By The News Service of Florida A proposal to allow high school sports coaches to pay, out of their own pockets, for players’ food and travel is now ready to go before the full Senate. The Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday backed a measure (SB 178) directing the Florida High School Athletic Association to adopt […]
The state House continues to move a proposal that creates an exemption for some entry level jobs from the state’s voter-approved minimum wage. The GOP-controlled House Careers & Workforce Subcommittee on Wednesday voted 11-5 along party lines to approve a measure (HB 221) that would allow people to waive their rights to the minimum wage […]
Florida lawmakers moved ahead Thursday with a proposal to get cyclists on e-bikes to slow down around pedestrians and make other safety improvements, although many suggested the effort should cover people using electric scooters as well. The Florida Senate Committee on Fiscal Policy voted 15-0 to advance the proposal, amid concerns that the increasingly popular […]
By The News Service of Florida The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 5,425 initial unemployment applications were filed last week, down from a revised count of 5,744 for the week ending Jan. 24. It marked the third consecutive week with a decline in Florida’s numbers, after a spike to 7,146 the week ending […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida Senate Appropriations Chairman Sen. Ed Hooper, R-Trinity, said Wednesday his chamber’s planned roll out of the proposed fiscal year 2026-2027 budget has been delayed a week as they await action from the House. “Traditionally, the House and Senate roll their budgets out the same week,” Hooper told […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida An effort to expand the armed “school guardian” program to colleges and universities, following a deadly on-campus shooting near the Capitol last year, took another step forward in the House Tuesday. Calling for select post-secondary employees to be trained and armed, the Education & Employment Committee unanimously […]
By The News Service of Florida State general revenue collections fell just short of expectations in December primarily because of corporate income tax refunds. The Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research reported last week that Florida collected about $4.393 billion in net general revenue in December, $6.5 million or 0.1 percent under an amount […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida Florida Decides Healthcare, a political committee sponsoring a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at expanding Medicaid coverage, was quick to turn its eyes to 2028 as the state declared an end to all initiative petition drives for the November ballot. With litigation ongoing, Smart & Safe Florida, seeking […]
By the News Service of Florida An estimated 5,540 initial unemployment claims were filed last week in Florida, down from a revised count of 6,546 claims during the previous week, according to a U.S. Department of Labor report issued Thursday. The totals are similar to the state’s weekly average of 6,097 news claims in 2025. […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida A push by Gov. Ron DeSantis for Florida universities to pause hiring international faculty and staff members through what are known as H-1B visas moved forward Thursday. The state university system’s Board of Governors set up for final approval a proposed moratorium as part of rule changes […]