By Jim Saunders, Christine Sexton, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — The 2020 legislative session will start Jan. 14 as House and Senate members gather to hear Gov. Ron DeSantis’ 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 […]
By Ana Ceballos, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — As a new year begins, and as we bid a final farewell to the past decade, Floridians should look out for a number of events in the next 12 months. For starters, two massive events are coming to the Sunshine State: the 2020 Super Bowl […]
By The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — The U.S. Census Bureau on Monday released 2019 population estimates that showed Florida continues to be one of the fastest-growing states in the country. Here are some key comparisons: 10 STATES WITH THE LARGEST POPULATIONS: — California: 39,512,223— Texas: 28,995,881— Florida: 21,477,737— New York: 19,453,561— Pennsylvania: 12,801,989— […]
By The News Service of Florida Florida had another 49 reported cases of hepatitis A last week, bringing the total this year to 3,327 as of Saturday, according to new figures from the state Department of Health. With the end of the year nearing, the number of hepatitis A cases in 2019 has dwarfed the […]
By Ana Ceballos, The News Service of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants all Florida businesses to use a system to prevent undocumented immigrants from getting jobs in the state, but a powerful Republican leader is pushing back against the proposal. Senate President Bill Galvano said this week he does not support a measure that would […]
By Christine Sexton, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — In a contentious meeting where proponents and opponents talked about God, homosexuality and government intrusion, a Florida Senate panel Tuesday approved a bill that would require minors to obtain permission from their parents before having abortions. The 6-3 vote by the Senate Health Policy Committee […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — A federal judge on Tuesday excoriated lawyers representing Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration, accusing the state of trying to “run out the clock” to keep felons from voting in next year’s elections. The acrimony between U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle and the state’s attorneys came during […]
By The News Service of Florida Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is backing a measure that would require her agency to retain fingerprints of applicants seeking concealed-weapon licenses. Having a log of the fingerprints would allow her agency’s Concealed Weapon Licensing Program to “immediately access criminal history information on applicants who have committed crimes in […]
Speaking to a group of supporters at The Villages, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday once again vowed to require Florida businesses to use a federal system to check the immigration status of new hires. Flanked by Sen. Joe Gruters and Rep. Cord Byrd, two key Republican lawmakers who helped the governor deliver a ban on […]
By The News Service of Florida Florida tourism grew a little more than 1 percent in the third quarter compared to the same period a year ago, with overseas tourist numbers continuing to lag, according to estimates released Wednesday by Visit Florida. The state’s tourism-marketing arm reported 31.6 million people visited the Sunshine State between […]