In the News

Op-Ed: The Public Must Know Why a Police Chief is Fired

Prior to serving the people of District 59 as their State Representative, I served over four years as Pinellas County’s Assistant State Attorney. As a prosecutor, I worked diligently to keep my community safe and ensure Florida remains a place for all Americans to live and grow freely.

Strong, effective local law enforcement was and still is at the heart of keeping our communities safe, and law enforcement agencies can only accomplish that mission with strong, effective leadership.

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State Rep. Berny Jacques Files Local Bill Bolstering Youth Sports and Recreation in Pinellas County

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Earlier this week, Representative Berny Jacques (R-Seminole) filed legislation that would abolish the Greater Seminole Area Special Recreation District and transfer the district to the Board of County Commissioners of Pinellas County; which will use the transferred property exclusively for recreation purposes and continue to house what is known as the Seminole Youth Athletic Association (SYAA) sports fields.

“Part of a pro-family agenda is making sure that our youth have great recreational services in their community,” said Representative Jacques.

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Jacques files bill enhancing education for youth exiting juvenile justice system

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Florida Rep. Berny Jacques, R-Largo, filed HB 939 Thursday, aiming to bolster education for Floridians in the youth justice system.

The bill would expand the Department of Juvenile Justice’s “educational scope” via the creation of the Florida Scholars Academy. The department is headed by Secretary Eric Hall.

It would include $12 million in funding to enact a “streamlined approach to educating vulnerable youth within the system.”

“As a former prosecutor who had to hold countless amounts of young people accountable when they broke the law, I know that education can be part of an early intervention strategy that will prevent them from getting into a life of crime,” Jacques said.

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Parkland parents voice support of bill to lower jury threshold for death penalty

PARKLAND, Fla. (FLV) – Parkland shooting victims’ families responded after lawmakers filed a bill that would prevent one juror from being able to nix the death penalty. Under the proposed bill, a supermajority, rather than a unanimous verdict, would be needed to enact capital punishment.

National school safety advocate Max Schachter is the father of Alex Schachter, one of the 17 victims murdered in the Parkland school shooting in 2018. He thanked Sen.

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