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In a surprise turn Florida Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart has announced her resignation despite having a year left in her contract.

Published reports say charter school advocate and former House Speaker Richard Corcoran may be on the shortlist for the position.

When Corcoran ended his campaign for Governor in May he suggested his career in public office was coming to an end.

“I said all along, you know I was going to run for Governor or go home,” said Corcoran in May.

However, the political landscape has changed.

Education Commissioner Pam Stewart, who had her contracted extended for a year when polling showed a Democrat leading in the Governors race, resigned this week.

Corcoran is now favored to become the state’s top education official.

“It’s no secret that the new Governor and the former Speaker Corcoran are both staunch advocates of school choice,” said Executive Director of the Florida School Boards Association Andrea Messina.

Corcoran is known for championing new voucher programs for private schools and diverting local tax money to charter schools.

“All of this legislation goes directly to what he says as his values, which are disrupting our education program,” said Martin Powell, Chief of Staff of the Florida Education Association.

FEA also points to the fact Corcoran lacks experience in public education, unlike Stewart who worked as a teacher, principal, and administrator for 40 years.

“He is a threat not only to traditional public school advocates and the teachers union, but to traditional schools,” said Powell.

In contrast, State Senator Bill Montford, who also heads the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, is optimistic about a Commissioner Corcoran.

“He’s very bright, he’s energetic and he knows how to get things done,” said Montford.

Stewart will officially step down on January 8th, the same day Governor Elect Ron DeSantis will be sworn into office.

Corcoran was in Washington DC Wednesday, attending a National Convention held by an education think tank established by Former Governor Jeb Bush, another staunch advocate of school choice.

The Governor and two members of Florida’s cabinet held their final meeting Tuesday morning.

The final goodbye was full of tears and the future for two of the departing members still remains to be seen.

The final cabinet meeting for Governor Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam was a sedimental affair for Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis.

He offered three resolutions honoring their hard work and dedication.

“You have been a friend when I’ve needed a friend and you have given selflessly to this state,” said Patronis.

The four hour long meeting was filled with time honored traditions including pet adoptions and seasonal celebrations.

Photo opportunities, not policies took up the majority of the meeting.

Keeping in line with what has largely defined the Governor’s eight years in office, Rick Scott abruptly left the meeting without taking questions.

Commissioner Putnam, who lost his bid for the Governor’s Mansion says his next move is still in the works.

“I’m focused every day on all the work yet to be done between now and January 8th and then we’ll figure it out after that,” said Putnam.

Beginning January 8th, these seats will be filled by Republicans Ron DeSantis, Ashley moody and returning Jimmy Patronis.

For the first time in eight years a democrat will join the ranks.

Niki Fried will take over as commissioner of agriculture.

Patronis says he’s looking forward to working with Fried, despite their political differences.

“We all serve and love the state of Florida so I’m sure that Commissioner Elect Fried is going to come here with that same type of passion,” said Patronis.

He offered this advice to the newly elected members, show up early and be prepared.

Attorney General Pam Bondi also didn’t take questions after the meeting.

Appearances on FOX News in recent months have lead to speculation Bondi may land a job with the network after she leaves office.

It’s also been suggested she might be a possible candidate for US Attorney General, replacing Jeff Sessions.

The state has transferred more than 1200 acres including the main campuses at the infamous Dozier School for Boys to Jackson County, where the school was founded in 1901.

County officials say it is one more step to closure in the brutality that took place there.

Hundreds were beaten, some died in the so called White House, all at the hands of state officials during the Dozier Schools 100 years of operation.

In 2017, state ordered the sprawling campus turned over to local officials.

Jackson County Commission Chair Clint Pate acknowledged the schools dark history as he made his pitch for the property.

“We’d like to take the challenge of turning this into a positive impact to Jackson County instead of some of the negative stuff we’ve had with there,” said Pate.

With little debate, the Governor Rick Scott and the Cabinet agreed to turn over the schools 360 acres.

“This is long overdue,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.

They also transferred another 919 acres for economic Development.

The legislation calls for a monument and the preservation of the White House and the Boot Hill cemetery.

The barbed wire that kept inmates from escaping is now gone.

Several buildings on the property are still usable.

“I’m really excited about urning it into a positive and we’re gonna be good caretakers of the property,” said Jackson County Sheriff, Lou Roberts.

A plan to reinter more than four dozen bodies taken from the campus has been delayed until sometime next year.

While the state has apologized, the question of reparations for dozens of men who survived the abuse remains open.

