Florida Gov. Pulls Large Number of Appointments Made by Predecessor, One from Board of Acupuncture
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On February 22, 2019, Florida’s new Governor, Rick DeSantis retracted 169 appointments that the former governor made before leaving office. One of these was to the Florida Board of Acupuncture. This is not the first time he has called back last-minute decisions made by his predecessor. In January 2019, he retracted 46 of Scott’s “lame duck appointments.”
The new governor has now pulled a total of 215 of Scott’s prior appointments to various boards and committees.
Here’s a List of the Appointments Made by Scott That Governor DeSantis Pulled for the Professional Boards Under the Department of Health (DOH):
Steve Moreau, Board of Acupuncture
Angela Sissine, Board of Dentistry
Steven Falcone, Board of Medicine
Andre Perez, Board of Medicine
Merle Preston Stringer, Board of Medicine
Heather Baumwald, Board of Nursing
Jennifer Raymond, Board of Nursing
Mary Julie Talmadge, Board of Nursing
Elna Rose Vizvary, Board of Occupational Therapy Practice
Katie Gilbert-Spear, Board of Optometry
John Edmund Griffin, Board of Optometry
David Rouse, Board of Optometry
Paul Weott, Board of Orthotists and Prosthetists
Mark Block, Board of Podiatric Medicine
Soorena Sadri, Board of Podiatric Medicine
In January 2019, Governor DeSantis retracted nearly 46 of Scott’s appointments. The Senate withdrew all of the names from their appointments.
The Retractions Made In January for DOH Boards Included:
Philip Diaz, Board of Chiropractic Medicine
Dr. Emique Ginzburg, Board of Medicine
Nicolas Romanello, Board of Medicine
Linville Atkins, Board of Optometry
The list of retracted appointments also included nominations to a host of major and minor positions, from college boards of trustees to trade boards and state commissions. To take a look at the full list of appointments, not just those listed on the DOH, click here.
Click here to read the press release that Governor DeSantis’s issued regarding the matter.
You can also view a copy of the letter he wrote to Senate President Galvano here.
A spokeswoman for Senate President Galvano said the Senate will fully comply with DeSantis’ request. “Senate President Bill Galvano will act in accordance with the Senate Rules and will direct the Secretary to return the documentation of the appointments and document the return in the Journal,” said Katie Betta.
To learn more about DOH matters and investigations, click here.
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Sources:
Ogles, Jacob. “Governor sacks college board trustees across the state.” Florida Politics. (February 24, 2019). Web.
Ogles, Jacob. “Ron DeSantis pulls back nearly 170 Rick Scott appointments.” Florida Politics. (February 25, 2019). Web.
Schweers, Jeffrey. “Florida ethics commission reviewing rules after Ron DeSantis yanks Rick Scott appointments.” Tallahassee Democrat. (February 26, 2019). Web.
About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law is an attorney with The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Avenue, Altamonte Springs, Florida 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.
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By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law