By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Florida port leaders continue to point to supply-chain problems in recent years as they push lawmakers to increase transportation infrastructure funding. Appearing before the House Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee on Thursday, a panel of port officials pointed to a need for improvements as a hedge against […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLHASSEE — Three days into his job, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Thursday announced a class-action lawsuit that alleges Target Corp. did not properly disclose to investors the risks of a 2023 LGBTQ Pride campaign that drew a consumer backlash and caused a drop in the […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Florida House members Wednesday began moving forward with a proposal that would raise limits on payments by state agencies, local governments, school districts and public hospitals in lawsuits over people getting injured. The House Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee approved a bill (HB 301) that […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — President Donald Trump emerged as the biggest winner Thursday as the Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved a suite of measures aimed at strengthening enforcement of illegal immigration. Quickly signed into law by the governor, the wide-ranging plan toughens penalties for crimes committed by […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — After a bipartisan uproar last year about a proposal dubbed the “Great Outdoors Initiative,” the Florida Senate on Tuesday began moving forward with a bill that would prevent building such things as golf courses, pickleball courts and hotel-style lodges in state parks. The Senate Environment […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers on Tuesday launched a third special session aimed at increasing enforcement of illegal immigration, putting aside an intraparty clash with Gov. Ron DeSantis over plans to help carry out one of President Donald Trump’s top priorities. Lawmakers are slated to vote Thursday on […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Special Florida House panels are teed up next week to scrutinize Gov. Ron DeSantis’ line-item budget vetoes, setting up possible overrides amid a dispute between the governor and Republican legislative leaders over immigration-enforcement plans. House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, on Thursday assembled four “combined workgroups” […]
By The News Service of Florida A state panel this week decided to hold off on revising Florida population projections because of potential effects from new federal and state immigration policies. The panel, known as the Demographic Estimating Conference, meets periodically to analyze the state’s population. It met Tuesday and said in an executive summary […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis late Sunday proposed a $115.6 billion budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year that calls for increasing pay for state law-enforcement officers and firefighters, eliminating a commercial-lease tax and holding a new sales-tax “holiday” on guns and ammunition. The proposal is an initial […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Tallahassee TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican legislative leaders clashed throughout the week in a public and bitter tug-of-war over how best to carry out President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration. House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, and Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, convened a special legislative […]