Dane Eagle
Dane Eagle (born May 22, 1983) is an American politician from Florida. A Republican, Eagle has been the Secretary of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity since September 2020. Previously, he served eight years in the Florida House of Representatives, representing Cape Coral in Lee County from 2012 until his appointment as head of DEO. Eagle was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination in Florida's 19th congressional district in the 2020 election, where he placed second place out of nine candidates. Florida House of Representatives. In 2012, following the reconfiguration of Florida House districts, Eagle opted  to run in the newly created 77th District, based in Cape Coral. He racked up endorsements from local career politicians such as former Lieutenant Governor Jeff Kottkamp, State Senator Michael S. Bennett, State Representatives Gary Aubuchon, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, and the National Rifle Association. In the Republican primary, Eagle faced former City Councilman Chris Berardi, whom he was able to defeat in a landslide, winning 71% of the vote to Berardi's 29%. Advancing to the general election, he faced Arvella Clare, the Democratic nominee. Ultimately, Clare did not prove to be a major obstacle to Eagle, and  he defeated her easily, winning his first term in the legislature with 62% of the vote. In 2014, Eagle advanced through a four-way Republican primary with 64% of the vote. In the general election, he defeated write-in candidate Jeremy A. Wood with 99% of the vote. In 2016, Eagle ran unopposed through both the Republican primary and the general election, winning his third term in the State House of Representatives. In 2018, he faced a general election against Democratic candidate Alanis Garcia, the first openly trans candidate for State Representative in Florida. He won the election for his  last term with a 63% victory. Drug Free Public Officers Act. Dane Eagle sponsored House Bill 1435, titled "Drug Free Public Officers Act" which would require public officers and elected officials to take drug tests. Anyone refusing to take the test would have to resign. Notable sponsored and co-sponsored bills. CS/HB 485 – Sexual Offenses Against Students by Authority Figures (2014). Connected to the “Stop Harassing Underage Teens Act,” this bill provides reclassification of specified sexual offenses committed against students by authority figures if a school or other institution. It provides severity ranking for the offenses, as well. CS /HB 59 – Offenses against Unborn Children (2014). The focus of this bill is creating a new, separate offense for criminal conduct causing injuries to or the death of an unborn child. This comes into action when it is provided that a separate offense resulting from injuries to an unborn child occurred, not just the death of the unborn child as provided under current law in some circumstances. In addition to this, the bill expands the class of unborn children who may be crime victims to include unborn children at any stage of fetal development, not just those unborn children who  have reached the point of viability. CS/CS/CS/HB 439 – Mental Health Services in the Criminal Justice System (2016). The primary focus of this legislation is to expand the availability and increase awareness of the importance of mental health services, though it has been criticized for not properly reforming hospitalization programs. This bill expands eligibility for military veterans and other service member court programs. It authorized the creation of treatment-based mental health court programs, which were already in existence. The bill is also responsible for creating the Forensic Hospital Diversion Pilot Program and gave authorization to courts to  order certain offenders on probation or community control to post-adjudicatory mental health programs. CS/CS/HB 1411 – Termination of Pregnancies (2016). Protecting the rights of unborn children and fetuses is the main focus of this action. This bill revised the requirements for disposal of fetal remains, as well as the criminal punishment for failure to properly dispose of fetal remains properly. It mandated that the Agency for Health Care Administration were to develop and enforce rules relating to license inspections and investigations of certain clinics while requiring certain organizations that provide abortion referral services or abortion counseling services to  register with the agency, pay a specified fee, and include certain information in advertisements. CS/CS/HB 545 – Human Trafficking (2016). This legislation includes human trafficking as predicate offense for felony murder, as well as prohibits permanently branding, or directing permanent branding, of victim of human trafficking. It requires DOH to suspend license of massage therapist or massage establishment for specified violations in conjunction with establishment and provides that licensed massage therapist may not receive new or renewal license if applicant is convicted of certain prostitution offenses in conjunction with massage establishment. Important aspects of the bill include that it  provides that minors may not be charged with specified prostitution offenses, and it requires person