MIAMI (CBSMiami) – On Wednesday, Miami Beach Pride organizers announced dates for Pride 2021, as well as, a newly revamped website.

Miami Beach Pride Festival and Parade will be held on September 10-19, 2021 with the Parade and Festival weekend falling on September 18-19.

Organizers said that they chose to reschedule the dates in an effort to provide the safest environment possible for its attendees. Miami Beach Pride has always been held the first weekend in April.

The festivities will be COVID-19 compliant and there are plans to implement a myriad of measures that will include touchless transactions, increased tent sizes, open spaces, mandatory masks, temperature checks, and sanitizing stations.

“After such a challenging year for so many, we are eager to celebrate again as responsibly as possible and are hard at work on a stellar slate of performances, and programming that represents the beautiful diversity of the LGBTQ+ community,” said Executive Director Rich Walczak.

Organizers said they also launched a new website, “that serves as an interactive repository for exclusive content, year-round programming details, community outreach initiatives, celebrity interviews and much more. Visitors to the new site will be able to plan their Pride week with a comprehensive list of events to RSVP for as well as purchase tickets. Visitors can stay current with the latest information on Pride week entertainment, seasonal events, and local LGBTQ-centric news with the all-new “DISCOVER” tab feature.”

Click here for more information.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – It has not been easy for Florida Keys charter boat captains to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.

For several months, the Keys remained closed to non-Keys residents, which put a big crimp on the fishing businesses of the island chain.

It was touch and go for captain Marlin Scott and his crew at FishMonster Charters, as they were kept going by locals who just wanted to get out on the water.

“It was a huge hit for my crew and it was a huge hit for our business,” said Scott.

Gone were those 8-hour trips costing $1,400 and produced tips for captain and crew and they were not alone.

“Well, the first thing when we learned we would be shut down, we started clicking off what are we going to sell first so we could survive,” said captain Scott.

In a good year, charter fishing in Florida generates $7.5 billion annually and the industry employs 81,000 people.

The FishMonster brand includes not only several fishing vessels but also a social media presence that is non-stop. It includes daily live Facebook reports and an online magazine.

Eventually, the Keys checkpoint was taken down and customers were able to charter again, but what really worked was keeping in touch with the customer base on social media.

“Here is something that will raise an eyebrow,” said Scott, “…because we have such a reach for what we do down here we have a lot of people traveling with us for years and we were having people literally buying future charters, paying for them in full during the three-month shutdown. You talk about something warm-hearted, decent, and wonderful.”

The FishMonster & IslandJane acquired two more boats and tell CBS4 that they are keeping five boats a day busy with charters.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The pandemic has impacted how animal rescue organizations operate. Many in the industry think the changes are here to stay, and it’s for the best.

“Our entire movement thought the worst, which is, ‘Here’s this uncertain time. People are going to surrender their pets. Shelters are going to be flooded with animals,'” said Julie Castle, CEO of the Best Friends Animal Society.

The Best Friends Animal Society operates seven regional programs around the country and have more than 3,200 rescue partners. When the pandemic hit, Castle said, they were forced to think outside of the physical shelter space.

“Virtual adoption, that foster-based programming and really involving the community more in life-saving rather than thinking about our work as a standalone thing,” Castle said.

Animal welfare groups knew that they would no longer be able to safely have their armies of volunteers come into their shelters every day. The organizations began the uncertain ask of pushing to get animals into foster homes and holding virtual adoptions.

As luck would have it, with people now working-from-home, activities being canceled and kids moving to virtual classrooms, the opportunity to dedicate time to a homeless animal as well as the desire for companionship soared.

“Within one week, we had over 1,100 animals in foster homes or adopted out, which was just amazing,” said Karen Hirsch, the public relations director for the LifeLine Animal Project.

The LifeLine Animal Project, which runs two county shelters, a private shelter and several low cost clinics in Atlanta, saw a 59% increase in animals going into foster homes in 2020. With that community support, they launched a group called Human Animal Support Services.

“We believe people shouldn’t have to give up pets that they love just because they’ve fallen on hard times,” said Hirsch.

While interest in animals has increased, fundraising to keep these rescues running has become a challenge.

Ashley Kurtz who runs the non-profit Coco’s Heart Dog Rescue in Wisconsin said they’ve had to cancel all their big fundraising events due to COVID.

“We lost over $100,000 in revenue. Our adoption fees only cover so much. And especially we’re known for taking in dogs in pretty bad condition,” said Kurtz.

So those events have also gone virtual.

“We just launched our virtual silent auction and that’s not something we had done prior to the pandemic,” Kurtz said. “We’re really banking on that.”

While no one knows when things will truly go back to normal, these rescuers say their industry is forever changed, and for the better.

“If we saw a silver lining to the pandemic, it was an increased interest in people opening up their hearts and their homes to dogs that needed help,” Kurtz said.

When it comes to the number of adoptions, those are actually down from the previous year. 24PetWatch, which tracks data from 1,190 shelters across the country, reports that’s mainly due to the fact that fewer people surrendered their animals in 2020, so there were fewer animals that needed to be adopted. However, the rate of adoptions from the animals in the shelters was higher.

The measure (HB 1273) is dubbed the “grandparent tuition waiver bill” by House sponsor Patt Maney, R-Shalimar. It would let out-of-state students scoring in the 89th percentile or higher on the ACT or SAT exams enroll as full-time students at Florida universities and pay cheaper in-state tuition.

The proposal was approved Wednesday by the House Post-Secondary Education and Lifelong Learning Subcommittee in an 11-3 vote, with three Democrats opposed.

“Florida’s senior population can help our state universities remain among the best in the nation by encouraging their bright, top-performing, out-of-state grandchildren to attend university in Florida,” Maney said.

U.S. Census data show that one in five Florida residents is age 65 or older, representing the second-highest percentage of that age group among all states.

Under the House measure, the out-of-state students’ grandparents would have to be “legal” residents of Florida, prompting questions from some lawmakers.

“Would the grandparent have to be a full-time resident of the state of Florida? We know that Florida attracts snowbirds, people who are here for a period of time but not necessarily full-time residents,” Rep. Geraldine Thompson, D-Windermere, said.

“They’d have to be full-time residents of Florida. The (university system’s) Board of Governors would actually set up the way they mechanically do that, but it would require an attestation by the grandparent,” Maney answered.

Other lawmakers asked for a definition of “grandparent” to be written into the bill.

“In these crazy times we live in, what is the definition of a grandparent, and how far do we expand that?” asked Rep. Mike Caruso, R-Delray Beach.

“I do have a draft defining ‘grandparent.’ It sounds like I need to rework it some,” Maney responded.

Under the bill, out-of-state students who take advantage of the change would be “excluded from the limitation on systemwide total enrollment of nonresident students” set by the system’s Board of Governors.

Lawmakers from both parties raised concerns that the proposal would create a sudden increase in enrollment at state universities and generate intense competition for students who are Florida residents.

Rep. Ramon Alexander, D-Tallahassee, told Maney the bill “has major, significant unintended consequences.” Alexander, Thompson, and Rep. Daisy Morales, D-Orlando, voted against the measure.

“A student may enroll in the state university system and they may get … in-state tuition, however, there are other components and other aspects that is going to force the hand of those state universities to find money and resources in order to accommodate a groundswell of students coming to those institutions,” Alexander said.

Alexander also pointed to a separate proposal (SB 86) that would decrease state Bright Futures scholarship money for Florida students who don’t choose majors that could “lead directly to employment.”

“Once again, I keep seeing this contradictory reality where we’re talking about allowing top-performing students from out-of-state to come to the state of Florida,” Alexander said. “But on the other end, we are proposing policies to cut Bright Futures that would impact students in Florida that meet those same percentages. So, you can’t have it both ways.”

Caruso said it would be more challenging for Florida students to get accepted to universities if large numbers of out-of-state students took advantage of the proposed program.

“It’s going to displace, as I see it, Florida students from getting spots at our university system,” Caruso said.

Ultimately, the measure won support from lawmakers who said it would help bring more talent to the state.

“I think it’s important to recognize that we have the Benacquisto Scholarship fund right now that allows for national merit scholars from outside of the state … to come here and have a tuition waiver as well. So, this isn’t setting a precedent,” Rep. Rene Placensia, R-Orlando, said.

“What ends up happening is, wherever you do your studies, whether you graduate with a bachelor’s or you go get a master’s or a Ph.D., you tend to stay there. And we want that talent to stay in our state, and we want to bring that talent from other states,” Placensia added.

Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, is sponsoring a Senate version of the measure (SB 1728).

(©2021 CBS Local Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The News Service of Florida’s Ryan Dailey contributed to this report.)

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A Tampa woman went before a Miami judge Wednesday morning after police say she shot a man several times in front of his 8-year-old daughter.

Quanesha Lewis, 34, is facing charges of attempted second-degree murder and child abuse.

Some witnesses say it began with an argument about leaving a tip at a Miami Hooters on Coral Way.

Aileen Campbell is the mother of the little girl and ex-wife of the victim, Darren Campbell.

Speaking virtually in court, she made an impassioned plea to the judge.

