THE FLORIDA SENATE

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1100 COMMITTEES:

Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal and
Civil Justice, Vice Chair
Criminal Justice
Finance and Tax
Innovation, Industry, and Technology

SENATOR RANDOLPH BRACY

11th District

April 8, 2020

The Honorable Bill Galvano

President, Florida Senate
305 Senate Office Building
404 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399

Dear President Galvano,

I write to request your support in calling for a special session of the Florida Legislature to be held at the
earliest convenience under the provisions of Article III, Section (3)(c)(2) of the Florida Constitution and
Section 11.011(2), Florida Statutes.

The State of Florida continues to see an unprecedented number of workers sidelined from their jobs as a
result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of our citizens have tried to get help using the state’s online
application system for reemployment assistance. Unfortunately, the website is routinely out of service
and is still undergoing major repairs causing Floridians’ to miss out on state benefits and those emergency
benefits recently passed by Congress under the CARES Act.

What this problem reveals to the people of our state is Florida’s inadequate unemployment program at-
large. Florida is one of only a few states that cuts off unemployment benefits after 12 weeks while most
states allow 26. And benefits are capped at only a maximum of $275 a week, a figure which has not seen
an increase in decades.

I believe we have an opportunity to move Florida toward a more modern unemployment system that can
provide a more robust safety net for families who have lost their income through no fault of their own.

Please accept this letter as an official request to call for a special session during this critical time. Thank
you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Senator Randolph Bracy

REPLY TO:
 6965 Piazza Grande Avenue, Suite 211, Orlando, Florida 32835 (407) 297-2045 FAX: (888) 263-3814
 213 Senate Building, 404 South Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1100 (850) 487-5011

Senate’s Website: www.flsenate.gov

BILL GALVANO DAVID SIMMONS

President of the Senate President Pro Tempore