cruel death, or excessive or repeated infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering, or causes the same to be done, is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more than $10,000, or both. s. 775.082 covers a wide variety of punishments, including imprisonment. We the people demand that Michael Wenzel and his accomplices be charged with animal abuse and arrested. The delay in action is causing the public to lose faith in the justice system. We expect to see these men arrested for crimes they have committed. Hyperlink - reference to story: http://wtfflorida.com/news-articles/boaters-drag-tormented-shark-around-laughing/

More than half of the greyhound races held in the US are in the state of Florida. Since May 2013, nearly 400 dogs have died at Florida tracks — some had their necks broken, some died of heat stroke, and still others were electrocuted to death. I’ve spent decades working to bring racing dogs back to health after they have been subjected to horrifying treatment like being kept in cramped, solitary cages for twenty or more hours a day, and even being dosed with illegal drugs like cocaine. Here’s the thing: Florida gambling facilities don’t even want to hold greyhound races in the first place — but they’re required to by a state law that mandates dog racing. If this harmful state dog racing mandate is repealed, greyhound racing will slowly phase out and end in the Sunshine State. I’ve spent 20 years working to help injured, worn-out greyhounds rescued from the racing industry. Adoption groups like mine are doing all we can, but there are far more of these amazing animals who need help than we are ever able to bring back to health. Until this law changes, we’re facing an unwinnable battle. Tell the Florida legislature that it’s time to repeal the law that requires gambling facilities to conduct greyhound racing. There is no reason for this animal cruelty to continue, especially when the businesses operating the race tracks don’t want to keep them going in the first place. Greyhound racing hasn’t been profitable in Florida for years. Last year alone, Florida tracks lost $32 million holding greyhound races. Even the state is losing money on dog racing, because the costs of regulating the races exceed revenues. The state dog racing mandate is a loser for everyone. The tracks are losing money, taxpayers are taking a loss, and the greyhounds are losing their lives. Tell the Florida State Legislature to stop keeping greyhound racing alive, and to repeal the law requiring that tens of thousands of greyhound races take place in the state each year.

This petition is for legislation that demands harsher and longer mandatory sentencing for child traffickers and pedophiles that prohibit reduction of sentences for over crowding, good behavior or parole. Offenders will receive automatic sentences that include incarceration and mandatory therapy. Possessing child pornography, or engaging in pedophilia will result in immediate incarceration and prohibit bail as these individuals should be considered both a flight risk and an imminent threat to society.  For possession of child porn there will be a mandatory 10 year sentence for each instance. Possessing 2 files will result in a 20 year mandatory sentence to be carried out to term. 10 instances will result in 100 years. For producing child porn the offender will receive a mandatory 20 years sentence for every instance. Engaging in sexual acts with a child will result in a minumim of 50 years per instance. Any pedophilia acts that engage in kidnapping the child will result in mandatory life sentence.  Any sexual acts resulting in the death of a child will be a mandatory life sentence to be served in full. Intentional death of a child will be a mandatory life sentence to be served in full. Profiting from or engaging in the trafficking of children will carry a 20 year minimum sentence per instance. Finally for the protection of the victims. There will be a mandatory restraining order for life against the offender unless the victim (after turning 18 years of age) decides otherwise. The victim will receive some form of therapy and counselling. Persons under the age of 18 cannot be tried in criminal courts for prostitution charges as they are victims of traffickers. Mandatory drug treatment counselling if that victim was drugged as a result of being trafficked. Redact legislation that charges individuals who report child enticement from online forums with entrapment or stalking. Charge offenders with a mandatory 5 year sentence for each instance of trying to entice a child via social media, email or text. Harsher sentencing and more victim advocacy with a no tolerance policy will  send a grave message to those who view children as a mere commodity to exploit and subjugate. The effects of trauma will affect a child for the rest of their lives often resulting in drug addiction, unhealthy relationships, low self image and high risk for suicide. Children are our most precious resource and we must all act to ensure a generation that doesn't need to recover from their childhood.  View the story that inspired this petition: #justiceforbabyjames #justice4karaskids https://www.facebook.com/Justice4KarasKids/

Our recent investigation has uncovered a shocking correlation and overlooked contributor to Florida’s devastating Red Tide epidemic. The FWC (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission), a government-run agency, is spraying poison into all of our rivers, canals, and lakes, including Lake Okeechobee to kill an invasive aquatic plant called hydrilla. Hundreds of permitted contractors all over the state are still to this day spraying poison into our aquifer, Monday thru Friday, 40 hours a week for the last 40 years. The active ingredient of the poison being sprayed is called Glyphosate! Glyphosate is an herbicide that kills plants; the dead plant matter provides nutrients to blue-green algae, which in turn feeds the red algae blooms. The targeted plant hydrilla is an invasive species, but there are mechanical means to remove this aquatic plant that do not harm the environment in any way. Monsanto, a company that uses glyphosate as an active ingredient in their products recently lost a court case that resulted in a settlement reaching nearly 300 million dollars. Monsanto lost because glyphosate is a known carcinogen. This carcinogen is polluting our waters and decimating our ocean life. It is time to hold our government accountable for spraying poison into our waters that has resulted in an abundance of nutrients in our water that in turn fuels the growth of algae. Help protect the water, wildlife, and people of Florida! Sign and share our petition and demand that our government stops polluting our waters with glyphosate and other chemicals.

