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 […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida Though they will have to return to Tallahassee to hammer out a budget, Florida lawmakers Friday night finished most of the business of the 2025 legislative session. Here’s a look at 10 big issues from the session — some that passed, some that didn’t and some that […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Attorneys for the state acknowledged Tuesday that a 2021 Florida law that placed restrictions on social-media platforms posed “First Amendment problems” but urged a federal judge to reject a legal challenge that wound its way to the U.S. Supreme Court before being sent back to […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers late Friday approved barring students in elementary and middle schools from using cell phones during the school day — and testing the idea in high schools. Current law prevents students from using cell phones during instructional time, but the change would expand that […]
By Jim Turner, Tom Urban and Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — House and Senate leaders said late Friday they had reached agreement on a “framework” for a budget deal that would include $2.8 billion in tax cuts, with lawmakers expected to return to the Capitol during the week of May 12 […]