“I pray that you don’t let this person out,” she said. “Because who would have the heart to shoot a father and a little girl walking out? I don’t care what went on verbally. How dare they do that to my family.”

She says Campbell is in critical condition at the hospital, and their daughter narrowly avoided the crossfire.

She held up a small gold ring to the camera.

“Your honor, I want you to know that she had two earrings on. This is one of them,” Aileen Campbell explained. “Half of the earring was blown off by a bullet. My daughter could’ve been killed on Saturday.”

Quanesha Lewis is accused of pulling the trigger, after an argument outside Hooters.

The way it all started depends on who you ask.

According to the arrest form, witnesses told detectives that Lewis followed Darren Campbell and his daughter out of the restaurant. He said “get away from me” and “I don’t want to fight.”

When Lewis pursued, Campbell got into, what’s described as, a “fighting stance.”

Lewis pulled out a gun, and when he reached to his pocket, she fired four times.

Lewis’ attorney says she has a conceal carry permit.

The report says Campbell was not armed and had a phone in his pocket.

Lewis, who is from Tampa, left the scene of the shooting and returned home with her family.

The next day, she turned herself in, saying she acted in self-defense after feeling threatened.

Lewis’s brother, Roshard Lewis, who was with her at Hooters at the time, also spoke virtually in bond court. He said it was the victim who started everything.

“I don’t know what this guy had going on or why he was messing with us,” said Lewis. “His daughter was telling him ‘daddy, come on.‘ He pushed his daughter back and kept coming toward us.”

In the police report, Quanesha Lewis Told investigators that Campbell came up to their table and threatened to slash their tires if they didn’t tip properly. Lewis told investigators Campbell continued, saying: “In fact, I’ll go slash them right now.”

Lewis says that’s when she followed him out to see what he was going to do.

She says Campbell was making threats and charging toward them. She pulled out her gun, and says when he reached down, she fired.

Lewis told detectives when he fell, she realized he had a phone in his hand.

The judge ultimately charged Lewis with Attempted 2nd Degree Murder & Child Abuse.

She’s out of jail on a $55,000 bond.

PITTSBURGH (KDKA-TV) — According to a new warning from doctors, there are two devices people depend on that should never be near each other.

The warning relates to pacemakers and the iPhone 12, which contains electromagnetic technology and more magnets than previous models.

Dr. Krishna Kancharla, a cardiologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, told KDKA-TV, “It can inhibit an important treatment for the patient if it’s left there a long duration.”

According to Dr. Kancharla, pacemakers respond to magnetic force. “If you place a magnet on the pacemaker, the pacemaker will slightly increase its heart rate and speed up the heart a little bit,” he said.

And it can temporarily deactivate the defibrillator, meaning people can miss a life-saving shock if the heart malfunctions. That’s why Apple recommends keeping your iPhone 12 and similar electronics at least six inches away from some medical devices and 12 inches away while charging wirelessly.

Dr. Kancharla recommends using the cell phone on the opposite side of your medical device and not storing it in your chest pocket. Dr. Kancharla said people with pacemakers should consult their doctor before upgrading electronics.

He said while possible, a negative outcome from this is rare because you would be having a heart malfunction at the same time your iPhone is near your pacemaker.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Friends and loved ones gathered Wednesday to honor a South Florida teen, killed just off the University of Florida’s campus.

Rabbi Jonah Zinn is speaking out on behalf of the heartbroken family of Sophia Lambert.

The Pinecrest teen, who was a freshman at UF, was killed in Gainesville in January when she was hit by a car.

“We cannot change what happened,” said Rabbi Jonah Zinn. “We cannot bring back our beautiful and vibrant Sophia. We cannot stop the pain caused by our daughter’s senseless death.”

At a news conference, friends wore masks and carried signs remembering Sophia and another freshman who died a month earlier.

“We are here today to show our support for Sophia Lambert and Maggie Paxton to insure not one more life is taken on University Avenue,” said Kailey Kiss.

Coral Gables attorneys Stuart Grossman and William Mulligan represent both victims.

They told CBS4’s Ted Scouten that Lambert died after she was hit by an Uber Eats driver. The attorneys said that driver first collided with another car, which sent him into a group of teens on the sidewalk, including Lambert.

“While they were waiting on the sidewalk, you have an Uber Eats driver, which is Benjamin Piper, that was trying to beat the light at 17th and University,” said Mulligan.

Mulligan said that’s when the two drivers collided, killing Sophia. Now, the family is suing Uber Eats and others for wrongful death.

“They control these people, they’re almost robotic. The Uber drivers are under a lot of pressure to speed up to go faster because their income depends on it.  That’s the way the system works, it’s outrageous,” said Grossman.

The suit claims, among other things, that Uber Eats was negligent, alleging the driver was “…not qualified, had not received sufficient training and was not being properly supervised or observed…”

They’re also demanding change to how the service operates.

“There’s no incentive for the Uber drivers to be driving safe,” Mulligan said. “Their incentive is to be driving fast, pick up the Uber Eats deliveries as soon as they can and drop them off as soon as they can. Because the more delivers the more money to the driver and to Uber.”

CBS4 reached out to Uber Eats. They said they’re committed to road safety, but cannot comment because of the pending lawsuit.

Gainesville police said this is still an ongoing investigation and at this time there have been no arrests or citations.

Paul Miller, 32, was arrested Tuesday after the FBI’s joint terrorism task force raided the Riverside home he had been renting for a month after Miller moved there from New Jersey.

Miller is charged with possessing a firearm by a felon and witnesses say they saw agents remove guns from the house.

Miller has an internet presence and often appears in costume ranting racist remarks.

After his arrest, the anti-defamation league put out this tweet:

“Several months ago, ADL’s Center on Extremism identified Paul Miller as a volatile white supremacist-accelerationist. COE tracked him to Fort Lauderdale and shared significant intelligence with federal law enforcement before today’s arrest.”

CBS 4 spoke to Carla Hill with the ADL’s center on extremism on Wednesday.

She says Miller started becoming more extreme six months ago.

“The concerning thing is he seems to get more extreme to keep his followers interested. He has several red flags. His violent rhetoric. He has weapons, he expressed the need for a race war,” she says.

At the end of his hearing, Miller expressed regret saying, “I’m really sorry about all of this. I really am.”

He will have a detention hearing in federal court on Friday.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Florida Department of Health reported another 6,014 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday.

That brings the total to 1,924,114 since the first publicly announced infection in March of 2020.

There were another 132 additional deaths, bringing the total to 31,828.

The single-day positivity rate was 6.82% while the 14-day positivity rate was 6.08%.

MIAMI-DADE

In Miami-Dade, there were 1,868 newly reported cases of COVID-19 and 22 newly reported deaths.

The death toll is now 5,503.

The additional cases increased Miami-Dade County’s overall total to 414,776.

The single-day positivity rate was 10.07% while the 14-day positivity rate was 6.40%.

BROWARD

In Broward, there were 657 new cases and 14 additional deaths.

The death toll stands at 2,422.

Broward County’s overall total increased to 196,771 cases.

The single-day positivity rate was 6.62% while the 14-day positivity rate was 6.63%.

MONROE

In Monroe, there were 19 new cases and no new additional deaths.

Monroe County’s overall totals are 5,911 cases and 46 deaths.

The single-day positivity rate was 4.46% while the 14-day positivity rate was 5.23%.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) — Have you ever seen a Florida panther? The answer is probably ‘no’ for most of us because the official state animal of Florida is elusive, shy, and endangered. But one Florida man, who was definitely in the right place at the right time, spotted five of them in a single day and four of them were at the same time!

Ezra Van is a photographer and videographer who lives in Miami Beach.

Van says he has been tracking Florida Panthers in the wild for a few years and up until January 13, he had never seen any.

But that fateful day in mid-January at the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve Park in the Big Cypress section of the Everglades, he spotted one and then it only got better from there.

A group of Florida panthers spotted by photographer Ezra Van in Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve Park on Jan. 17, 2021. 
(Courtesy: Ezra Van – Ezra Television)

Van said he was just a few miles up the main road of the Preserve, which is known as the Amazon of the North America, when he saw one panther about 200 meters away. He was barely able to get a picture of it though.

He waited patiently for a few hours for the big cat to return, but no luck.

A group of Florida panthers spotted by photographer Ezra Van in Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve Park on Jan. 17, 2021. 
(Courtesy: Ezra Van – Ezra Television)

He figured he was done for the day and started to leave around sunset, but then, in the middle of the road he saw it, a beautiful Florida panther chasing an injured Turkey Vulture. Then another panther appeared, and another, and another.

“I was about 60 meters away in the truck and frantically started taking pictures and video,” explained Van on his Facebook page. “It looks like it was a mom and three adult cubs and mom was teaching them how to hunt.”

The big cats chased the big bird around a while, then left it alone.

The four panthers sat on the grass for a while before retreating silently into the Everglades.

A group of Florida panthers spotted by photographer Ezra Van in Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve Park on Jan. 17, 2021. 
(Courtesy: Ezra Van – Ezra Television)

“I can’t lie, I was still shaking from excitement an hour later,” recalled Van. “Many of the rangers that work days say they have been there decades and have never seen a panther, the Sheriff that work at nights says they see them every once in a while. I’ve been told that seeing four is a once in a lifetime event.”

