By Christine Sexton, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday railed against YouTube and Google for removing a video of a COVID-19 discussion he had with scientists who oppose government lockdowns, school closures and mask wearing, calling it “censorship.” The ramped-up criticism by the Republican governor came as lawmakers try […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — California surpassed Florida in a new estimate of orange production, the latest sign of continuing struggles in Florida’s citrus industry. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in a monthly update released Friday, said Florida is forecast to produce enough oranges to fill 51.7 million 90-pound boxes […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — A controversial elections bill focused largely on the state’s vote-by-mail process underwent an overhaul Thursday in the Florida House, but critics say it still poses unnecessary barriers to voters. The revamped proposal, which addresses issues such as the use of mail-in ballot drop boxes and […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Siding with a union that represents law-enforcement officers, a state appeals court on Tuesday unanimously decided that a constitutional amendment expanding victims’ rights can shield the identities of police officers who were threatened in use-of-force incidents. The decision by a three-judge panel of the 1st […]
By The News Service of Florida As state lawmakers await updated projections that will help build next year’s state budget, they received a little more good news Tuesday, as monthly revenue collections continue to outpace expectations. The Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research reported February general-revenue collections came in $298.5 million above a forecast […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida The Florida Senate on Thursday approved a proposal that would require out-of-state online retailers to collect sales taxes, with the money slated to be used to help Florida business owners avoid increases in unemployment taxes. In a 30-10 vote, the Senate backed the proposal (SB 50), which […]
By The News Service of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced that all Floridians ages 40 and older will be able to receive COVID-19 vaccinations starting Monday and that all adults will be eligible on April 5. The announcement came after eligibility expanded to people ages 50 and older this week. “We have made […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Tallahassee TALLAHASSEE — More than two years after the U.S. surgeon general declared youth vaping an epidemic, Florida lawmakers again are working on an effort to regulate the sale of electronic cigarettes and raise the age to use tobacco and vaping products from 18 to 21. Gov. Ron […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — The Miami-Dade County state attorney has charged former Florida Sen. Frank Artiles with election fraud for allegedly propping up a sham candidate in a razor-thin Senate contest in which an incumbent Democrat was ousted by a Republican challenger in November. Artiles is accused of using […]
Relying on federal coronavirus relief funds for schools, Gov. Ron DeSantis is proposing to spend $106 million to bolster civics education, including offering bonuses to teachers who complete training. During a news conference Wednesday in Naples, DeSantis announced what he’s calling the “Civic Literacy Excellence Initiative.” Part of the plan would direct the Florida Department […]