Ten Big Issues to Watch During the 2021 Session

Ten Big Issues to Watch During the 2021 Session

By Jim Saunders, The News Services of Florida TALLAHASSEE — The 2021 legislative session will start March 2, with Gov. Ron DeSantis giving the annual State of the State address. Lawmakers will take up a wide range of issues during the 60-day session, along with negotiating a budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Here are […]

Nikki Fried Won’t Lower Flags for Limbaugh

Nikki Fried Won’t Lower Flags for Limbaugh

By The News Service of Florida Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried intends to defy a call by Gov. Ron DeSantis to lower flags to half-staff to honor conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, who died last week. Fried, the only statewide elected Democrat, issued a statement Monday that she will direct offices within her Cabinet agency […]

DeSantis Pushes for Election Changes

DeSantis Pushes for Election Changes

By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Contending the state needs to strengthen election integrity, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday proposed a series of changes in Florida’s voting process. DeSantis made the announcement three months after proclaiming that Florida had vanquished the “ghost” of the 2000 presidential recount and other well-documented election […]

Court Rejects Challenge to Armed School “Guardians”

Court Rejects Challenge to Armed School “Guardians”

By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Three years after a mass shooting at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School led lawmakers to pass a major school-safety bill, an appeals court Thursday rejected a challenge to allowing armed “guardians” on campuses. A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal upheld […]

DeSantis Administration Pushes for “Job Growth” Money

DeSantis Administration Pushes for “Job Growth” Money

By Jim Turner, The News Service of Tallahassee TALLAHASSEE — As state lawmakers face a revenue shortfall amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration says a request for $50 million for business incentives wouldn’t have that large of an impact on the upcoming budget. Adam Callaway, director of strategic business development at the Department […]

Vote-By-Mail Change Sparks Debate in Florida Senate

Vote-By-Mail Change Sparks Debate in Florida Senate

By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — After Florida has received widespread praise for its handling of the 2020 election, Republicans and Democrats clashed Tuesday as a Senate committee approved a bill that would require voters to more frequently request vote-by-mail ballots. Senate Ethics and Elections Chairman Dennis Baxley, an Ocala Republican […]

Business Liability Protections Delayed in Senate

Business Liability Protections Delayed in Senate

By Christine Sexton, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — A scheduled committee vote on a high-profile bill that would protect businesses from coronavirus-related lawsuits was delayed Monday after the measure’s primary sponsor, Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, was delayed in another meeting. Senate Commerce and Tourism Chairman Sen. Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, told The News […]

Reefer Madness in Florida

Reefer Madness in Florida

By Christine Sexton, The News Service of Florida Get ready for reefer madness on February 18th. That’s when members of the state’s two physician licensing boards begin working on the practice standards Florida-licensed physicians must follow when ordering smokable medical marijuana for their qualified patients. The Board of Medicine and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine […]

Jobless Claims Plummet as Travel Concerns Remain

Jobless Claims Plummet as Travel Concerns Remain

By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Florida has posted its lowest weekly total of first-time unemployment claims since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, despite mounting issues confronting the travel industry. The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 17,621 first-time jobless claims were filed in Florida during the week that […]

Black Lawmakers Call for Policing Changes

Black Lawmakers Call for Policing Changes

By Ryan Dailey, The News Service of Tallahassee TALLAHASSEE — Following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in May and the ensuing summer of nationwide protests, the Florida Legislative Black Caucus is pushing a slew of bills for the 2021 legislative session that members say “promote fair and just” police reforms.  […]

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