Sen. Burgess, Rep. McClure, and Rep. Beltran discuss relevant topics
The Plant City community had the opportunity to interact with their local legislatures, on Wednesday.
Sen. Danny Burgess, Rep. Lawrence McClure, and Rep. Mike Beltran socialized with the crowd who came to the Trinkle Center at the Hillsborough Community College – Plant City campus.
They also expressed their thoughts on modern day issues.
• Burgess, of District 20, was elected to the state senate in 2020.
Prior to that, he served in the House of Representatives from 2014 to 2019.
He is a native of Zephyrhills where he was mayor from 2013 to 2014 and was a part of the city council.
• McClure, of District 58, is a Tampa native and currently resides in Dover.
He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2017. He currently serves on several committees including the Appropriations Committee where he vice chair.
• Beltran, of District 57, is a native of New York and currently resides in Lithia.
He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and is an attorney.
He’s also on several committees including the Civil Justice and Property Rights Subcommittee for which he is vice chair.
What are your thoughts on the congressional maps in Florida?
Beltran
There’s been tension between Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida legislative leadership in terms of how districts should be drawn out, based on who lives where.
One example that Beltran used to show that district lines drawn were not compatible, was a district from Jacksonville to all the way down to Orlando.
Beltran said that he and DeSantis have agreed that there are maps that are irregularly shaped, that don’t keep communities together and run from rural to urban communities hundreds of miles away from one another.
The proposed draft is set up as such, Beltran said.
“I don’t think that’s an appropriate way to keep drawing maps,” he said. “I don’t think the constitution requires it. I don’t think the constitution permits it.”
McClure
The redistricting map that the legislature proposed before DeSantis was “constitutionally sound” McClure said.
Although he does not agree with DeSantis veto of the draft, he is optimistic that the governor and the legislative body will come to an agreement.
Burgess
“The maps were staff drawn, it was a staff-driven process,” Burgess said. “Our maps were not challenged in court. That has never in the history of redistricting occurred.”
Like McClure, Burgess has supported the most recent drawn map.
What are your thoughts on recreational marijuana?
Burgess
“I have spent time in states that have legalized recreational marijuana, and take the moral arguments out of it, it’s awful,” Burgess said. “It smells atrocious. It’s just not aesthetically pleasing.”
The nature of God was not intended to be used in that manner, he said.
Driving down the highway or getting a cup of coffee, he has smelled the strong aroma.
He also stated that it’s not the culture we should want in a state like Florida.
“Everyone wants to come here, everyone wants to be here, everyone wants to live here,” Burgess said. “That doesn’t appeal to me personally. I think it takes away from our atmosphere.”
McClure
McClure took a lighter note on the subject saying that the issue really doesn’t move the needle for him.
“Don’t look for me to sponsor a bill or advocate or not advocate against it,” McClure said.
There is some benefit to it as a medication, he said.
Beltran
Beltran had made it clear during his run in the primary season that he doesn’t support the use of marijuana.
He also doesn’t think that it is useful in any way, and that his friends who did partake ended up not making much for themselves.
“It’s going to cause psychological problems,” Beltran said. “It’s going to cause other things. We don’t know what it’s going to cause because we haven’t studied it, because it’s illegal.
What would you say in response to those who believe the “Don’t Say Gay” bill silences LGBTQ youth?
McClure
“Do you think that these children should be having discussions regarding sexual orientation, sexual identity, sex in any way, shape or form? It would be unanimous, absolutely not,” McClure said.
He said that it’s not about discrimination but talking about an inappropriate subject to children.
Gov. DeSantis has received backlash not because he is wrong, but because he stands for what is right, McClure said.
“If my daughter, who is almost two and a half, in another couple of years goes to school and I find out that that teacher has been having conversations with them about sex in any way, shape, or form, without having a discussion with me, I would be a little bit afraid myself,” he added.
Burgess
Burgess stated that the language of the bill has been stigmatized for what it’s not.
“This bill spoke to kindergarteners through third grade, and said ‘we’re not going to sexualize kids, he said. “Kids are innocent.”
And while he admits that there are many issues that the house and senate should focus on, this is one topic that should be a priority.
“This bill speaks to curriculum and age-appropriate conversation,” Burgess said. “This bill also speaks to a parent’s rights because a parent’s rights don’t stop at the door of a classroom. It never will and it never should.”
Beltran
The bill doesn’t target children but the teaching method that may be outside of an instructor’s curriculum, Beltran said.
“The proper place to go and discuss that sort of thing is with your parents, with a therapist, with a trusted friend,” Beltran said, “not where a teacher is telling students about it at a very young age, when kids wouldn’t even be thinking about that sort of thing.”
He noted that his son attended an event at school where the students were encouraged to express their sexual orientation. He said that it only marginalizes kids and makes them feel uncomfortable.