convicted of specified racketeering offenses to register as sexual predator or sexual offender. HB 1239 – School Bus Safety (2017). Also known as the Cameron Mayhew Act, this bill is intended to increase penalties for motorists who fail to stop for a school bus. It establishes a fine of $1,500 for a person who fails to stop for a school bus and results in serious bodily harm or death of another person. In addition, it adds additional points to an individual's driving record for  passing a stopped school bus, even if there are no resulting bodily injury or harm to another person. CS/HB 83 – Offenses by Aliens Unlawfully Present in the United States (2017). This bill reclassifies offenses if they are committed by illegal aliens and specifies the enhancement of sentencing and gain-time eligibility for such individuals. HJR 7001 – Supermajority Vote for State Taxes or Fees (2018) This proposed amendment to the State Constitution prohibits a state tax or fee from being imposed or raised except through legislation approved by two-thirds of each house of legislature. It also requires that a  state tax or fee be submitted as an individual bill, limited to only a singe subject. This proposal was passed by the people of Florida during the 2018 general election. CS/HB 9 – Federal Immigration Enforcement (2018) This bill prohibited sanctuary policies, required state and local governmental agencies to comply with and support enforcement of federal immigration law, and required repeal of existing sanctuary policies. HB 39 – Weapons and Firearms (2018) This bill removed statements of applicability relating to certain violations of carrying concealed weapon or firearm; reduced penalties applicable to person licensed to carry concealed weapon or firearm for  first or second violation of specified provisions relating to openly carrying weapons; provided that person licensed to carry concealed weapon or firearm does not violate certain provisions if firearm is temporarily & openly displayed. HB 6005 – Licenses to Carry Concealed Weapons or Firearms (2017) Removes provision prohibiting concealed carry licensees from openly carrying handgun or carrying concealed weapon or firearm into college or university facility. HB 6001 – Concealed Weapons and Firearms (2017) Revised areas of an airport where person is prohibited from openly carrying handgun or from carrying concealed weapon or firearm. CS/CS/CS/HB 163 – Weapons and Firearms (2016 ) Provided that certain persons and public entities that infringe on specified rights of an individual may be subject to liability under specified provisions and have no immunity; provided that an employer may direct an employee regarding weapons; specified that a law enforcement officer may arrest a person for the unlicensed carrying of a concealed weapon only upon reasonable suspicion or probable cause that such a violation is being committed; provided that certain legislators may carry a concealed weapon or firearm in meetings of the Legislature, etc. CS/CS/HB 493 – Carrying a Concealed Weapon or Concealed Firearm (2015) Provided exemption  from criminal penalties for carrying concealed weapon or concealed firearm while in act of evacuating pursuant to mandatory evacuation order during declared state of emergency. 2020 U.S. House bid. Eagle announced his bid for the Republican nomination for Florida's 19th congressional district in the 2020 U.S. House elections following news that incumbent Representative Francis Rooney would be retiring at the end of his term. He lost the Republican primary in August 2020, coming in second place to fellow State Representative Byron Donalds, 22.6 to 21.9%. Department of Economic Opportunity. On September 2, 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that he  would appoint Eagle to head the state Department of Economic Opportunity. Eagle resigned from the House of Representatives effective September 11 and began as head of DEO on September 14. DUI arrest. On April 21, 2014, Eagle was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence in Tallahassee, Florida following a series of events that included speeding, reckless driving and running a red light. He was also noted to have bloodshot eyes, was staggering and smelling of alcohol. Eagle claimed that the smell of alcohol coming from his vehicle was the result of having people who were drunk in his  car earlier in the night and refused to submit to a field sobriety evaluation. Following his arrest, he refused to take a breath test. The "News-Press", which had endorsed him in his 2012 campaign, drew parallels between Eagle's arrest and disgraced former United States Congressman Trey Radel's arrest for cocaine use, noting that Eagle "has disappointed his constituency and embarrassed himself," and questioning why he refused to exonerate himself with a breath test, if he was correct about the fact that he had not been drinking. Nevertheless, the "News-Press" went on to endorse Eagle for reelection  later that year, stating, "We know he cares about his job. We know he is committed to serving the people here. He was apologetic for his mistake and says he has learned from it. Only time and his actions will make that true." The charge against Eagle was later dropped to reckless driving.