The FWC states there are only about 120-230 adult Florida panthers left in the wild, making them one of the rarest and endangered mammals in the world. Even at their best estimates, 230 panthers are not a sustainable population size. The Florida panther is currently listed as endangered and is protected under the Endangered Species Act.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Inter Miami CF has released its 2021 preseason schedule.

Before the first preseason match on March 20, Inter Miami CF will start with a week of voluntary training sessions before going into team exercises.

Following that first preseason game against Miami FC, the team will then travel north for four matches between March 27 and April 3.

Inter Miami will then return to Fort Lauderdale for a final preseason game at home on April 10 – though the opponent hasn’t been named.

Here’s the full list of Inter Miami CF’s preseason schedule:

March 1-7: Voluntary Training Sessions Begin, Inter Miami CF Training Center

March 8: Official First Day of Preseason, Inter Miami CF Training Center

March 20: Miami FC, Inter Miami CF Stadium

March 27: Tampa Bay Rowdies, Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg

March 30: Charleston Battery, IMG Academy in Bradenton

April 3: New York Red Bulls, IMG Academy

April 3: Nashville SC, IMG Academy

April 10: Home Preseason Match TBD

The MLS regular season is scheduled to begin on April 17.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – United Teachers of Dade president Karla Hernández-Mats released a video on Wednesday thanking President Joe Biden for making vaccines available to educators in the county.

Here is what she had to say:

“Today, there is a lot of excitement because teachers are excited that President Biden has opened vaccinations for all K through 12 teachers.”

“And this news has hit, you know, our schools in a very rapid way. We’re seeing slots being filled very quickly. And our teachers are excited that President Biden has provided this opportunity for them.”

“We know that this is part of the Biden plan for the first 100 days of his administration.”

“He promised that he would make this available to teachers or to their education staff and we are glad to see him fulfill His promises.”

“So, we’re excited and we’re looking forward to getting our shots thanks to President Biden.”

PASCO COUNTY (CBSMiami) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced COVID-19 vaccinations are coming to Florida Walgreens locations. Two Walgreens pharmacies in Pasco County, will be the first to provide the shots starting Friday, DeSantis announced at a news conference in Zephryhills.

The governor did not say when Walgreens would expand its vaccine program to other parts of the state.

The signup will be at www.walgreens.com.

The governor says they are focusing on Pasco County, located on the west coast of Florida north of Tampa,  because only 42% of seniors there have been vaccinated and he wants to get it over 50%.

Other counties have much higher senior vaccination rates including Broward County with 60% of seniors vaccinated, Palm Beach County has 61% of its seniors vaccinated, Duval County has 60% of its seniors done, St. Johns County has 80% and Leon County in Tallahassee has 75% of its seniors vaccinated, according to DeSantis.

An overwhelming majority of the recipients in the entire state, about 76%, have been seniors age 65 and older.

Meantime, the state opened its first federally-run vaccination clinics in Miami, Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville Wednesday morning.

The Miami location is on Miami-Dade College‘s North Campus at 11380 NW 27th Avenue.

Florida has administered 4,808,125 vaccine doses, according to the Florida Department of Health.

More than 1.7 million Floridians have had their second dose.

For those who still trying to make online appointments, DeSantis claimed, “It’s easier to get online now because we’ve had millions of people trying to get these spots but now we’ve had millions of people who have already gotten appointments, gotten shots, so it’s not like if you’re not on in 3 minutes then they are all taken, which is good. So if you’ve had trouble doing that or you haven’t gotten it, it’s probably going to be a lot easier.”

On their website, Baptist officials say those between the ages of 18 and 65 with high-risk medical conditions may be able to receive their COVID-19 vaccine with Baptist Health, based on vaccine availability.

“We are beginning by reaching out to individuals whose original appointments had to be canceled due to supply constraints, and are communicating with those individuals directly,” Baptist officials said.

Baptist Health is not offering self-booked appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine.

“We are now directly contacting individuals who may qualify to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to schedule vaccination appointments, based on a very limited supply of vaccines.”

(CBS Detroit) — A third stimulus check, as part of the Biden administration’s $1.9 trillion relief package, is set to be discussed in the Senate. Aside from a $1,400 relief payment, the American Rescue Plan also features higher unemployment benefits, a bigger child tax credit and billions more dollars to stop the spread of COVID-19. These and other programs aim to support millions of Americans dealing with financial troubles brought on by the pandemic and support the economy as vaccinations continue. How the bill evolves in the coming days will determine how much money actually reaches the public.

The President and politicians from both parties favor another stimulus check. And they want to do it quickly. However, Republicans and some conservative Democrats have pushed back against the overall price tag and other specific aspects of the plan, like the minimum wage hike. Democrats control both houses of Congress and are willing to pass stimulus legislation on a straight party-line vote. Budget reconciliation lets them sidestep the filibuster in the Senate and move the stimulus package to the President’s desk with a simple majority. But the process also limits what can be included. The minimum wage hike has been ruled off-limits and seems likely to become a casualty of the process.

Why Your Stimulus Check Could Shrink

The topline $1,400 number that’s drawn so much attention seems destined to become a reality. But the actual amount that people receive could change based on income restrictions, the number of dependents and other factors.

The previous two stimulus checks phased out for individuals with an adjusted gross income (AGI) over $75,000 per year and married couples with an AGI over $150,000. (AGI is the total of one’s wages, interest, dividends, alimony, retirement distributions and other sources of income minus certain deductions, such as student loan interest, alimony payments and retirement contributions.) For every dollar of income over the threshold, the previous two stimulus payments decreased by five percent. So the $1,200 payment from the CARES Act shrank to $0 for incomes over $99,000 ($198,000), and the $600 from the second stimulus shrank to $0 for incomes over $87,000 ($174,000).

The idea of changing the annual income requirement has gathered some steam. In early February, Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine proposed an amendment aimed at “targeting economic impact payments to Americans who are suffering from the effects of COVID–19, including provisions to ensure upper-income taxpayers are not eligible.”

To that end, the Biden administration has reportedly agreed to phasing out checks more quickly. So while the threshold would remain at $75,000 ($150,000), those earning $80,000 ($160,000) or more would receive nothing. If the phase out progresses at a constant rate — in this case, 32 percent — that would mean people would receive $.32 less for every $1 they earned over the limit.

Biden agrees to phase out checks faster, per Dem source: pic.twitter.com/00WTBgcSPJ

— Erica Werner (@ericawerner) March 3, 2021

The idea behind targeting stimulus checks to reach lower-income people is to better ensure that the money gets spent in the broader economy rather than saved. According to a survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the average percentage of the first stimulus payment that a household spent on essentials decreased as income increased. The average percentage of the first stimulus payment that a household saved increased as income increased.

While speeding up the phase out would better target the economy, it would also reduce the number of people receiving a third stimulus check and the amount received by others. Upwards of 30 million CARES ACT payments were received by households with incomes above $75,000. Most of those would not receive a check if a faster phase out were implemented. Those earning between $75,000 and $80,000 would not receive the full $1,400.

Why Your Stimulus Check Could Grow

Dependent children could also affect the size of your next stimulus check. The second stimulus check included $600 per dependent child, defined as anyone under the age of 17 living in your household. There was no limit to the number of children. For the purpose of the phaseout, that $600 was added to the total for the adult(s). As an example, one adult, who has two kids, would have received $1,800 in January if her AGI was under $75,000. That amount would have decreased to $1,200 at an AGI of $87,000; $600 at an AGI of $99,000 and $0 at an AGI of $111,000.

The American Rescue Plan looks to expand the pool of eligible dependents to include dependents over the age of 16. In that group would be college students and older adults with certain kinds of disabilities. Such a change could make an estimated 13.5 million more people eligible to receive stimulus checks.

The amount of a third stimulus check could also be affected by a recipient’s taxes. To speed up distribution, the Internal Revenue Service has used the most recent tax filings to determine AGI and, therefore, eligibility. AGI changes from year to year, as people receive raises, switch jobs or become unemployed. The first relief payment was passed in March of 2020. At that point, some people had filed their 2019 taxes and some had not. So the check amount could have been based on 2018 or 2019 taxes. The second relief payment became law in December of 2020, after most everyone had filed their 2019 taxes. So that amount was determined by 2019 tax filings. The third relief payment isn’t far away, and neither is the tax deadline (April 15, unless you live in Texas).

The amount of the next stimulus check will depend on the latest tax filing the IRS has received. If the stimulus package is signed by mid-March of 2021, some people will have filed their 2020 taxes and others won’t have. That means a third payment could be based on 2019 or 2020 taxes. The past year has seen significant unemployment, which often hurts the finances of individual households. Many others have seen their hours reduced. If one’s AGI changes significantly from one tax filing to the next, so too could the amount of their next stimulus check.

When Could You Receive Your Stimulus Check?

The administration remains focused on signing the American Rescue Plan into law by March 14. That is the day when the current $300 federal unemployment benefit bonus expires. Assuming President Biden can sign the relief package on March 14, direct deposits would likely start the week of March 22, with checks beginning to arrive the week of March 29.