Seven bodies from children who died in a fire will go back to Boot Hill on the property.

More than 40 others will be reinterred in a Tallahassee Cemetery.

County officials could not put a timetable on how long it will take to turn the property into something positive.

You might soon see Whiskey next to the Wheaties in Big Box stores thanks to an Administrative Law Judge’s ruling, but advocates for traditional liquor stores say the ruling is a far cry from putting an end to the debate over where hard liquor can be sold.

For at least the past five years, dozens of lobbyists have worked lawmakers to allow the sale of hard alcohol in big box stores instead from a separate storefront.

Last year it passed by one vote, but was then vetoed by Rick Scott.

Trying a new strategy, Walmart and Target turned to an administrative law judge, successfully challenging a rule that defined items customarily sold in restaurants.

“Anybody can go to these places [restaurants] and see that they’re selling stuff that isn’t hot and cold food and beverages,” said Will Spicola, an Attorney representing Walmart, Target and Top Golf.

Spicola says the way the rule had been applied prohibited retailers from acquiring Consumption on Premisses licenses, which if granted, would allow them to sell liquor in their main stores, while businesses like hotels and bowling allies got away with selling products off the state’s list.

Retailer hope with the rule gone, they might now be able to acquire a license.

“A lot of these big box retailers have restaurants,” said Spicola. “They have concession areas where they’re selling food and drink to their patrons. There could be an opportunity there for them to get a license to sell things just like every other restaurant does.”

While the ruling favors retailers, there’s nothing in it prohibiting the state from creating a new rule blocking the big box stores.

Attorney Will Hall with the Florida Independent Spirits Association says a new rule would likely add tee shirts and branded merchandise and not much else.

“If the point of all of this at the beginning was to basically allow every item in a Costco warehouse to be customarily sold in restaurants, this ruling doesn’t do that,” said Hall.

The state could also choose to appeal.

In that case, the ruling would be put on hold until it gets a second look from the First District Court of Appeals.

We reached out to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation for comment on this story, but did not receive a response in time.

Rick Scott is scheduled to begin his term as a U-S Senator on January 3rd, but a new Governor won’t be sworn in January 8th.

The Constitution says he can’t hold two offices, so Scott may ask the Senate to swear him in later so he can finish his term.

He could also resign and let the Lt. Governor have the top title, as happened just over 30 years ago.

In January 1987,Then Governor Bob Graham became a U-S Senator, three days before his successor, Bob Martinez was due to be sworn in.

Graham resigned making Lt. Governor Wayne Mixson Florida’s 39th Governor.

Mixson, now 96, made the most of those three days.

He printed stationary.

He spent the night with his wife Margie, in the Governor’s mansion.

“Never before has a Lt. Governor succeeded to the office of Governor,” said former Governor LeRoy Collins at Mixson’s inauguration. “He is a person of rare good judgement.”
The state could have, and would have paid for it all, but Mixson did it all at his own expense.

“Well, I don’t enjoy the criticism, whether it’s just or unjust that would have come otherwise,” said Mixson.

Mixson even has a portrait hanging outside the Governor’s office.

Like everything else, he paid for it himself.

Rick Scott is scheduled to he a US Senator five days before his term as Governor ends.

If Scott chooses to resign, Lt. Governor Carlos Lopez Cantera would become governor.

If that happens, Mixson’s advice is to make the most of those five days.

“I appointed between fifty and sixty County Commissioners or Water Management Districts and these kids of things,” said Mixson. “It was a lot of fun. I felt relevant”

The only other Lt. Governor to succeed to the Governor’s office was Buddy MacKay.

That was on December 12, 1998, the day outgoing Governor Lawton Chiles died.

“Today, the world lost a statesman who was the symbol of the highest level of civil commitment and who helped weave the fabric of an America that represents freedom and prosperity. The contributions of George H.W. Bush to our country were beyond that of his presidency. As a Naval aviator and fighter pilot, Congressman, Ambassador to the United Nations, Director of the CIA, Vice President and President, George H.W. Bush dedicated his life to service to our nation and vowed to use his presidency and the power of our nation as “a force for good.” I have had the privilege of knowing the Bush family for years and am incredibly grateful to have met such a genuine, gracious and kind man.

“The United States of America is stronger today because of the selfless service of 41. Ann and I send our deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers to the Bush family as they mourn the loss and celebrate the amazing life of George H.W. Bush.” – Governor Rick Scott

Governor Rick Scott’s Communications Office

media@eog.myflorida.com