On Friday, January 19, 2024, the Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee passed HB 87 - “Taking of Bears,” with 11 Representatives voting yes and only 3 voting no.
** 1ST CALL TO ACTION **
Email the 3 Representatives who VOTED NO on HB 87 - “Taking of Bears.” Please thank them for taking a stand against this unfounded, cruel, and unnecessary bill.
Representative Dianne “Ms Dee” Hart
Email: Dianne.Hart@myfloridahouse.gov
Phone: (850) 717-5063
Representative Lindsay Cross
Email: lindsay.cross@myfloridahouse.gov
Phone: (850) 717-5060
Representative Johanna Lopez
Email: Johanna.Lopez@myfloridahouse.gov
Phone: (850) 717-5043
Contact the 11 Representatives who voted in favor of the bill and politely express your disappointment in their decision.
Representative Chair Thad Altman
Email: thad.altman@myfloridahouse.gov
Phone: (850) 717-5032
Representative Vice Chair Melony Bell
Email: Melony.Bell@myfloridahouse.gov
Phone: (850) 717-5049
Representative Kevin Chambliss
Email: Kevin.Chambliss@myfloridahouse.gov
Phone: (850) 717-5117
Representative Shane Abbott
Email: shane.abbott@myfloridahouse.gov
Phone: (850) 717-5005
Representative Dean Black
dean.black@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 717-5015
Representative Adam Botana
Email: Adam.Botana@myfloridahouse.gov
Phone: (850) 717-5080
Representative James Buchanan
Email: James.Buchanan@myfloridahouse.gov
Phone: (850) 717-5074
Representative Hillary Cassel
Email: hillary.cassel@myfloridahouse.gov
Phone: (850) 717-5101
Representative Peggy Gossett-Seidman
Email: Peggy.Gossettseidman@myfloridahouse.gov
Phone: (850) 717-5091
Representative Sam Killebrew
Email: Sam.Killebrew@myfloridahouse.gov
Phone: (850) 717-5048
Representative Tobin Rogers “Toby” Overdorf
Email: Toby.Overdorf@myfloridahouse.gov
Phone: (850) 717-5085
Representative Keith L. Truenow
Email: Keith.Truenow@myfloridahouse.gov
Phone: (850) 717-5026
Click here to watch a video from the meeting. https://thefloridachannel.org/videos/1-19-24-house-agriculture-natural-resources-appropriations-subcommittee/
** 2ND CALL TO ACTION **
Senate Bill (SB) 632 - “Taking of Bears” is scheduled to be heard THIS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2024, at 4 pm in the Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government.
Email and/or call the Senators listed below before Wednesday’s meeting to voice your opposition. Ask the Senators to vote NO on SB 632 - “Taking of Bears.” Please be courteous and respectful. You may include facts from our petition in your email. If you are a Florida resident and live in an area with bears, share your story and why you oppose SB 632 - “Taking of Bears.” The same Senator claims there are too many bears, and he wants archery hunters to kill bears.
Subject Title For Emailing The Senators: "Vote NO to SB 632 - Taking of Bears", or "I OPPOSE SB 632 - Taking of Bears."
Chair: Senator Jason Brodeur
Phone: (850) 487-5010
Email: brodeur.jason.web@flsenate.gov
Vice Chair: Senator Lori Berman
Phone: (850) 487-5026
Email: berman.lori.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Jim Boyd
Phone: (850) 487-5020
Email: boyd.jim.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Ileana Garcia
Phone: (850) 487-5036
Email: Garcia.Ileana.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Erin Grall
Phone: (850) 487-5029
Email: Grall.Erin.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Debbie Mayfield
Phone: (850) 487-5019
Email: mayfield.debbie.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Rosalind Osgood
Phone: (850) 487-5032
Email: osgood.rosalind.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Tina Scott Polsky
Phone: (850) 487-5030
Email: polsky.tina.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez
Phone: (850) 487-5040
Email: rodriguez.anamaria.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Jay Trumbull
Phone: (850) 487-5002
Email: trumbull.jay.web@flsenate.gov
IF YOU ARE PRESSED FOR TIME, COPY AND PASTE ALL OF THE EMAIL ADDRESSES BELOW INTO THE BCC SECTION OF YOUR EMAIL TO SEND TO ALL THE REPS AT ONCE.
brodeur.jason.web@flsenate.gov, berman.lori.web@flsenate.gov, boyd.jim.web@flsenate.gov, Garcia.Ileana.web@flsenate.gov, Grall.Erin.web@flsenate.gov, mayfield.debbie.web@flsenate.gov, osgood.rosalind.web@flsenate.gov, polsky.tina.web@flsenate.gov, rodriguez.anamaria.web@flsenate.gov, trumbull.jay.web@flsenate.gov
We will be updating the body of our petition to include some more facts and information. Please check back soon and stay tuned for more updates.
We encourage you to watch the video of last week’s meeting to witness the fear-mongering and lies put forth by lawmakers who want to kill Florida’s black bears. One Senator even went as far as to say that bears are going to start eating people. The same Senator also claims there are too many bears, and he wants archery hunters to kill them. We need to remind him that bears are predominantly vegetarian, NO ONE in the State of Florida has ever been killed by a black bear, and unprovoked bear attacks are extremely rare.
We must keep pressure on Florida's lawmakers. We thank all of you who have taken action against SB 632 - "Taking of Bears" and HB 87 - "Taking of Bears."