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 […]
By Daniel C. Vock, The News Service of Florida A Senate committee on 5-3 party-line vote approved a Republican measure Tuesday that would severely restrict cities and other local governments from adopting policies to fight climate change, over the objections of Democrats and environmentalists. Sen. Bryan Avila, R-Miami Springs, sponsored the proposal (SB 1628), arguing […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida Republican lawmakers are trying to revive an effort to create an exemption to the state’s voter-approved minimum wage that would apply to workers classified as trainees. The GOP-controlled House Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee on Wednesday voted 11-6 along party lines to approve a measure (HB 221) […]