Therese Wakefield-Gamble

Criminal Justice / Public Safety I will advocate for public safety for restorative justice approaches to reduce recidivism and support rehabilitation. Drug Policy I support the legalization of cannabis for both medical and recreational use. It's crucial to extend protections within state law to ensure that individuals using cannabis: whether for medical purposes or recreationally where legal, are not unfairly discriminated against as employees or job applicants. This includes safeguards against discrimination in hiring, firing, or other employment decisions solely based on cannabis use within the bounds of state law. Additionally, cannabis can serve as an alternative to addictive prescription medications for treating chronic pain disorders and autoimmune diseases, contributing positively to public health outcomes and potentially mitigating the environmental impacts associated with pharmaceutical production and waste. Providing legal protections and treating cannabis like any other legal substance promotes fairness and ensures that individuals have access to viable treatment options while addressing community health concerns. Environment / Energy Transform our energy system to 100 percent renewable energy and create 20 million jobs needed to solve the climate crisis. Ensure a just transition for communities and workers, including fossil fuel workers. Ensure justice for frontline communities, especially under-resourced groups, communities of color, Native Americans, people with disabilities, children, and the elderly. Save American families money with investments in weatherization, public transportation, modern infrastructure, and high-speed broadband. Commit to reducing emissions throughout the world, including providing 200 billion to the Green Climate Fund, rejoining the Paris Agreement, and reasserting the United States’ leadership in the global fight against climate change. Invest in conservation and public lands to heal our soils, forests, and prairie lands. End the greed of the fossil fuel industry and hold them accountable. Environment / Energy I will advocate for renewable energy projects to reduce the district’s carbon footprint and promote sustainability. Creating green spaces and wellness initiatives to promote healthy living environments. Proposing green and climate employers to make District 14 their headquarters for employment opportunities in our backyard. Economy I will propose and launch AI-information literacy camps and professional training at our public libraries to prepare residents and local businesses to support tech startups and connect local talent with opportunities in the tech industry for a livable wage to combat homelessness. Economy As we move further into the 21st century, leveraging technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), is essential for staying competitive. Economy I will propose legislation for a Statewide Youth Saving Account Program ages (0-25) to close the wealth gap from savings to trust funds. Government Reform Therese is dedicated to addressing these critical issues facing Florida veterans and families impacted by incarceration. By advocating for comprehensive healthcare, affordable housing, employment opportunities, streamlined benefits, and robust mental health and reintegration support, we aim to create a stronger, more inclusive community for all. Healthcare Therese will work to expand Medicaid and Medicare for all with multiple paths to achieving universal coverage, improving our healthcare system . And ensuring affordable, accessible, and high-quality healthcare for all residents in our state. Early Prevention and Screening programs for chronic and invisible illnesses that go undiagnosed by healthcare professionals. Accessibility to high-quality healthcare providers sooner than later during complex healthcare treatments. Healthcare I will propose legislation to expand Medicaid and Medicare along with building more healthcare facilities in underserved areas to provide healthcare for all. Healthcare Create a Medicare for All, single-payer, national health insurance program to provide everyone in America with comprehensive health care coverage, free at the point of service. No networks, no premiums, no deductibles, no copays, no surprise bills. Medicare coverage will be expanded and improved to include: include dental, hearing, vision, and home- and community-based long-term care, in-patient and out-patient services, mental health and substance abuse treatment, reproductive and maternity care, prescription drugs, and more. Stop the pharmaceutical industry from ripping off the American people by making sure that no one in America pays over 200 a year for the medicine they need by capping what Americans pay for prescription drugs under Medicare for All. Education I will propose a policy to allocate a higher percentage of Florida Lottery funds to increase K-12 teachers’ salaries and initiate diversity teacher recruitment programs that reflect the student populations and address the racial gap in the Florida educational system. Education Raising Teacher Wages: Florida teachers deserve to be fairly compensated for their hard work and dedication. Currently, many teachers are struggling to make ends meet, which is unacceptable given their vital role in our society. Promoting Teacher Diversity: A diverse teaching workforce benefits all students by providing a broader range of perspectives and role models. Enhancing Mental Health Training and Safety: Teachers should not be forced to carry guns; their primary focus should be on education and student well-being. Mental Health Credentials: Equip teachers with training in mental health awareness and early detection skills. By becoming "Intellectual First Responders," teachers can identify early signs of bullying, fighting, and potential threats such as school gun violence. This proactive approach can save lives and create a safer school environment. Education I will propose and launch AI-information literacy camps and professional training at our public libraries to prepare residents and local businesses to support tech startups and connect local talent with opportunities in the tech industry for a livable wage to combat homelessness. Guns Therese is committed to promoting legislation to enhance public safety and reduce gun violence in our communities by implementing universal background checks, gun sales loopholes, red flag laws, assault weapons bans, and safe storage laws. These policies are not about infringing on Second Amendment rights but instead about enhancing public safety and protecting communities. Therese will support gun violence prevention, firearm licensing and registration, a public health approach to gun violence, and enhanced training and education. Housing Therese will prioritize tackling housing affordability by exploring a range of solutions to ensure housing affordability and accessibility for all residents. Limit corporate ownership in defined areas, implement rental caps, and prevent the monopolization of the rental market. I will advocate for incentives for community land trusts, providing rent control options where appropriate, and increasing funding for housing assistance programs. Regulatory reform and consumer protections for stricter regulations on insurance companies to prevent unjustified rate hikes and ensure transparency in premium calculations to residents. Housing I promise to fight every day to protect residents from displacement and support community stability through affordable housing and land trusts. Abortion / Contraception I firmly support access to safe and legal abortion as a fundamental right. Women should have the autonomy to make decisions about their bodies without government interference. I advocate for: Protecting Roe v. Wade: Upholding the legal precedent that guarantees the right to choose. Increasing Access: Ensuring affordable and accessible reproductive healthcare services for all women, including those in underserved areas. Supporting Providers: Protecting healthcare professionals from criminal prosecution for providing quality reproductive care. Comprehensive Sex Education: Promoting education to reduce unwanted pregnancies and support informed choices. These measures are essential to safeguarding women's health and reproductive rights. Immigration Institute a moratorium on deportations until a thorough audit of past practices and policies is complete. Reinstate and expand DACA and develop a humane policy for those seeking asylum. Completely reshape and reform our immigration enforcement system, including breaking up ICE and CBP and redistributing their functions to their proper authorities. Dismantle cruel and inhumane deportation programs and detention centers and reunite families who have been separated. Live up to our ideals as a nation and welcome refugees and those seeking asylum, including those displaced by climate change.