County, School Board Term Limits Proposed

County, School Board Term Limits Proposed

By The News Service of Florida A House Republican on Tuesday filed a proposed constitutional amendment that seeks to impose 12-year term limits on county commissioners and school board members. The proposal (HJR 27), which Rep. Jeff Holcomb, R-Spring Hill, filed for consideration during the 2026 legislative session, could refuel a debate about whether to […]

Challenge Dismissed: Voter Registration Must Match Driver’s License

Challenge Dismissed: Voter Registration Must Match Driver’s License

By Jay Waagmeester, Florida Phoenix A federal trial judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the state’s enforcement of a federal law to verify voter registration with the voter’s identification card. The suit in U.S. District Court in Orlando named Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd, the Republican National Committee, Republican Party of Florida, and supervisors […]

‘Violent Extremism’ the Focus of New AG Tip Line; Teacher Faces License Revocation

‘Violent Extremism’ the Focus of New AG Tip Line; Teacher Faces License Revocation

By Jay Waagmeester, Florida Phoenix Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas has found probable cause that a Clay County teacher displayed “gross immorality” in posting about Charlie Kirk’s death, he announced Monday as Attorney General James Uthmeier launched a tip line to report “violent extremism.” The teacher, left nameless by Kamoutsas, could lose her teaching license after she […]

House Digs into Possible Property Tax Cuts

House Digs into Possible Property Tax Cuts

By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — A state House panel Monday began a two-day review of property taxes as it looks at potential changes that could have a major impact on local governments. Gov. Ron DeSantis is pushing lawmakers to put a proposed constitutional amendment on the 2026 ballot to reduce […]

Florida Jobless Rate Increases to 3.8 Percent

Florida Jobless Rate Increases to 3.8 Percent

By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s unemployment rate inched up to 3.8 percent in August, after holding steady at 3.7 percent since April, according to a report released Friday by the state Department of Commerce. The August rate represented 424,000 Floridians qualified as unemployed, up 7,000 from July. The civilian […]

Democratic Gubernatorial Hopeful Defends School Choice

Democratic Gubernatorial Hopeful Defends School Choice

By Christine Sexton, Florida Phoenix The main Democratic candidate for governor — former Republican U.S. Rep. David Jolly — called Thursday for changes to Florida’s universal school voucher program, which helps pay to send students to private school. Jolly, however, did not call for the elimination of the program notwithstanding criticism of it by many […]

GOP Groups File Lawsuit Over Census

GOP Groups File Lawsuit Over Census

By The News Service of Florida The University of South Florida College Republicans and the Pinellas County Young Republicans this week filed a federal lawsuit arguing that improper statistical methods were used in the 2020 U.S. census. The lawsuit, which names as defendants the leaders of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Census […]

Internal David Jolly Poll Shows Tie with Donalds, Renner

Internal David Jolly Poll Shows Tie with Donalds, Renner

By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix The campaign for Florida Democrat David Jolly said Wednesday that a new public opinion poll it has commissioned shows the former GOP congressman in a statistical dead heat with both Byron Donalds and Paul Renner, the two major Republicans to enter the contest for governor in 2026. Jolly leads Donalds, […]

Uthmeier Files Legal Complaints Against Cyprus-Based Porn Companies

Uthmeier Files Legal Complaints Against Cyprus-Based Porn Companies

By Livia Caputo, Florida Phoenix Attorney General James Uthmeier filed two new complaints Monday against pornography companies based in Cyprus, Florida, and California for failing to prevent children from accessing online adult content. The complaints were both filed in the Twelfth Judicial Circuit in Sarasota County seeking $50,000 per violation from each of the pornographic […]