By Kimberly Leonard

Demonstrators gather in support of Israel during a protest in Aventura, Florida, on October 9, 2023. Israel, reeling from the deadliest attack on its territory in half a century, formally declared war on Hamas October 8, 2023 as the conflict's death toll surged close to 1,000 after the Palestinian militant group launched a massive surprise assault from Gaza. (Photo by Marco BELLO / AFP) (Photo by MARCO BELLO/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

Good morning and welcome to Tuesday.

Florida’s top officials are taking action following the terrorist strikes against Israel over the weekend that erupted into war.

Gov. Ron DeSantis will announce pro-Israel and anti-Iran state legislative policy plans today during an appearance in Surfside, Fla. This is the first policy proposal for Florida’s next session that the governor is rolling out. Last night he directed the state capitol to be lit in blue and white after the colors of the Israeli flag.

The governor’s office declined to provide specifics about the proposals, but DeSantis has often cast himself as a champion of Israel. While there in April during an international trade mission, he signed a proclamation to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Israel’s independence and delivered a keynote speech at the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem. That marked his second trip to Israel as governor.

He also authorized a measure to increase penalties for anti-Semitic hate crimes, including in instances of property defacement or disrupting funeral proceedings. He pushed to increase funding for Jewish day schools, museums and memorials in Florida — a portion of which was specifically allocated to security — and moved to punish companies that boycott Israel.

Democrats in the Legislature are also introducing Israel-related bills. State Sen. Lori Berman (D-Palm Beach) filed SB 148 on Monday to define “antisemitism” to help in the reporting of hate crimes and discriminatory practices. A group of mostly Democrats also co-sponsored resolutions in each chamber that would affirm the legislative body’s support for Israel.

The actions are in response to the war, but Florida also has seen a rise in antisemitism, with Nazi demonstrators and extremist hate symbols.

DeSantis, as a presidential candidate, also weighed in on the war. He proposed freezing funds President Joe Biden made available to Iran, cutting off all foreign aid to Hamas and shutting down the U.S. southern border. He called for a “swift and lethal response” against Hamas and cast Biden as weak on the issue, given his $6 billion prisoner swap deal with Iran.

Some context: The European Union cut off its assistance for Palestinian development on Monday. While U.S. and Israeli officials have said they’re not sure whether Iran directly coordinated with Hamas in its attack on Israel over the weekend, Iran voiced support for the attack and Tehran officials have provided military aid to Hamas in recent years. In addition, Iran is only allowed to use the $6 billion fund from the U.S. for humanitarian reasons.

Yet DeSantis’ GOP rivals are criticizing him, too. Vice President Mike Pence said in Iowa over the weekend that candidates who’ve backed isolationism have signaled American “retreat on the world stage.”

And many Floridians poured into the streets over the weekend. People in several counties held vigils while pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protestors clashed in Fort Lauderdale and gathered in Tampa. More events are planned in Palm Beach and other parts of South Florida today and tomorrow.

— WHERE'S RON? Gov. DeSantis will appear on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and will hold a press conference about proposed legislation for the next session.

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ON TAP TODAY — Senate interim committee meetings. Here’s a look at the Senate bills filed so far for the next session. Watch here.

NOT FIXED — “Despite reforms to reduce lawsuits, Florida home insurance costs unlikely to fall, analyst says,” by the Sun-Sentinel’s Ron Hurtibise: The report says “rising inflation rates, reinsurance costs and effects of climate change will keep insurance losses — and rates — climbing as litigation costs taper off.”

LOOSER GUN LAW PROPOSED — “New Florida bill would shorten wait time for firearms purchases,” by WFLA’s Dylan Abad: Under current law gun buyers must wait at least three business days to undergo a background check — or longer if their record checks aren’t done by then. HB 17, filed by Rep. Dr. Joel Rudman (R-Okaloosa), would allow a gun buyer to purchase a firearm if either condition is met.

MORE THAN $150,000 IN LEGAL FEES — DeSantis administration agrees to turn over Covid data in records lawsuit, by POLITICO’s Arek Sarkissian: Former state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando) sued the Department of Health in 2021 after the agency twice rejected his request for detailed data related to Covid that it stopped providing about a year after the pandemic began. In a statement announcing the settlement on Monday, Smith said that DOH agreed to make public information that it previously said did not exist.