There’s a good chance that the March 14 target date will slip, however. The House passed the American Rescue Plan early Saturday morning with minimal changes. But the bill faces a rockier road in the Senate when debate starts this week. The body’s official parliamentarian recently ruled that the minimum wage hike isn’t related to the budget and therefore can’t be passed using reconciliation, the process that allows bills to proceed with a simple majority. It will have to be reworded or stripped out. The latter is much more likely, given the reservations of centrist Democrat Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Senate Democrats have also questioned other aspects of the stimulus package, such as the framework for extended unemployment benefits and the money allocated for states and localities.

If the upper chamber passes the relief package with any amendments, it would return to the lower chamber for another vote. Supposing the stimulus package leaves Congress by March 22, it would likely be signed into law on March 23. Direct deposits would start arriving in bank accounts by March 29, and checks would start being mailed on April 5.

The House could have its own issues with the Senate’s amendments, further delaying the process. If the stimulus package makes it out of Congress by April 5, the President would probably sign it on April 6. Direct deposits would start arriving in bank accounts by April 12, and checks would start being mailed on April 19. The timeline could be extended for any number of reasons.

Why Stimulus Checks Are Still Needed

The economy shrank by 3.5 percent in 2020, the largest single-year decline since the end of World War II. Weekly unemployment figures remain historically high, with approximately 730,000 people initially applying for unemployment insurance in the third week of February. (For reference, a typical pre-pandemic week saw about 250,000 new unemployment applications.) An additional 451,000 sought Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Another 1 million people received Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, benefits for those whose unemployment aid has otherwise run out. That group now totals 5 million people.

At the start of February, approximately 19 million people were receiving unemployment benefits of one kind or another. That’s one out of every nine workers. While the official unemployment rate is 6.3 percent, the actual rate is probably closer to 10 percent, given all the people who have dropped out of the labor force.

An economic bounceback depends on the widespread distribution of a COVID vaccine. But efforts to inoculate the public have proceeded sluggishly at times. Shortages and winter weather have forced some areas to temporarily close vaccination centers and scale back administering the vaccine in recent weeks. Many who qualify have faced problems in scheduling appointments. Nevertheless, over 50 million people have received at least one dose of a vaccine.

The Food & Drug Administration just authorized Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine. Four million doses shipped on Monday. Biden stated yesterday that the country will have enough doses to vaccinate all Americans by the end of May. But mask-wearing and a general lack of normalcy could continue into 2022. Currently, domestic COVID cases exceed 28 million, while deaths have reached 517,000.

Originally published at 2:46 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 11, 2021.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Authorities said they have found the body of a missing diver off Key West on Wednesday morning.

Jordan Jay Fisher, 50, was found not far from Vandenberg Artificial Reef Off Key West on the bottom of the seafloor at approximately 10:32 a.m.

Her remains were taken by the U.S. Coast Guard to Coast Guard Station Key West.

Fisher, who was from Rockport, Texas, went missing on Tuesday.

Officials said Fisher was with her husband, diving on the boat Emerald See, along with two other people and a divemaster.

Members of the group told authorities they lost sight of Fisher while returning to the guide/mooring line. The divemaster stated to police he made several searches around the wreck until he was short on air.

The Sheriff’s Office was first notified of the missing diver at approximately 10:05 a.m.

Officials said the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, the FWC, U.S. Coast Guard and the Army Special Forces Underwater Operations School staff searched for Fisher.

The Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg artificial reef is located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary off Key West, The Vandenberg’s hull rests on the sandy bottom in about 145 feet of water.

Foul play is not expected to be a factor in the incident.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) –  The first federal vaccination site in Miami-Dade is now open and it is among the first in the nation to administer the Johnson & Johnson single dose COVID-19 vaccine.

Located on Miami-Dade College‘s North Campus at 11380 NW 27th Avenue in Miami, it is one of four new federal vaccination sites statewide.

“There’s going to be a steady stream of vaccines available at the site,” said Fermin Vazquez, interim campus president. “We are going to start with about 2,000 vaccines. We are going to kick it up to 3,000, with an addition of 1,000 in the community. In about three weeks, we should be at 5,000 vaccines we have in our supply right here at the North Campus.”

The federally funded, state-run site will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.

“It means a whole lot less worry about contracting the virus,” said Ceresta Smith, who waited in line on Wednesday to get her single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Smith is a former teacher who retired in December 2020 after 31 years of teaching over worries about going back into schools during the pandemic. “If I do want to go back to substitute teaching and what not, I’ll now be comfortable doing so,” she said.

On Wednesday morning, the site in Northwest Dade had about 250 doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine and roughly 3,000 doses of the Pfizer shot.

“I think a lot of people don’t like shots anyways, so just having the one-shot, they’re ready to rock and roll and they’re anxious to get here,” said Bruce Roberts with the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Appointments are not required, but people can pre-register for their shot by heading to myvaccine.fl.gov.

Because the site is a walk-up site, cars are also not required. Staff at the vaccination site do have golf carts available for those unable to walk from their parked cars to the air-conditioned vaccination tent.

“Some people use a lot of public transportation and it’s going to be easier for them to reach this center,” said Dr. Dadilia Garces with the Miami-Dade College.

This comes as Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday expanded vaccine eligibility to include law enforcement, firefighters, teachers and school employees over the age of 50.

“Inclusive of bus drivers and bus aides and custodial staff, alongside our brave teachers will be prioritized for vaccination,” Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho announced.

Jackson Health System is making appointments available for that group, as well as an expended pool of people with pre-existing conditions.

“Anyone age 50 and older, with a signed doctor’s note on the physician’s letter head or prescription pad, listing the patient’s name, any specific high risk condition for which the patient is being treated and a recommendation that the patient be vaccinated,” explained Carlos Migoya, CEO of Jackson Health System.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Don’t be scammed by fake Drug Enforcement Administration agents looking to steal your money. That’s the warning being issued by the DEA about a widespread fraud scheme where fake agents are calling people in an attempt to extort money or steal personal information.

The DEA has released a new public service announcement which aims to raise awareness that DEA will never phone anyone demanding money or asking for personal information.

So what’s the scam?

There are different variations of the fake call but one of them involves a claim that the target’s name was used to rent a vehicle which was stopped at the border and contained a large quantity of drugs. The caller then has the target verify their social security number or tells the target their bank account has been compromised. In some cases, the caller threatens the target with arrest for the fictional drug seizure and instructs the person, over the phone, to send money via gift card or wire transfer to pay a “fine” or to assist with the investigation or with resetting the bank account.

Sometimes, the number can even appear to be a legitimate DEA phone number to help convince their target that the call is real.

They may even text photos of what appears to be a legitimate law enforcement credential with a photo. Callers use fake names and badge numbers as well as names of well-known DEA officials or police officers in local departments.

A portion of an actual scam call was captured by DEA and can be heard here.

The caller may also use an urgent and aggressive tone, refusing to speak to or leave a message with anyone other than their targeted victim.

They often threaten arrest, prosecution, imprisonment, and, in the case of medical practitioners and pharmacists, revocation of their DEA registration, then they demand thousands of dollars via wire transfer or in the form of untraceable gift card numbers.

So remember, no legitimate federal law enforcement officer will demand cash or gift cards from a member of the public.

Anyone receiving a call from a person claiming to be with DEA should report the incident to the FBI. The Federal Trade Commission also accepts reports of these scams HERE.

For any victims who have given personally identifiable information like a social security number to the caller, visit this website to learn how to protect against identity theft.

STANFORD (KPIX) — Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were in the Bay Area February of 2020 right before the pandemic. It was for a secret visit of sorts to meet with Stanford University’s Dr. James Doty whose work focuses on the science of compassion.

“They are one of the nicest, sweetest couples… very down to earth,” said Dr. Doty, founder of Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford Medicine.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been outspoken about issues like hate speech and online bullying. They’ve been very open sharing their own experiences.

“And as we have seen even with the death of Diana how the paparazzi is around you 24/7, it can profoundly affect your mental health and affect everything you do,” said Doty.

The couple created a non-profit called the Archewell Foundation, named after their son Archie. The Archewell Foundations purpose is to uplift and unite communities locally and globally, online and offline, one act of compassion at a time.

“Their heart is in the right place,” said Doty, who met with the couple in person.

The couple announced new partnerships between their foundation and several tech and research focused groups including Stanford University’s, Dr. Doty, whose work focuses on the science of compassion and the neuroscience of compassion.

When asked if Doty knew it was going to be Prince Harry and Meghan Markle taking interest in his Center he said, “No, not at all.”

Doty is the founder and director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism of Research and Education at Stanford School of Medicine (CCARE) and said he received an email about the couple’s interest in his work.

“In the face of the pandemic I would suggest there is a concept of this global reset where compassion is at the focus,” said Doty.

The Archwell Foundation supports CCARES mission for groundbreaking research and education on techniques for developing compassion and promoting altruism within individuals and society.

“And interestingly we know when someone is more compassionate it is actually in terms of physiology offers more benefit than being at your ideal body weight or exercise,” said Doty.

He added that being kind and compassionate actually slows down the aging process in some of the cells of our body.

