By Jim Turner & Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — House and Senate budget negotiators agreed to pay raises for state employees, with bigger boosts going to law enforcement officers and firefighters, as talks continued Tuesday on a state spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ed Hooper, […]
By The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — House and Senate budget leaders Monday rushed to finalize a new state spending plan, while Gov. Ron DeSantis continued calling for giving property-tax rebates. Senate Appropriations Chairman Ed Hooper, R-Trinity, and House Budget Chairman Lawrence McClure, R-Dover, swapped budget offers during an afternoon meeting and were scheduled […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Former Republican Congressman David Jolly on Thursday became the first prominent Democrat to enter the 2026 gubernatorial race, saying he can attract middle-ground voters who want leaders to address issues such as rising housing and property-insurance costs. Jolly, 52, represented a Pinellas County district in […]
By Tom Urban, Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — The Florida International University Board of Trustees on Monday unanimously approved appointing former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez as the university’s president. Nuñez has served as interim president since February and emerged last month as the sole finalist to become president. The appointment remains […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Records related to a state House probe of a nonprofit linked to First Lady Casey DeSantis’ signature Hope Florida assistance program are part of an “open” investigation, Leon County State Attorney Jack Campbell’s office said Tuesday. House Health Care Budget Chairman Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, submitted […]
TALLAHASSEE — A new state law targeting undocumented immigrants who enter Florida should remain blocked as a legal battle plays out, attorneys challenging the law argued in a filing Friday at a federal appeals court. The attorneys, representing the Florida Immigrant Coalition, the Farmworker Association of Florida and two individual plaintiffs, pushed back against a […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Florida A&M University’s bitterly divided Board of Trustees on Friday selected Marva Johnson, an attorney and corporate executive, as the school’s next president, despite an outcry from alumni and students who questioned her qualifications and ties to Gov. Ron DeSantis. Johnson, a Charter Communications executive […]
By The News Service of Florida The Legislature on Friday formally sent about 60 bills to Gov. Ron DeSantis, including a measure that would back away from a requirement about starting high-school classes later in the morning. The measure (SB 296) would largely undo a 2023 law that said high schools could not start earlier […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida ALLAHASSEE — As legislative leaders try to restart the budget process, Gov. Ron DeSantis indicated Monday he has no desire to take part in a sit-down suggested by the state Republican Party to hammer out differences. DeSantis rejected a “summit” with House and Senate leaders, an idea […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Tallahassee TALLAHASSEE — Legislative budget talks blew up Friday, as the House, the Senate and Gov. Ron DeSantis tangle over tax cuts. House Speaker Daniel Perez accused Senate President Ben Albritton of backing out of a “historic tax proposal” that the leaders outlined last week as they extended […]