By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Lawmakers are moving forward with plans that would give the state more control over the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which Gov. Ron DeSantis targeted last year after the Walt Disney Co. criticized a controversial education law. A notice posted Friday by the Legislature on Osceola […]
By Ryan Dailey, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday appointed six new members to the New College of Florida Board of Trustees in a move that one appointee and conservative ally of DeSantis said is aimed at “recapturing higher education.” The picks will allow DeSantis to make more of […]
By Ryan Dailey, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — As Gov. Ron DeSantis targets “trendy ideology” in higher education, his administration is asking state colleges and universities for information about resources they are putting into activities related to diversity, equity and inclusion and critical race theory. DeSantis has made the fight against critical race […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Tallahassee TALLAHASSEE — From abortion to Big Tech to guns, Florida heads into 2023 with courts weighing high-profile legal fights. Here are 10 issues to watch: — ABORTION: The Florida Supreme Court is considering a challenge to a new law that prevents abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Beefed up lobbying restrictions and breaks for motorists who frequently use toll roads are among state laws and other changes that will arrive with the new year. The laws, passed during this year’s regular legislative session and special sessions, also include making available land-preservation money, […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — A federal judge will hear arguments Jan. 27 in an attempt by a group of local elected officials to block new lobbying restrictions that they argue violate First Amendment rights. The officials from Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Leon counties filed a lawsuit last week in […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — After a five-year legal battle, a sharply divided federal appeals court Friday upheld a St. Johns County School Board policy that prevented a transgender male student from using boys’ bathrooms at a high school. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 7-4 decision, […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Local governments in Northwest Florida and Miami-Dade County have filed lawsuits seeking damages from the global consulting firm McKinsey & Company over its past work in helping market opioids. Eight Northwest Florida counties and four cities, stretching from Tallahassee to Pensacola, filed a lawsuit Monday […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Tallahassee TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis has signaled that he will make a priority of passing a long-debated proposal that would prevent teachers from having union dues deducted from their paychecks. DeSantis supported the proposal Monday during a speech in Orlando, describing it as “paycheck protection legislation.” The […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — State health regulators on Monday set in motion a process to issue up to 22 more medical-marijuana licenses, in a highly anticipated move that could double the size of Florida’s medical-cannabis industry. The state Department of Health also published an emergency rule that would make […]