He says, “Be kind. It’s good for your health.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle believe compassion is the defining cultural force of the 21st century.

MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) — The center of the universe will be in Hollywood, Florida in May as the Miss Universe competition returns with a live telecast from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

The 69th Miss Universe event will be held May 16.

The last Miss Universe pageant was in December 2019 and its winner, Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa, has worn the crown longer than anyone else.

Paula M. Shugart, the president of the Miss Universe Organization, said in a press release Wednesday that they’ve spent months planning a safe competition. It will follow similar guidelines as November’s 2020 Miss USA competition held in Memphis.

It’s still under consideration whether a limited audience will be permitted to watch in person.

The Miss Universe competition will air in more than 160 territories and countries across the globe. In the U.S. it will air in Spanish on Telemundo and the English-language broadcasters will soon be announced.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) – Collier County Sheriff’s Office deputies said a Naples elementary school student was arrested Tuesday after he brought an unloaded gun to school and threatened two classmates.

A deputy stopped the 11-year-old boy as he got off the morning bus at Osceola Elementary School in Naples, according to a Collier County Sheriff’s Office news release. The fourth-grade student faces a felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon on school grounds.

Deputies learned earlier Tuesday morning that the boy had threatened other students a day earlier, officials said. When they searched his backpack, they reported finding a handgun, the statement said.

Officials didn’t release the boy’s name.

Deputies said there was no further danger to the school.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

(CBS4) – More school districts are returning to full in-person learning as they get middle and high schoolers back in classrooms. CBS Denver Medical Editor Dr. Dave Hnida said the current science shows schools have not really been vectors for the spread of coronavirus.

(credit: Hyoung Chang/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Hnida also said the number of teachers being vaccinated is increasing as the level of COVID-19 is decreasing in communities, but he did point out having students back in class will mean more interaction.

“There is a risk involved,” he said, “but right now at this point in time, I think the message to parents is really this: take a look at what your district is offering and make sure you are comfortable with it, particularly the school your child attends.”

“Number two, look at the options that are available to your within your district. And number three — and this is an important one — do not send your child to school if your child is sick in any way, shape or form.”

“I think a lot of folks are just so used to being ‘Well, you know, my kid can go in even if they’re not felling 100% tip-top.’ Fever, in and of itself, is not the symptom you’re looking for. Any illness is a reason to keep your child out of school and make the return to school much safer for everyone.”

MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) – A Black resource officer at a Tampa high school was fired after a random audit of his body-worn camera captured him using the N-word multiple times, police said.

A disposition letter released by the Tampa Police Department said Officer Delvin White was fired Tuesday for “violations of policy that prohibit discriminatory conduct,” a news release said.

He had been with the department for eight years and was a resource officer at Middleton High School. The officer used the N-word while on the phone and directly to a person he was arresting on Nov. 30, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

White told his supervisor he did not mean for the word to be derogatory, police said. White said that he was using the word as it is “commonly used in today’s society as a means of shared culture and experiences among the African American community,” the letter said.

White was recorded saying the word to reference a “group of persons” while on the phone and driving home from an off-duty assignment on Nov. 13, the letter said. He later used it again while talking on the phone with his wife.

Camera footage also captured White using the word twice while arresting someone for trespassing on Nov. 30, police said.

Tampa police Chief Brian Dugan said in a statement that officers are held to a higher standard and such incidents negatively impact the entire profession.

“Derogatory statements made by police officers jeopardize the trust that our department works to establish with our community,” Dugan said.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

(CBSDFW.COM) — It was a story of well-intentions that could have ended badly for a Texas family donating to charity.

In early February workers at the Goodwill store in Hurst, Texas were approached by a man in a panic, who explained that his wife had accidentally donated a jacket with $5,000 cash in the pocket.

(credit: Goodwill Hurst)

Unfortunately, for the couple, the accidental donation had been included in a bag of full of clothes.

Store manager Rhonda Davis said, “We roughly get donated anywhere from 50 to 200 donations a day. So, when the customer came in I had to explain to him that we had to go and sort through bag-per-bag in order to find it.”

The store told the man that they’d do their best to locate the money, but made no promises.

(credit: Goodwill Hurst)

It took several weeks, including a few closures because of the winter storm, but during one workday Makayla Delapena, a softline sorter at the store, was going through donations and came across a jacket that matched the description from the donor. She found a bank envelope in the pocket that contained the missing cash and even a bank withdrawal receipt.

The money was returned to the donor and Makayla was awarded by Goodwill for her honesty and integrity.

JACKSONVILLE (CBSMiami/AP) — Joe Exotic of “Tiger King” fame is back in the news. Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage has a couple of new attorneys who say they plan to file a motion for a new trial in a matter of months.

Maldonado-Passage was sentenced in January 2020 to 22 years in federal prison for violating federal wildlife laws and for his role in a failed murder-for-hire plot targeting his chief rival, Carole Baskin, who runs a rescue sanctuary for big cats in Florida.

Baskin was not harmed.

Maldonado-Passage’s new attorneys, John Phillips and Amy Hanna, plan to file a motion for a new trial in federal court in Oklahoma once the appeals process wraps up in a month or two, Phillips said in a phone interview Tuesday.

Phillips, who is based in Jacksonville, has previously represented former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman in a public brawl with President Donald Trump.

“This isn’t our first rodeo, so to speak,” Phillips said.

Maldonado-Passage had previously been represented by federal public defenders in the Oklahoma case.

Phillips wouldn’t say what arguments he plans to make in a motion for a new trial, but it will rely on footage, both aired and unaired, from the Netflix television series, “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.”

Joseph Maldonado-Passage aka Joe Exotic and one of his cats in the Netflix docuseries “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.” (Source: Netflix via CNN)

Statements from the TV series that could have helped Maldonado-Passage weren’t presented to jurors during his trial, Phillips said.

“For sure, I know there is material in there that will help him out,” Phillips said.

Phillips said he became involved with the case after providing advice to the family of Don Lewis, Baskin’s former husband who disappeared in 1997.

(Source: CNN)

Lewis’ case remains open and a Florida sheriff last year assigned a detective supervisor to handle new leads.

The TV series extensively covered Maldonado-Passage’s repeated accusations that Baskin killed her husband and possibly fed him to her tigers. Baskin has never been charged with any crime and released a statement at the time refuting the accusations made in the series.

Maldonado-Passage got in touch with the law firm, and Phillips flew out to the Texas prison where Maldonado-Passage is serving his sentence recently, the attorney said.

“I became familiar with all things ‘Tiger King,'” Phillips said.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – There was a watery mess in a Miami neighborhood early Wednesday morning after a car crashed and ruptured a fire hydrant, which sent water shooting into the air, onto the road and into a home.

It happened near SW 32^nd Avenue and 27^th Street.

The water soaked the front of several homes and went inside at least one.

Car strikes fire hydrant in Miami causing water gushing into street and into a nearby home on March 3, 2021. (CBS4)

A resident of the home said it was flowing for more than an hour and left behind at least an inch of water.

“Pretty much the kitchen, the bedrooms, pretty much, just one step at a time,” said Lazaro Abreu. “All the officers and the firefighters were all trying their best, that’s for sure, but it’s the middle of the night.”

Abreu said a car ran a stop sign and another car swerved and hit the fire hydrant.

“It was a rude awakening to say the very least,” said Abreu. “It looked like a river had overrun. It’s crazy.”

No word on any injuries.

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — There is a new treatment that is getting young people with knee problems back in the game.

“I was playing in my regional championship game for Slippery Rock roller hockey. I felt the pop. At first, I thought it was an ACL, MCL, meniscus. It was my last Nationals ever. So I really just wanted to play it off until the end of the season. That Monday, I still couldn’t walk. I was dragging my right leg behind me. Tuesday, I went to get out of bed, still could barely walk,” said Nick Smith.

Smith’s knee was worn out.

“In the back of my knee, I had, pretty much, a hole. And my bone was chipping,” Smith said. “I was getting really bad spurts of pain.”

“They get achy pain, they can have some catching, popping. A lot of times, a lot of pain along the joint line. And they can’t really go through with the activities they want to do,” said Dr. Brian Mosier, an orthopedic surgeon at AHN Forbes Hospital.

His doctor first wanted to see if it would heal itself. But the problem was bigger than that. He had something like a pothole in his cartilage called a defect.

“If you have a pothole in the road, you want to fix that by filling it,” says Dr. Mosier.

It’s the same idea for an operation called an allograft. Think of it as patching potholes in your knees, but instead of asphalt, doctors use a plug of cartilage and bone from a cadaver.

Turns out Smith was the perfect candidate for this type of procedure.

“A young, active person with kind of a focal cartilage defect on the weight-bearing surface of their knee,” Dr. Mosier said.

But in order for it to work, the surrounding cartilage must be healthy. And the stakes are high.

“If the graft fails, then it would require a big revision,” said Dr. Mosier.

After the allograft, he started physical therapy right away.

“It’s healed really well. But I’ve also babied it a little bit, here and there, to make sure it heals well,” Smith said.

And the post-op x-rays looked so good.

