By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Focusing on what has become one of the most emotionally charged issues in the state and nation, a trial ended Thursday in a constitutional challenge to Florida restrictions on medical care for transgender children and adults. The challenge centers on a 2023 law and rules […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — A $7 billion program to advance a series of transportation projects hit a funding gap as it enters its second year and will require more money than initially planned from the state’s general-revenue fund. Gov. Ron DeSantis’ proposed $114.4 billion budget for next fiscal year […]
By Jim Turner and Ryan Dailey, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday pitched a $114.4 billion budget for next fiscal year that includes a variety of tax cuts and spending on such things as teacher salary increases and police recruitment bonuses. Dubbed the “Focus on Florida’s Future Budget,” the […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — A 2018 constitutional amendment designed to bolster victims’ rights “does not explicitly” shield the identities of police officers — or any other people — from disclosure, the Florida Supreme Court ruled in a major decision on Thursday. The unanimous opinion, authored by Justice John Couriel, […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — A statewide grand jury has issued a 146-page report that calls for taking a series of steps to try to curb illegal immigration, saying “it will be up to Florida and other states to help themselves, at least in the short term,” as problems go […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — A divided U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a request from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration that would have allowed enforcement of a new state law aimed at preventing children from attending drag shows. U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell this summer issued a statewide preliminary injunction […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — A key senator said Tuesday he does not expect lawmakers to make major property-insurance changes during the 2024 legislative session, as they continue to watch the results of an overhaul passed last year. “In my opinion, we swung for the fences, and we got a […]
By The News Service of Florida After a two-year fight, the Florida Department of Health will release more data about COVID-19 and pay $152,500 in legal fees and costs, according to a settlement released Monday by plaintiffs in the case. The settlement will require the department to post weekly data about vaccination counts, case counts […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Tallahassee TALLAHASSEE — The son of Cuban immigrants, state Rep. Daniel Perez, R-Miami, was formally selected Monday to become the next speaker of the Florida House as he offered a message of limited — and more effective — government. “Members, we are in danger of becoming a conveyor […]
By Ryan Dailey, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Nearly 123,000 new students have received private-school vouchers after state lawmakers this year passed a major expansion of voucher programs, while a group that administers the programs says they will not bring an “exodus” from public schools as critics have predicted. As of Sept. 8, […]