By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Armed with a large majority, Naples Republican Kathleen Passidomo outlined what she described as a voter-supported “conservative agenda” as she became Florida Senate president Tuesday. Passidomo, who was formally elected president during an organization session of the Legislature, stressed a need to expand parental rights […]
By Ryan Dailey, The News Service of Florida Badly outnumbered Democrats in the Florida Senate put a focus Monday on gun-related issues as Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book was formally designated to continue heading the caucus going into the 2023 legislative session. Book became leader in 2021 after Senate Democrats cast a vote of no […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — A Leon County circuit judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit filed by a South Florida senator challenging the use of state funds to transport migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, but advised how to revamp the legal complaint so the case can move […]
By Jim Saunders and Tristan Wood, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Republicans have controlled the Florida Senate since the 1990s and are looking to expand their majority in the Nov. 8 elections. Democrats, meanwhile, hope to pick up a couple of seats and chip away at the GOP’s control. Here are five state […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE— A U.S. district judge has tossed out a lawsuit filed by Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and other plaintiffs challenging federal prohibitions on medical-marijuana patients buying and possessing guns. Judge Allen Winsor on Friday issued a 22-page ruling that granted a request by the U.S. Department […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — With a nearly three-decade career in law enforcement, U.S. Rep. Val Demings not that long ago was viewed as the ideal Democratic candidate to topple U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio this year. An upset win by Demings, a former Orlando police chief who was first elected […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — A key medical panel on Friday signed off on a draft rule — pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration — that would restrict Florida doctors from providing treatments to transgender people under age 18, setting up a final decision next week that likely will lead […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Tallahassee TALLAHASSEE — Less than two weeks before Election Day, a divided appeals court has rejected an Orange County ballot measure aimed at imposing rent controls. A panel of the 5th District Court of Appeal, in a 2-1 decision Thursday, sided with the industry group Florida Realtors and […]
By Ryan Dailey, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Facing off on issues such as abortion, the war in Ukraine and student-loan forgiveness, Democratic Congressman Al Lawson and Republican Congressman Neal Dunn debated Tuesday after redistricting left them running for the same North Florida seat. Lawson, whose district was almost completely revamped as part […]
The number of mail-in ballots submitted for the Nov, 8 general election has topped 600,000. As of Monday morning, 602,949 ballots had been cast, up from 472,137 on Friday, according to data posted on the state Division of Elections website. Nearly 3.6 million additional ballots had been sent to voters but not returned. Democrats continue […]