WORKER SHORTAGE — “Florida has ‘Help Wanted’ hanging on it. Economist says labor shortage is here to stay,” by the Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas and Syra Ortiz Blanes:  “Hardest hit are industries such as construction, restaurants, hotels, roofing, landscaping and agriculture, which traditionally have relied on both legal and illegal migrant workers. They have hit a new hurdle with DeSantis’ recent crackdown on undocumented workers in Florida.”

TRAVEL TAB — DeSantis’ chartered jet trade mission around the world cost nearly $1.6 million, by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout: The bulk of the cost went to pay to charter two private jets for the trip that took the Republican governor, along with first lady Casey DeSantis and other state officials and business leaders, to stops in Japan, South Korea, Israel and England.

Enterprise Florida, the now-shuttered economic development agency that organized the trip, maintained that no public tax money was used to pay for the trip. But in a summary document released Friday, it defended the decision to rely primarily on charter flights that were significantly more expensive than commercial airlines.

PREVIEW — Attorney General Ashley Moody will fight the proposed abortion rights ballot for 2024, writing in an opinion piece with Florida Voice that the language of the ballot would “mislead voters.” She specifically took issue with the term “viability.”

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TOMORROW — Florida House District 35 Democratic candidates Rishi Bagga, Tom Keen and Marucci Guzmán will debate at 7 p.m. Spectrum News 13 and the Orlando Sentinel will host the debate ahead of the Nov. 7 special primary election.

OUT-REGISTERED — “Florida Democrats fall further and further behind Republicans in registered voters. Independents surge,” by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Anthony Man: “The latest figures show Republicans now have 588,930 more registered voters than Democrats, continuing a trend that makes the notion of election victories ever more elusive for the state’s No. 2 political party. Statewide, Republican registrations make up 37.4% of the state’s 13.9 million voters. Democratic registration stands at 33.2% and no party affiliation/independents are at 27.2%.”

RACE TO NO. 2 — “Nikki Haley raises $11 million, battling with DeSantis to take on Trump,” by NYT’s Shane Goldmacher and Rebecca Davis O’Brien: She “entered October with significantly more cash on hand that can be spent on the 2024 primary than DeSantis — $9.1 million to roughly his $5 million — even as he out-raised her overall.”

NEW AD — “Lincoln Project ad taunting Trump over civil fraud trial to air in West Palm Beach market,” by Palm Beach Post’s Antonio Fins: “The Lincoln Project ad, with music and imagery reminiscent of the HBO show ‘Succession,’ scoffs at Trump. It mocks him saying he is ‘broke and busted,’ calls him a ‘fraud, a con and a low rent rip-off artist’ and derides him, saying the courts are ‘shutting down your crooked’ companies.”

CONVICTED — “Proud Boys member from Hialeah convicted for role in Jan. 6 insurrection,” by Miami Herald’s Max Greenwood: “A federal judge found 49-year-old Gilbert Fonticoba guilty of civil disorder and obstruction of an official proceeding. Fonticoba was a member of the so-called ‘Vice City’ chapter of the Proud Boys, a right-wing militant group that played a central role in the insurrection at the Capitol more than two-and-a-half years ago, the Justice Department said in a press release.”

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Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) speaks with reporters as he departs a vote at the U.S. Capitol Sept. 27, 2023. (Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images) | Francis Chung/POLITICO

ON TAP TODAY — Florida’s Republican delegation is expected to meet to hear from U.S. speaker candidates, POLITICO’s Mia McCarthy reports.

AND TOMORROW — Rep. Matt Gaetz will appear with Trump at a Club 47 USA event at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach. Both men are set to speak.

NO REGRETS — Ousting McCarthy will have been worth it, Gaetz says, even if it costs him his job, by POLITICO’s Kelly Garrity: “Look, I am here to fight for my constituents,” Gaetz said. ‘And I’m here to ensure that America is not on a path to financial ruin.”

IN MEMORIAM — “Newly discovered snail in Florida Keys is named after Jimmy Buffett song,” by CNN’s Taylor Nicioli: “Named Cayo margarita as a nod to Buffett’s song ‘Margaritaville,’ the bright yellow specimen is a worm snail, a type of mollusk that sticks to hard surfaces within the coral reef and forms a tubular shell around itself.”

Former Rep. Steve Southerland (R-Fla.) … (Was Monday) Mike Grissom with Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney … Keyna Cory, president of Public Affairs Consultants … Diane Rado, editor-in-chief of Florida Phoenix … Former state Senate President Joe Negron …

Florida Republican Party of Florida Vice Chair Evan Power celebrated the birth of Emerson Joseph Power on Oct. 8.

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