Lawmakers Chipping Away at Ballot Initiative Process

Lawmakers Chipping Away at Ballot Initiative Process

By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — With a week to go in the 2022 legislative session, Florida lawmakers are considering a series of measures to propel Republican leaders’ years-long battle to make it harder for groups to change the state Constitution. Floridians have relied on the ballot-initiative process in recent years […]

15-Week Abortion Limit Headed to DeSantis

15-Week Abortion Limit Headed to DeSantis

By Ryan Dailey, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Florida doctors could soon be prohibited from performing abortions past 15 weeks of pregnancy, after the Republican-controlled Senate approved a bill Thursday night that is headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk. Senators approved the measure (HB 5) in a 23-15 party-line vote that was the […]

Parent References ‘GenderBread Person’ in Public Testimony on Parental Rights in Education Bill

Parent References ‘GenderBread Person’ in Public Testimony on Parental Rights in Education Bill

The Parental Rights in Education bill his headed to the Senate floor after a debate that referenced the “GenderBread Person.” The debate featured elected officials questioning the need for a provision which regulated discussions in the classroom. The bill prohibits “instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that […]

Florida Representative Allison Tant Discusses Budget, Voting Bill, and Parental Rights in Education

Florida Representative Allison Tant Discusses Budget, Voting Bill, and Parental Rights in Education

Florida State House Representative Allison Tant (D-FL) appeared on The Steve Stewart Show on RealTalk93.3 on Thursday to discuss the 2022 Florida legislative session. Tant’s district covers most of downtown Tallahassee and the northern Tallahassee metropolitan area. The district includes Florida State University and the Florida State Capitol.  A large college and urban population coupled with a […]

Florida’s Absentee Ballot Proposal, Described as Racist, Less Stringent Than Other States

Florida’s Absentee Ballot Proposal, Described as Racist, Less Stringent Than Other States

Florida legislators, led by Republican leaders, are considering changes (SB 524, HB 7067) to the absentee ballot verification process that has one critic calling the proposal  “a recipe for disaster” and another implying the new rules are racist. Under current law, voters enclose completed mail-in ballots inside “secrecy” envelopes or sleeves before putting them inside another envelope […]

Florida State House Approves 15-Week Abortion Ban

Florida State House Approves 15-Week Abortion Ban

The Florida State House approved a ban on abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy Thursday morning, adding to the list of Republican-led states that have modeled legislation after the Mississippi law that has been challenged and is now awaiting a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. HB 5, titled “Reducing Fetal and Infant Mortality,” […]

House Targets Fatherhood ‘Crisis’

House Targets Fatherhood ‘Crisis’

By Ryan Dailey, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — As the House speaker decries a “fatherhood crisis” in the state, the House on Wednesday passed a wide-ranging measure that seeks to bolster fathers’ parenting skills. The House unanimously passed the measure (HB 7065), which deals largely with the Department of Children and Families and […]

10 Big Issues at Session Halftime

10 Big Issues at Session Halftime

By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Legislature’s 60-day session reached its halfway point Wednesday. Here are snapshots of 10 big issues in the session: — ABORTION: The Republican-controlled House and Senate are moving forward with a proposal that would prevent physicians from providing abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. […]

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