“He was like, ‘I can’t even see where I did the surgery. It’s healing so well, I’m so happy,'” Smith said. “They were amazed with how much I could bend my leg. I got full motion back. You can’t necessarily promise that they’ll get back to the same level of activity, but you hope to maintain their activity status.”

“I’ve had 25-year-old guys come in using canes, and they’re going on getting back to the activities that they want to do,” said Dr. Mosier.

For Smith, that’s hockey, which he hopes to someday play again.

It’s important to note you can’t have this surgery if you’re obese, a smoker or if you have any kind of inflammatory disease.

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – Flags will fly at half-staff Wednesday at state and local government buildings throughout Florida to honor people who have died of COVID-19.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday ordered flags to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset Wednesday. The move came almost exactly a year after DeSantis declared a public health emergency on March 1, 2020, because of the pandemic.

He made the announcement during his State of the State address ahead of the opening of the 60-day Florida legislative session.

As of a Tuesday count, 31,135 Florida residents and 561 non-residents had died because of COVID-19, according to the state Department of Health website.

(©2021 CBS Local Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The News Service of Florida’s contributed to this report.)

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The first federal vaccination site in Miami-Dade is now open and it is among the first to administer the Johnson & Johnson single dose COVID-19 vaccine.

Located on Miami-Dade College‘s North Campus at 11380 NW 27th Avenue in Miami, it is one of four new federal vaccination sites statewide.

“There’s going to be a steady stream of vaccines available at the site,” said Fermin Vazquez, interim campus president. “We are going to start with about 2,000 vaccines. We are going to kick it up to 3,000, with an addition of 1,000 in the community. In about three weeks, we should be at 5,000 vaccines we have in our supply right here at the North Campus.”

It is also one of the first sites in the entire country to have the newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine available.

“The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, this will be one of the first locations in the country to actually distribute it,” said FEMA spokesperson Marty Bahamonde. “We will have 500 vaccine doses per day here, along with the Pfizer vaccine, but we’re very excited to have the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.”

Tuesday, the site was open to administer vaccines only to first responders and opened its doors to other  qualifying people Wednesday morning.

This comes as Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday expanded vaccine eligibility to include law enforcement, firefighters, teachers and school employees over the age of 50.

“Inclusive of bus drivers and bus aides and custodial staff, alongside our brave teachers will be prioritized for vaccination,” Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho announced.

Jackson Health System is making appointments available for that group, as well as an expended pool of people with pre-existing conditions.

“Anyone age 50 and older, with a signed doctor’s note on the physician’s letter head or prescription pad, listing the patient’s name, any specific high risk condition for which the patient is being treated and a recommendation that the patient be vaccinated,” explained Carlos Migoya, CEO of Jackson Health System.

The Miami-Dade College North Campus site will operate seven days per week, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Visit miamidade.gov/vaccine to learn more.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A group of men was caught on camera yelling racial slurs and other vulgarity at a group of fishermen near Stuart.

Shannon Bustamante said Thursday Feb. 25, he was out on the water with some friends who are commercial fishermen. Bustamante has a fishing YouTube channel and was getting some footage with them.

One of the shipmates was African American, who asked not to be named.

As seen in the video, a boat called “Amanda V” came bounding toward them, accusing them of coming too close to them.

“Here comes this guy who just wanted a bone to pick with us, anyways,” Bustamante said. “He pulls up, and you just see his true colors come out.”

What came next was a slew of insults and vulgar racial slurs.

“It’s horrible,” Bustamante said. “Saying those things, making threats, circling around the boat, it’s just unacceptable.”

Based on the video it is difficult to tell who said what, or if all three men were using bad language.

From that boat, you can hear one say “I am going to break your (expletive) legs.”

You can also hear from that boat: “Shut your (expletive) (racial slur) mouth.”

“They were waiting for the reason to come up and try to bully them,” Bustamante said. “So that’s when they came up saying ‘hey you sped by me.’ But nothing warrants someone coming up to you and saying what they said in the video.”

Bustamante said they also yelled things like “You have no right to be here. Take that boy back to town.”

The video has circulated and, as of Monday night, has more than 10 thousand views on YouTube.

Bustamonte said the fishing community is like a family, and his goal in sharing this video was to show that this won’t be tolerated out on the water, or anywhere.

CBS 4 heard back from one of the people on the Amanda V boat. He claims he was not the one who used the bad language. He declined our request for an interview.

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – Residents of a Fort Lauderdale neighbor were awakened to the sound of explosions Tuesday, March 2, as the FBI used flash bangs while serving a warrant at a southwest Fort Lauderdale home.

“Flash bangs going off about 6 a.m. We went outside to look and there were about 20 cars, people everywhere,” said Chase Robinson.

The FBI said Paul Miller, 32, was taken into custody in the 1300 block of SW 6th Street, for allegedly being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

After his arrest, social media was all abuzz with posts about Miller.

He uses the pseudonym ‘Gypsy crusader,’ where he sometimes dressed up and made provocative comments.

A check of his criminal record showed past convictions in New Jersey, 12 years ago for attempted aggravated assault and drugs.

Alexa Santos is staying next door and saw the commotion unfold from her window.

“The FBI announced themselves and said come out with your hands up. They said put that cellphone down,” she said.

Miller is being held in the Broward jail and set to have a federal court appearance Wednesday.

Paul Miller (Source: Broward Sheriff’s Office)

“You could see the flash happening, so I went and looked outside and saw smoke coming down the street. I actually peeked my head out and talked to one of the guys with the night vision (headset) on. He was like ‘it’s safe now’,” said Robinson.

“I saw them come out of the house. I saw some weapons taken out, so who knows,” he added.

Miller’s landlord said his vehicle had a New Jersey license plate and he moved into a back unit about a month ago.

“My son did a background check on him and everything and that’s it, that’s all I know,” said Tarlok Sanghera.

Tuesday’s arrest of Miller was a joint operation by the FBI, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Miami Police have asked for the public’s help in finding the prisoner who escaped from their custody at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

According to police, Leskeil Richards was being treated at the hospital for injuries suffered during his arrest on Sunday when he slipped out at about 6 p.m. Monday.

They believe someone may be harboring him.

“Richards remains at large. He’s considered to be a dangerous felon,” said Miami Police Officer Kenia Fallat.

Richards was involved in a rough arrest in Liberty City. Police said he actively resisted when officers tried to take him into custody on a warrant for probation violation. The 25-year-old had allegedly removed a GPS ankle monitor he was wearing for a robbery he’s accused of committing.

“He actively resisted us the day before he escaped, so we know that he initially gave us a fight,” said Fallat.

Police said at the hospital, Richards only had one arm was handcuffed because the other was in a cast.

“He was able to free himself and escape from officers. They were unable to catch him. They set up a perimeter and hours later they were not able to find him,” said Fallat.

During their search, however, officers did find the cast.

Richards is 5′ 11″ and weighs around 90 pounds.

“We know someone may recognize him. He has a distinctive crown tattoo right above his neck area. If you come across him, don’t approach him, pick up the phone and call 911,” said Fallat.

“We know somebody out there is harboring him and that indeed is criminal. You need to call us if you are harboring him,” she added.

Fallat said time is of the essence in this case.

“We’re eager to capture him. We don’t want him to continue committing crimes. He has a long and extensive criminal past,” she said.

In addition to the robbery and carrying a concealed weapon charges he’s already facing, Richards now faces new charges of battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence.

The rough arrest prompted a statement from Congresswoman Frederica Wilson who stated in part “…this new allegation of police misconduct involving punching, kicking and a headlock…a thorough investigation is required and swift firings and punishment must follow.”

Young scored 18 points, including 13 straight for his team in the fourth quarter, and the Hawks snapped Miami’s six-game winning streak by beating the Heat 94-80 on Tuesday night.

John Collins scored 17 for Atlanta, which lost at Miami on Sunday and fired coach Lloyd Pierce on Monday. Kevin Huerter scored 16 for the Hawks and Clint Capela had 10 points and 17 rebounds.

“Losing Coach Pierce, we all had to do better,” McMillan said. “And that was the challenge to this team tonight. He took a hit because we didn’t do what we were supposed to be doing out there. And I thought tonight, they did better.”

Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic each scored 14 for Miami, which missed a chance to get over .500 for the first time this season. Bam Adebayo scored 11 for the Heat, who shot 37% — their fourth-worst showing of the season.

“We had been trending much better offensively,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It just was a flat offensive game. It was not a fluid game for us on that side of the floor.”

Tony Snell added 11 for the Hawks.

“Ugly game, but in the end you win a lot of games giving up 80 points,” Huerter said. “Great bounceback from the last 24 hours. And now we’ve got to finish the first half of the season strong tomorrow in Orlando.”

Miami was outrebounded 47-26, by far its worst margin of the season, and was held to a season-low in points. The Heat were again without Jimmy Butler, who missed his second consecutive game with right knee inflammation.

Miami shot 29% in the opening quarter and 36% in the half, including a 2-for-15 start from 3-point range. But by limiting Young for the second consecutive game — he had just two points by halftime and five points after three quarters — the Heat hung around, trailing 44-37 at the break and leading 66-63 going into the fourth.

