By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday rejected two challenges to a 2023 law that allows judges to impose death sentences without unanimous jury recommendations. Ruling in cases from Duval and Bay counties, the Supreme Court backed the constitutionality of the law, which the Legislature and Gov. Ron […]
By: Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida A federal judge Tuesday refused to dismiss most of a First Amendment lawsuit filed by a former Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologist who was fired because of a social-media post after the murder of conservative leader Charlie Kirk. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker dismissed part […]
By: The News Service of Florida Without an appraised value presented, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet on Wednesday delegated the purchase of a nearly 11,000-acre conservation easement in Southwest Florida to the state Department of Environmental Protection. Department Secretary Alexis Lambert said the agency will not be allowed to pay above the appraised […]
By: Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida The Council on American-Islamic Relations has filed a lawsuit alleging an executive order issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis that designated the group as a “terrorist” organization is unconstitutionally “punitive and discriminatory” and exceeded the governor’s authority. The lawsuit accused DeSantis of targeting the country’s leading Muslim-rights organization […]
By: Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida With a judge slated to hear arguments this week, the state is trying to short-circuit constitutional challenges to a new law that blocks cities and counties from approving “more restrictive or burdensome” changes to growth plans. Attorneys for state officials argued in two motions late Friday that […]
By The News Service of Florida Florida motorists paid an average of $2.79 a gallon for regular unleaded gasoline Monday, down 12 cents from a week earlier. And the average price is expected to remain under the $3 mark as millions of Floridians are expected to hit the roads for the end-of-the-year holidays, according to […]
By Christine Sexton, Florida Phoenix The push by Gov. Ron DeSantis and state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo to repeal some of the state’s vaccine requirements for public schools and day care kicked off Friday with a lengthy and contentious hearing held in a hotel in Florida’s Panhandle. Ladapo made the call to get rid of […]
By The News Service of Florida A proposal that would require all Florida private employers to use the federal E-Verify system to check the immigration status of new workers is ready to go to the full House after the 2026 legislative session starts. The Republican-controlled House Commerce Committee on Thursday voted 16-5 along party lines […]
By The News Service of Florida Florida had a 3.9 percent unemployment rate in September, the state said Thursday after a delay in releasing numbers because of this fall’s federal government shutdown. The numbers depend on information from the U.S. Department of Labor. The Florida Department of Commerce will release October and November numbers on […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — In his final budget proposal, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday rolled out a $117.36 billion plan for the 2026-2027 fiscal year that includes increased money for teachers and law-enforcement officers. DeSantis, who can’t run for another term next year, said the proposal “builds off the […]