Florida lawmakers are remembering the legacy of state Sen. Geraldine Thompson, and President Donald Trump's executive orders continue to make waves.
Florida lawmakers and leaders mourn the loss of Sen. Geraldine Thompson
Condolences continue to pour in for state Sen. Geraldine Thompson, hours after her death was announced Thursday night. Thompson’s family confirmed in a statement that the 76-year-old passed away due to complications from a knee surgery.
Instantly, there was an overflow of support for her family. Many of them reflected on the legacy of the lawmaker, who spent much of her life serving Central Florida, fighting for justice and preserving Black history.
Thompson got her start in the Florida Legislature in 2006, serving two terms in the House of Representatives. When elected to serve in the House for a second term in 2018, Thompson became the first woman, and the first African American, to serve District 44.
In 2022, Thompson became a Florida senator serving District 15, which includes parts of Orange County.
From Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to people like U.S. Rep. like Maxwell Frost, people have reflected on the work that Thompson was passionate about.
“Devastated to learn about the passing of state Sen. Geraldine Thompson, who will be incredibly missed," Dyer said. "She worked tirelessly each day to ensure a stronger community for every person in our city and throughout the state of Florida. Her leadership and advocacy were incredibly impactful in shaping a more inclusive and compassionate Orlando and in helping our community celebrate Black history year round. Senator Thompson’s dedicated service will never be forgotten."
Frost said, “(Thompson) paved the way for many, including myself, to step up and serve our communities.”
From fighting for issues like civil rights to the preservation of history, her colleagues said she was a force for justice.
“It’s a huge loss for many of us from a political perspective,” said State Rep. Anna Eskamani. “But at the end of the day, the loss of a loved one is very heavy on me, too. So, I’m just thinking of her family right now.”
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings was also among the many local leaders that shared his thoughts on the late senator.
“She was a tireless advocate for the underprivileged, and her effectiveness will be missed in the Florida Legislature,” he said in a statement.
Thompson was known for helping to establish the Wells’Built Museum of African American History and Culture in Orlando.
It was a museum she also helped to contribute to with her book, Black America: Orlando Florida, which compiles the local history of Blacks in Central Florida.
On top of being a recipient of the Civil Rights Wall of Fame in Orlando, Thompson received the Humanitarian award for the Orlando International Film Festival, according to her biography on the Florida Department of State’s Historical resources division page.
Thompson also worked to have the Groveland Four exonerated, which happened in 2021 after 72 years and paved the way for roads to be named after the men involved.
Eskamani said that even when some lawmakers didn’t agree with the bills that Thompson was fighting for, everyone respected her and wanted to listen when she spoke.
“That’s the kind of leader that she was," Eskamani said. "And I just don’t know who’s going to fill in that gap. Not just on so many issues but just values and being that incredible force of good."
Trump signs executive order to establish Make America Healthy Again commission
Hours after vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., was confirmed as health and human services secretary, President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to establish a Make America Healthy Again commission.
Last September, after ending his presidential campaign to back Trump, Kennedy launched the MAHA Super Pac to advance his health policy agenda.
The executive order calls for Kennedy to chair the new commission, which will include the secretaries of multiple federal agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, Education and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Management and Budget, the National Economic Council, the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration.
Thursday’s executive order cites Americans’ relatively lower life expectancy compared with other developed countries and high rates of chronic disease and mental illness. It said 90% of the country’s $4.5 trillion in annual healthcare outlays are for chronic and mental health conditions.
“Americans of all ages are becoming sicker, beset by illnesses that our medical system is not addressing effectively,” the executive order states. “These trends harm us, our economy and our security.”
The commission’s first efforts will be directed toward what the executive order calls “the childhood chronic disease crisis.” It orders a study of contributing causes, including the American diet, absorption of toxic material, medical treatment, life and environmental factors, government factors, food production techniques and corporate influence.
Within 100 days, the commission is ordered to submit a Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment to identify the most significant childhood chronic diseases and what is causing them. Within 180 days, the commission is required to submit a strategy to address the problem.
Second federal judge pauses Trump's order against gender-transition care for youth
A second federal judge on Friday paused President Donald Trump's executive order halting federal support for gender-affirming care for transgender youth under 19.
U.S. District Court Judge Lauren King granted a temporary restraining order after the Democratic attorneys general of Washington state, Oregon and Minnesota sued the Trump administration last week. Three doctors joined as plaintiffs in the suit, which was filed in the Western District of Washington.
The decision came one day after a federal judge in Baltimore temporarily blocked the executive order in response to a separate lawsuit filed on behalf of families with transgender or nonbinary children. Judge Brendan Hurson's temporary restraining order will last 14 days but could be extended, and essentially puts Trump's directive on hold while the case proceeds. Hurston and King were both appointed by former President Joe Biden.
Trump signed an executive order last month halting federal funding for institutions that provide the care and directing federally run insurance programs, including Medicaid and TRICARE for military families, to exclude coverage for it. The order also calls on the Department of Justice to pursue litigation and legislation to oppose it.
Medicaid programs in some states cover gender-affirming care. Trump's order suggests that the practice could end, and targets hospitals and universities that receive federal money and provide the care.
In the complaint filed in Seattle, the three Democratic attorneys general argue that the executive order violates equal rights protections, the separation of powers and states' powers to regulate what is not specifically delegated to the federal government.
The Trump administration disputed those claims in court filings. "The President's authority to direct subordinate agencies to implement his agenda, subject to those agencies' own statutory authorities, is well established," Justice Department attorneys wrote.
