By Stephanie Kanowitz, The News Service of Florida A bill that would make it harder for undocumented immigrants to obtain certain licenses and financial assistance advanced in the Florida House on Tuesday. The measure (HB 1307) would prohibit “unauthorized aliens” from getting any licenses the state Department of Financial Services issues, such as those related […]
Florida gubernatorial candidate David Jolly is staking out a controversial position on immigration enforcement, saying he would not require state and local law enforcement agencies to participate in 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if elected governor. The 287(g) program allows local police and sheriff’s deputies to carry out certain federal immigration […]
By Mitch Perry, The Florida Phoenix A proposal to empower the head of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to designate domestic or foreign terrorist organizations if the group meet specified criteria advanced through its second committee in the Florida House on Tuesday. The proposal (HB 1471), sponsored by former Democrat turned Republican Rep. […]
By Liv Caputo, The Florida Phoenix Florida’s emergency managers spent more than $405 million in taxpayer dollars in six months to fight illegal immigration, but that doesn’t just include law enforcement, state spending records show: It covers private jet flights, restaurant meals, and badges. This means 70% of the state’s total immigration spending in four […]
By The News Service of Florida A proposal to allow high school sports coaches to pay, out of their own pockets, for players’ food and travel is now ready to go before the full Senate. The Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday backed a measure (SB 178) directing the Florida High School Athletic Association to adopt […]
By Christine Sexton, The Florida Phoenix A legal challenge to Florida’s restrictions on ballot initiatives kicked off Monday as groups pushing measures on marijuana and Medicaid expansion hope to convince a federal judge that a 2025 state law is unconstitutional. The trial over Florida’s new law — passed last year after initiatives on abortion and […]
By Mitch Perry, The Florida Phoenix Florida Lieutenant Gov. Jay Collins — now a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor — traveled to the Panhandle Monday to promote Gov. Ron DeSantis’ budget request to raise starting pay for correctional officers and staff. “Like many states around the country, Florida has faced serious staffing challenges […]
By The News Service of Florida Nearly 1,400 acres in Hardee County, including land for citrus and crop production, was put under a shield from residential and commercial development through $6.01 million in conservation-easement deals, the state announced Friday. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced that five separate Rural and Family Lands Protection […]
By Mitch Perry, The Florida Phoenix Two Democratic U.S. Reps. from Central Florida — Maxwell Frost and Darren Soto — have written a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons regarding speculation they will soon open an ICE detention center in Orlando. Their message is […]
The state House continues to move a proposal that creates an exemption for some entry level jobs from the state’s voter-approved minimum wage. The GOP-controlled House Careers & Workforce Subcommittee on Wednesday voted 11-5 along party lines to approve a measure (HB 221) that would allow people to waive their rights to the minimum wage […]