Then Young got hot in the fourth, when the Heat shot just 5 for 18, and just like that what had been the NBA’s longest active winning streak entering the night was finished.

It was Miami’s lowest point total in its home building since scoring 79 against Milwaukee on Jan. 19, 2016. The Heat were held to 85 or fewer points for the fifth time this season, by far the most in the NBA — with Butler missing four of those five games.

“Defenses are going to be disruptive and do different things to try to guard us,” Robinson said. “But there are always counters and ways to be effective. We just have to find solutions.”

TIP-INS

Hawks: Bogdan Bogdanovic returned after missing 25 games with an avulsion fracture in his right knee. He had five points in 16 minutes. … Atlanta had 23 turnovers to Miami’s nine and won anyway. “You’re not going to win many games with that amount,” McMillan said.

Heat: Tyler Herro has a 3-pointer in 32 straight games, tying for the fifth-longest streak in team history. He’s one shy of matching Tim Hardaway — who had two separate 33-game streaks. … Robinson is four away from 400 career 3-pointers. He’s played 123 games; Young is the fastest to make 400 3s in NBA history, and it took him 159 games.

SLOW FIRST

Just as he did Sunday in Miami, Young went scoreless in the first quarter. The last time he was blanked in the opening quarter of consecutive games was Dec. 10 and 11, 2019, against the Heat and Chicago.

The Hawks had lost 13 consecutive games when he was scoreless in first quarters.

SLOW HALF

The 81 combined points at the half were the fourth fewest by halftime in an NBA game this season. Miami-Dallas had 77 on Jan. 1, New York-Cleveland on Jan. 29 had 80 and Toronto-Minnesota on Feb. 19 also had 80.

The 37 points allowed matched Atlanta’s best first-half defensive effort in its last 145 games. The last time they gave up that few was Jan. 6, 2019 — also against Miami.

UP NEXT

Hawks: Visit Orlando on Wednesday.

Heat: Visit New Orleans on Thursday.

(© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Sen. Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, and Rep. Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, are carrying the measures, which were approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee and House Health & Human Services Committee on Tuesday.

The plan has sparked controversy over students’ privacy rights, but Rodrigues told the Senate panel Tuesday that his proposal (SB 582) doesn’t give parents any new rights that aren’t already in state law.

Instead, Rodrigues said, the bill would combine “for easy reference” provisions of existing Florida law that deal with parental consent. For example, the measure would give parents the right to inspect school instructional materials and opt out of sex education and vaccinations, which Rodrigues said parents are already able to do under state law.

Among other things, the Senate proposal would prevent health care practitioners and their employees from providing health care services or prescribing medicinal drugs to a minor child without a parent’s written consent. Practitioners who do so without parental permission would face a first-degree misdemeanor.

“It is currently implied that parental consent is necessary for a health care practitioner to provide health care services or prescribe drugs for a minor child. This takes that implication out, and specifically notes that parents have to sanction that before it can occur,” Rodrigues said.

The House and Senate proposals also require school districts to “adopt a policy to promote parental involvement in the public school system.”

But Democrats on the Senate committee asked Rodrigues why the bill is needed, if it mirrors what is already enshrined in state law.

“I understand the thought process is that these rights already exist in statute, just scattered. But when you put it together like this, there’s certainly the possibility of greater interpretation or broadening of these so-called rights,” said Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton. “I’m a parent of two children who went to public school, never once felt that my rights were infringed. I don’t understand where this is coming from.”

Under an amendment added to the Senate bill on Tuesday, parents would have the right to consent before their “minor child’s grades are released to a law enforcement officer or law enforcement agency.”

Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican who sponsored the amendment, said the provision was spurred by events in his Tampa Bay-area district.

“We have an issue where law enforcement is accessing school grades and then doing visits to individuals’ homes based on those grades. I want to make sure that parents consent to those grades being released,” he said.

Critics who spoke against the measures on Tuesday raised concerns about parts of the bill they say would put vulnerable children in danger.

John Mower, public policy director for the LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality Florida, said the Senate measure “could compel schools to out LGBTQ youth.”

“We wish that all youth, including LGBTQ youth, had supportive and affirming families, but we know that that is not always the case. Schools are sometimes the only place of safety for our LGBTQ youth. Many of them come out to teachers or guidance counselors, before they come out at home,” Mower told the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The League of Women Voters of Florida also opposes the Senate measure.

“Developing responsibility for health care is part of building a healthy adulthood. The vast majority of young people exercise this responsibility in consultation with their parents. The ones that don’t probably have good reason. Not all parents deserve parenthood, nor can you legislate that,” Trish Neely, who spoke on behalf of the organization, said Tuesday.

The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the proposal in a 7-4 vote along party lines, with Democrats opposed to the bill.

The House bill (HB 241) is unchanged from a version that was considered during last year’s legislative session, Grall told the House Health & Human Services Committee on Tuesday.

Democrats on the panel asked Grall whether the bill would require school guidance counselors or other public school employees to tell parents about information students share in confidence, such as details about their sexuality.

“This bill does not mandate (employees) to tell the parent. It does, however, not allow them to coerce or intimidate a child to keep something from their parent. That’s the language that’s in here, so that there isn’t the use or abuse of authority to say, you shouldn’t engage with your family on this,” Grall said.

Democrats also pushed Grall to explain whether the bill gives parents any rights that aren’t currently in Florida law.

“It seems like a lot of these rights are already inherent or stated someplace. What is new, in your bill, that parents don’t already have the right to do?” Rep. Kelly Skidmore, D-Boca Raton, asked.

“What is actually new, would be that obligation to report if there is in fact a criminal act that takes place, if you have not contacted DCF (Department of Children and Families) or law enforcement, and with the consequences of disciplinary action if you fail to do that,” Grall responded.

Grall added that her proposal also includes new provisions that would give parents the right to consent before a state agency or other entity takes and stores records of a child’s blood, DNA or a biometric scan.

“That is not specified elsewhere in general terms to all agencies and institutions,” Grall said during Tuesday’s meeting.

The House committee also approved the measure in a partisan vote.

(©2021 CBS Local Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The News Service of Florida’s Ryan Dailey contributed to this report.)

While Tuesday was just the first day of the 2021 legislative session, Republicans in the House and Senate showed signs they continue to go in different directions on the sweeping proposals.

In January, GOP lawmakers released identical proposals to protect non-health care businesses from lawsuits related to COVID-19 deaths or injuries.

But Senate Judiciary Chairman Jeff Brandes on Tuesday told The News Service of Florida that he plans to expand the Senate’s version of the COVID-19 business liability bill (SB 72) to include protections for health-care providers, such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Those protections have been contained in another bill (SB 74) — and the House has moved forward with separate proposals for general businesses and health-care providers.

“I think the key is that we are focused on one singular issue,” Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, said, adding that he plans on rolling his proposals into one bill when the Senate Rules Committee considers the issue.

But that could prove controversial.

Among other things, the health-care bill provides broad immunity protections, including providing immunity to nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospitals and physicians if “supplies, materials, equipment, or personnel necessary to comply with the applicable government-issued health standards or guidance at issue were not readily available or were not available at a reasonable cost.”

The House’s proposed health-care liability protections (HB 7005) do not include a similar provision. The House Pandemics & Public Emergencies Committee voted 12-6 to approve that bill Tuesday evening.

Meanwhile, the full House is scheduled Thursday to take up its version of the bill (HB 7) that would provide liability protections to non-health care businesses. It likely will be one of the first two bills to get approval from the House during this year’s session.

Brandes made his remarks after the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee voted 7-4 along party lines to approve the Senate bill focused on non-health care businesses. Members of the committee debated — and shot down —a spate of amendments offered by Democrats, including several proposed by Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-North Miami Beach.

For example, one Pizzo amendment would have deleted part of the bill that would allow judges to decide whether defendants made good-faith efforts to “substantially comply” with health standards or guidance issued by authorities. If judges determine that good-faith efforts were made, lawsuits would be precluded from going forward. An attorney, Pizzo argued that the provision would make judges the arbiter of facts and not the arbiter of law.

Pizzo also proposed an amendment that would have deleted a requirement that plaintiffs prove by “clear and convincing evidence” that defendants were “at least grossly negligent.” The Pizzo amendment would have maintained a current standard for personal injury lawsuits, which is proof by a greater weight of the evidence.

The committee also rejected an amendment by Sen. Annette Taddeo, D-Miami, that would  have mandated businesses that want to tap into the liability protections to post signs at entrances advising customers that the businesses are “not liable for transmission or exposure of COVID-19.”

“I think the consumer needs to know that they are walking  into a location that is fulfilling all the parts of this bill to  protect themselves from liability,” Taddeo said in support of her amendment. “And that’s all I am asking for: a sign at their door.”

While the Senate panel rejected all of the proposed amendments, the Senate bill is different from the House version for non-health care businesses. That’s because the House Judiciary Committee last month changed the House bill to make clear that if different guidelines and standards were in effect at the time plaintiffs were allegedly infected with COVID-19, businesses would only have needed to comply with one of the standards to get liability protections.

“Adding this to the Senate bill would perhaps add some clarity to this issue as the bill moves forward,” said Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association General Counsel Samantha Padgett.

