DEM 2016 Convention

California Gov. Jerry Brown speaks during the third day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

(Associated Press photo)

CLEVELAND, Ohio --- California Gov. Jerry Brown said government officials in Florida had banned employees from using the terms "climate change" and "global warming" when he addressed the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia Wednesday night.

"Last week at the Republican (National) Convention, for 76 long and painful minutes, Trump conjured up a host of dark threats, but never once mentioned the words "climate change" or "global warming," Brown said. "What do you expect? Trump represents a party with officials that have banned state employees from even using these words in Florida, and who knows where else."

Plain Dealer fact check: True

The facts: After Republican Gov. Rick Scott took office in 2011, an unwritten policy went into effect banning officials of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection from using certain terms, according to an article by the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting.

"DEP officials have been ordered not to use the term "climate change" or "global warming" in any official communications, emails, or reports, according to former DEP employees, consultants, volunteers and records obtained by the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting," according to post on the website of the journalistic organization.

The 2015 article about the issue goes into detail about the scope of the ban.

"The policy goes beyond semantics and has affected reports, educational efforts and public policy in a department that has about 3,200 employees and $1.4 billion budget," it states.

"We were told not to use the terms 'climate change,' 'global warming' or 'sustainability,' " said Christopher Byrd, an attorney with the DEP's Office of General Counsel in Tallahassee from 2008 to 2013, the article states. "That message was communicated to me and my colleagues by our superiors in the Office of General Counsel."