UPDATE: Please visit www.savebrightfutures.org for more details on SB86 and information on how to help! Currently, Florida’s Bright Futures scholarships are awarded on a basis that correlates with a student’s standardized test scores, GPA, and amount of volunteer hours. There are two tiers to Bright Futures: Florida Academic Scholars and Florida Medallion Scholars, which cover 100% of tuition and 75% respectively. A bill has been proposed in the Florida State Senate that would limit students’ eligibility to receive state-backed financial aid, including Bright Futures, to two years of tuition (a total of 60 credit hours) unless the student enrolls in a designated major or “market-driven degree program” that would lead to direct employment. According to Senator Dennis Baxley (R-Ocala) who filed this bill, students who enroll in health-care and STEM related majors or in trades such as electrical work and plumbing may be among those listed to receive the upper-level of coverage. Hundreds of Floridian high school students rely on Bright Futures as a way to pay for college, and if this bill is implemented, it would mean that hard work in school would not be valued as much as career goals. A creative writing student’s future would not matter as much as a pre-health student’s, according to Senator Baxley. Please don’t let this become a reality. This means a great deal to me personally. As a high school senior, I plan on studying international studies because I want to be a lawyer. I feel as though this bill does not take students’ entire future goals into account, as many lawyers study philosophy, business, and sociology in undergrad, none of which would qualify for entire coverage under this new bill. Does this mean that lawyers are inessential to society? Not at all.  Furthermore, this bill discredits and discriminates against the hard work of talented and creative students who plan on pursuing artistic degrees. Florida also desperately needs teachers, however will refuse to equally support students aspiring to become them under this bill. 

My four-year-old daughter Avery has medical conditions so severe that she will need assistance for the rest of her life. When Avery is sick, I quickly find myself drowning in debt and struggling to afford the care she needs. Unfortunately, I make too much to qualify for Medicaid, even though I wouldn’t be able to afford her bills if I made double what I was making now. I am asking the state of Florida to add a need-based component to Medicaid, so that families of loved ones with severe and extremely costly medical conditions can get the healthcare they need without sacrificing their family’s financial security. Families like mine aren’t asking for handouts. Many of us are fortunate enough to have insurance, which covers some of our loved ones’ medical bills. But because we make more than the annual Medicaid income threshold of around $26,000, we are prohibited from getting state assistance, something crucial for families of debilitated children. We are left with two primary choices – hope that our child’s affliction qualifies for the Medicaid Waiver (my daughter does not because her disease is rare) and enter the seven-year long waitlist; or quit working, sacrifice our annual income and family’s well-being in order to qualify for Medicaid. As a single father of three children, I have a responsibility to provide my kids with the best life possible. I cannot do that now, because Florida’s Medicaid program refuses to help me afford Avery’s care for bills that well-exceed the scope of my insurance coverage. How can I keep a roof over my kids’ head,  food on the table, and find a way to save for  their education if the majority of my income is going towards her medical bills? Sadly, my children are the real victims here. I agree that low-income families need help in receiving healthcare, but families who have loved ones with severe and costly disabilities should also be able to get the necessary assistance from Medicaid. I shouldn’t have to quit my job so my daughter can qualify for Medicaid. I shouldn’t be penalized for trying to be a contributor.  That doesn’t help anyone -- not my daughter, my family or society at large.   Please help me change Florida’s Medicaid for the better and ask for a need-based component, so families like mine can take care of their loved ones without sacrificing their family's security.

I would like to see manatees become more protected in Florida. The Florida manatee is an endangered species. I am proposing a law that would require boaters to have prop guards on propellers so that if they were to hit a manatee, it would not injure it. It would be a simple requirement that would make a huge impact on manatee population and would benefit the ecosystem. It breaks my heart to see manatees covered in scars. Manatee populations are dwindling due to boating accidents in shallow waters. People need to respect this species by protecting it. If this law is passed it would require all boats and watercraft in Florida state springs, parks, and rivers to have safe guards over their propellers. And if people do not comply, there should be a fair priced fine. It is critical to help prevent the Florida manatee from eventually becoming extinct because they are a very important part of the ecosystem. They come to shallow water areas very frequently, especially during the winter when it is getting colder in most other regions. Manatees surface to breathe every three to five minutes. Slowing down on your boat or watercraft unfortunately is not enough sometimes, and these beautiful creatures suffer on impact from propellers. Installing safe guards would not only protect manatees, but it protects all marine life so that boaters wouldn't have to worry so much about potentially killing innocent wildlife. Some state parks have installed safe guards on their boats because they are aware. I notice that tourists and civilians are not so much aware of this problem but even more are unaware of this solution. Spread the word and help me make this a law!