By The Florida News Service First-time jobless claims in Florida decreased last week as the state prepares to release a December unemployment rate on Friday. The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 6,331 initial unemployment applications were filed last week in the state, down from a revised count of 7,146 during the week that […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida As the Florida Senate continues to ponder an approach to lowering property taxes, House committees on Thursday advanced two tax-cut proposals that could go before voters. The Republican-dominated House Ways & Means Committee voted mostly along party lines to approve a proposed constitutional amendment (HJR 203) that, […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida Amid opposition from a tech-industry group and a push by President Donald Trump for nationwide regulations, a proposed state “Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights” started moving forward Wednesday in the Florida Senate. With the issue a priority of Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee […]
By The News Service of Florida The Florida Citrus Commission could see a $1 million increase in revenue after a new forecast of this season’s citrus crop. The commission, which oversees the Florida Department of Citrus, increased revenue estimates Wednesday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its first forecast for the growing season, which […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida Proposals that would allow single-family homes on some property zoned for agriculture and make it more difficult for local governments to increase impact fees started to move forward Tuesday in the Florida Senate. The Senate Committee Affairs Committee approved two bills by Chairman Stan McClain, R-Ocala, that […]
By The News Service of Florida Florida motorists Tuesday paid an average of $2.75 for a gallon of regular unleaded gas, down 3 cents from a week earlier, according to the AAA auto club. The state average was down 15 cents from a month earlier and 43 cents from this time last year. The national […]
By The News Service of Florida The Florida House on Thursday passed a bill that would require all private employers to use the federal E-Verify system to check the immigration status of new workers. The bill (HB 197), sponsored by Rep. Berny Jacques, R-Seminole, and Rep. Kiyan Michael, R-Jacksonville, would expand a current law that […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday used his final State of the State address to tout accomplishments over the past seven years but offered few details about priorities for the 2026 legislative session. DeSantis said he took office in 2019 with a “bold agenda” and that the state […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida Republican legislative leaders opened the 2026 legislative session Tuesday citing a need to make life more affordable for Floridians. But they offered few clues about what will pass in the coming weeks and downplayed divisions between the House and Senate that emerged during the 2025 session. In […]
By Liv Caputo, Florida Phoenix Florida businesses that purposely ignore whether employees are legally in the United States could face hefty fines or even criminal charges if they hire more than 50 undocumented immigrants, according to a sweeping new immigration package. Filed Wednesday by Republican Sen. Jonathan Martin, the 34-page bill would presume certain non-citizens […]