While Republican leaders have made liability protections a top priority, critics noted that the state has not seen a flood of COVID-19-related lawsuits against businesses.

But proponents of the legislation argue that the numbers of lawsuits filed is misleading. William Large, president of the Florida Justice Reform Institute, testified that he is aware of 53 potential lawsuits based on the number of presuit notices businesses have received.

National Federation of Independent Business lobbyist Tim Nungesser said the Senate bill would provide much-needed protections to businesses during the pandemic.

“I would submit to you this bill in front of you is a COVID-19 vaccine for small businesses,” Nungesser said. “We know  that vaccines are meant to be given to folks to protect them so they don’t get sick. This bill in front of you protects small business owners so they don’t get sued in a frivolous way.”

But some critics argue that business groups have unsuccessfully pushed for lawsuit limitations for years and that the pandemic has made it convenient for lawmakers to grant them their wish.

Florida AFL-CIO lobbyist Rich Templin said local unions have been working with businesses since the beginning of the pandemic for worker protections. Sometimes the unions have been successful in getting businesses to agree to mask requirements and other safety steps, but sometimes they aren’t successful.

“We now have a bill that makes every lawsuit frivolous. This really doesn’t seem to be in the best interest of the working people,” Templin said. “There seems to be this assumption that lawyers are just evil devils and workers are just freeloaders looking to sue and the business community is just saints and angels. And that’s just not the reality of what we’re experiencing as advocates of working people each and every day.”

(©2021 CBS Local Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The News Service of Florida’s Christine Sexton contributed to this report.)

LAUDERDALE LAKES (CBSMiami) — A suspected serial thief with a penchant for power tools and stealing from Home Depot stores is facing criminal charges following his most recent arrest.

Detectives with BSO’s Burglary Apprehension Team (B.A.T.), working together with detectives from the Coral Springs Police Department and the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, arrested Alain Carre on Feb. 25 in Lauderdale Lakes.

Carre was wanted in connection with thefts from Home Depot stores in Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, North Lauderdale and Sunrise.

There is also a warrant for his arrest for a theft in Palm Beach County and two pending cases against Carre in North Miami.

Arrest records show Carre stole mainly Milwaukee brand power tools during a series of recent crimes.

Carre is suspected of committing at least 11 thefts at Home Depot stores in Broward County since Jan. 15, stealing more than $17,000 worth of items. He faces a number of grand theft charges as well as charges for resisting arrest without violence, fleeing or eluding law enforcement and operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license connected to his arrest on Feb. 25.

Carre, who has previous convictions for theft and is suspected in several pending cases involving thefts from Home Depot stores, is currently being held in the Broward County Main Jail.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Miami-Dade County Commissioners have proclaimed March 2021 as “Health Heroes Month.”

“They took care of us 24/7, saved endless lives,” said Commission Chairman Jose “Pepe” Diaz.

Diaz and his fellow commissioners welcomed a group of doctors and nurses from Jackson Memorial Hospital and Jackson Health CEO Carlos Migoya to the county commission chambers in downtown Miami on Tuesday morning.

“You were making these sacrifices, you were making them daily, double shifts, not taking your vacations, not retiring,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “I mean, this has been really something incredibly stressful on all of you, as you have done the work of angels in our community.”

“I was the frontline with my staff, and we saw the first patient come in with COVID and it scared our team,” said Monica Ramage the Director of Nursing for the Emergency Department at JMH.

The month of March in Miami-Dade County will now serve to recognize the sacrifice of those doctors and nurses on the frontlines as we continue to battle the coronavirus.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A local records store has had to rely solely on ingenuity and customer loyalty to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.

Believe it or not, a national trend of nostalgia for vinyl records has helped a local store that counts on customers digging through the stacks to find that long-ago memory.

Nationwide, in 2020, the sale of vinyl records increased almost 30% over 2019.

The sale of CDs declined, the same for music downloads, like many small businesses, the key during the pandemic has been ingenuity and customer loyalty.

Technique Records reopened in June, with five employees back to work, wearing masks and social distancing was just part of the rules of the house.

“It wasn’t until we were ordered to shut down when every non-essential business had to close was when I said to everyone, well, that’s it!” said shop owner Mikey Ramirez.

Ramirez said he took to his couch, thinking of his employees, his family, his home.

“I am not sure what to do, to be honest, I’m lost like everyone else was,” Ramirez said.

But not for long. Spurred on by his girlfriend, the ideas started popping into his head on how to make his shop work.

“Ok, what can we do? How to get products from a-to-b, our shop to someone. Mail order, that’s a given, I can do deliveries,” added Ramirez.

Schedule pickups, schedule appointments, all were in the mix and then there were the unique “curated stacks” for a fee.

Ramirez and his staff would pick LPs that seemed to fit customers’ tastes.

Ramirez relied on trust and loyalty from the store’s regulars to produce cash flow.

“The results have been great. Everyone has been very happy with the packages they have received. Still do it to this day,” said Ramirez.

“The fact that we were able to keep the machine rolling, able to go ahead with an oil can and keep the wheels turning. All that thanks to the community. Thanks to the customer base, the clientele.”

But a proposed crackdown on big tech is drawing questions, even from the GOP-controlled Legislature’s own analysts.

A House committee Tuesday gave initial approval to legislation aimed at punishing social media companies that block users or censor content. The vote came hours after Gov. Ron DeSantis hit on the issue during a State of the State speech that helped launch the 2021 legislative session.

“Florida has always been a state that strongly supports free speech, and we cannot allow the contours of acceptable speech to be adjudicated by the whims of oligarchs in Silicon Valley,” DeSantis told lawmakers gathered in the House chamber. “Nor we can allow Floridians to be ‘de-platformed’ or silenced with no means of recourse, and this is especially true of those who rely on these technology platforms for their livelihoods.”

Condemnation of tech behemoths such as Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Google has become a litmus test for Republicans heading into the 2022 elections, when DeSantis will be running for a second term as governor of the nation’s third-largest state. Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, and House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, have said they support the effort to punish the technology giants.

Florida “cannot allow Big Tech to interfere in our elections by putting a thumb on the scale for political candidates favored by Silicon Valley,” DeSantis said Tuesday, after sketching out legislation on the issue last month.

The proposal approved Tuesday by the House Commerce Committee would, among other things, bar social-media companies from blocking political candidates from their platforms. It would give the Florida Elections Commission the power to fine the platforms $100,000 a day for blocking statewide candidates and $10,000 a day for other candidates.

Committee Chairman Blaise Ingoglia, a former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, said social-media users believe “big tech makes up the rules as they go.”

The measure is designed to “enforce some common-sense standards on big tech monopolies,” Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, said before the panel’s 16-8 vote in favor of the bill (PCB COM 21-01). Just one Democrat — Rep. Anika Omphroy of Lauderdale Lakes — sided with Republicans in approving the proposal.

Ingoglia said the committee bill would require social media platforms to publish standards “and then hold every side accountable to those published standards.”

But Rep. Joe Geller, D-Aventura, argued that tech companies “have a right to have their platform be free of hate.”

“There are a lot of kinds of free speech that are permitted even though odious. And interfering with core, political, free speech, even odious speech, is something that we don’t allow the government to do but we do allow a broad range of expression on the part of individuals and companies,” Geller, a lawyer, said.

The measure would set other requirements for social-media companies, including clearing the way for lawsuits.

But a House staff analysis raised questions about whether the bill would be subject to legal challenges under the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment and Supremacy Clause, which largely gives precedence to federal laws over state laws.

“Businesses are afforded some of the same First Amendment rights as individuals,” the staff analysis said. “Generally, businesses cannot be compelled to host speech with which it disagrees absent a mandate that has been narrowly tailored to serve a compelling state interest. Some of the provisions of the bill may implicate First Amendment protections regarding speech by a business.”

Federal law “does not offer much recourse” for users who wish to challenge social-media providers’ decisions about whether to allow certain content, according to a 2019 Congressional Research Service report.

“Lawsuits predicated on these sites’ decisions to host or remove content have been largely unsuccessful, facing at least two significant barriers under existing federal law,” the congressional report said.

The barriers, according to the report, include the First Amendment and what is known as “Section 230” of the federal Communications Decency Act.

Courts have held that the First Amendment provides “protection against state action,” but would not necessarily apply to the private companies being targeted by Florida Republicans.

The federal communications act provides immunity to providers of interactive computer services, “both for certain decisions to host content created by others and for actions taken ‘voluntarily’ and ‘in good faith’ to restrict access to ‘objectionable’ material,” the 2019 report said.

The House proposal is targeted at large platforms, as it would apply to social-media companies that have at least $100 million in annual gross revenues or at least 100 million monthly “individual platform participants” globally.

Ingoglia said lawmakers have received calls from constituents who are “very, very concerned” after being removed from social-media sites.

“You have grandparents, great-grandparents, have all this stuff uploaded onto a social media site. They’re being deplatformed for something they said, not even knowing what they said, can’t get any information, then all of a sudden all these pictures of them with their grandkids are gone,” he said.

(©2021 CBS Local Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The News Service of Florida’s Dara Kam contributed to this report.)