By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Continuing to criticize the Biden administration’s border policies, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a controversial immigration bill and asked the Florida Supreme Court to impanel a statewide grand jury to probe issues such as the smuggling of undocumented immigrant children into the state. Flanked […]
By the News Service of Florida With the backing of Senate Republican leaders, former Florida State University and NFL football player Corey Simon will try to unseat Sen. Loranne Ausley, D-Tallahassee, in November. Simon, who was appointed in 2020 as CEO of Volunteer Florida, filed paperwork Monday to run in Senate District 3. His candidacy […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers began moving forward Monday with a plan to try to bolster the state’s troubled property-insurance market, but homeowners shouldn’t expect immediate relief from soaring premiums. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the plan (SB 2-D) on the first day of a special legislative session […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — In a win for the rooftop-solar industry and environmental groups, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday vetoed a controversial bill that would have made major changes in rules for rooftop-solar energy. The bill (HB 741) dealt with a somewhat-wonky issue known as “net metering.” But it […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers will return to the Capitol the week of May 23 to address problems in the property-insurance system that have led to homeowners losing coverage and facing soaring premiums. Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday called a special session from May 23 to May 27 […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a bill aimed at dissolving a special taxing district that has granted Walt Disney World unique self-governing powers for more than five decades, even as a leading bond-rating agency cautioned investors about the proposed changes. The bill (SB 4-C) […]
By Ryan Dailey, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — As state leaders take on what they are calling a “fatherhood crisis” in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a bill that will provide about $70 million to bolster programs aimed at equipping dads with parenting resources and helping foster youth. The measure (HB […]
By Ryan Dailey, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — A fiercely debated bill that would bar instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity for young public-school students is headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis, despite Democrats’ warnings Tuesday that the measure’s approval sends “a message of hate” to Floridians. Senators voted 22-17 to pass the […]
Broward County Commissioner Jared Moskowitz, a Democrat who served two years as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ emergency management director, announced Friday he will run for a congressional seat that will be open this year because U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch is not seeking re-election. Moskowitz served as mayor of Parkland before he was elected to the state […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — With a week to go in the 2022 legislative session, Florida lawmakers are considering a series of measures to propel Republican leaders’ years-long battle to make it harder for groups to change the state Constitution. Floridians have relied on the ballot-initiative process in recent years […]