Page 14 - Florida Sentinel 4-30-21

State
Rep. Driskell Has 2 Bills Waiting For Senate Approval
TALLAHASSE — Rep- resentative Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa, Dis- trict 63) has two bills wait- ing that she’s hopeful that the Senate will approve be- fore the Session ends.
Bi-Partisan Police Reform Bill
The Florida House is- sued a bi-partisan legislative proposal, HB 7051, which establishes statewide stan- dards for police misconduct and updated training.
Representative Driskell is the prime co- sponsor of this legislation alongside Representative Cord Byrd (R-Jack- sonville). This bill is the re- sult of months of negotiations spearheaded by Representative
REP. FENTRICE DRISKELL
Driskell between the Florida Black Legislative Caucus, House Democrats and House Republicans.
HB 7051 will update law enforcement training standards related to the use of force, including the use of
SEN. JANET CRUZ
de-escalation techniques, restricting the use of choke- holds, and requiring officers to intervene when they see another officer engaging in behavior that appears to be an excessive use of force.
“With this legislation,
we will help make our com- munities safer by establish- ing policies that foster better relations between the people and law enforce- ment. Here, we are able to lift up our first responders and those who put their lives on the line doing this work while also building bridges to the community, and especially to communi- ties of color. This is the pos- itive impact that we endeavor to have in this process.”
House Passes African American Cemetery Task Force Bill
By a vote of 117-0, the House passed a bill years in the making to establish a task force to preserve Florida’s African American cemeteries.
The bill was sponsored by Rep. Driskell. At- tempts in past Sessions to pass similar legislation were not successful. Driskell spoke on the floor while sur- rounded by members of the Florida Legislative Black Caucus.
“This truly is a bill that transcends party because we’re talking about history,” Driskell said.
The hidden history of Florida’s African American cemeteries was brought to light in Driskell’s district by reporting from Paul Guzzo for the Tampa Bay Times. Guzzo was tipped off by cemetery re- searcher Ray Reed about death certificates Reed had come across listing a burial ground called Zion Ceme-
tery that Reed could not find.
After months of re- search, Guzzo and report- ing partner James Borchuck discovered more than 800 people were buried along North Florida Avenue in what was be- lieved to be Tampa’s first all-Black cemetery.
“With this being an issue statewide, it’s an honor to have filed this bill, not only on behalf of my hometown, Hillsborough, but for all Floridians who have not been able to connect with their ancestral paths,” Driskell said.
The bill (HB 37) would have the Department of State (DOS) create a 10- member Task Force to iden- tify unmarked or abandoned African Ameri- can burial grounds through- out the state.
“A task force seems like a small thing, I know. But this task force really can look at the best practices and think through policies and proce- dures so we can honor and provide dignity to our com- munity and to the dead,” Driskell said.
Task-force members won’t be compensated, but will be entitled to travel ex- penses and per diem ex- penses.
Under the bill, the task force would hold its first meeting by Aug. 1 and sun- set its mission by March 11, 2022.
Tampa Sen. Janet Cruz sponsors companion legislation (SB 222). That bill is still working through the committee process.
PAGE 2-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021