By Christine Sexton, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, the Florida Legislature on Wednesday passed bills that expand the roles that advanced nurses and pharmacists play in the state’s health-care system, including allowing pharmacists to test and treat patients for the flu and strep throat and treat […]
Visit Florida appears to be getting more than a one-year extension. Days after budget negotiators agreed to maintain $50 million in funding for the state tourism-marketing agency next fiscal year, the House on Tuesday amended a Senate proposal (SB 362) and would authorize the agency until Oct. 1, 2023. The House is expected to vote […]
By Ana Ceballos, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — As the 2020 legislative session draws to a close, the House and Senate are in a standoff over a politically charged immigration proposal that is a top priority of Gov. Ron DeSantis. House Republicans on Tuesday refused to back a Senate measure that would have […]
After it appeared the House and Senate had agreed on spending $500 million to increase teacher salaries, the Senate on Sunday proposed upping the amount to $600 million. The proposal came a day after the House indicated it would go along with an initial Senate plan to spend $500 million. Increasing teacher pay is a […]
By Ana Ceballos, The News Service of Florida As Florida lawmakers inch toward a budget deal, House and Senate leaders on Saturday announced they had reached agreement on a number of key issues, including pay raises for state workers, funding for Visit Florida and leaving intact the affordable-housing trust fund. Legislators, who also met throughout […]
By Ana Ceballos, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — A last-minute deal on E-Verify emerged in the Senate on Friday, moving the Republican-dominated Legislature closer to giving Gov. Ron DeSantis a win on a key campaign promise. After weeks of negotiating with the governor’s office and reviewing a House proposal, Senate bill sponsor Tom […]
By Ana Ceballos, The News Service of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is backing the Senate in a heated fight over E-Verify, a move that could tip the scale in a contentious immigration battle as the 2020 legislative session draws to a close. Senate President Bill Galvano said his chamber is ready to consider legislation that […]
By Ana Ceballos, The News Service of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration and Attorney General Ashley Moody on Wednesday took legal action against the executive leadership of an embattled domestic violence nonprofit organization, accusing the group’s leaders of misusing public funds to pad executives’ salaries. The actions come as the House, the state’s inspector general […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida Siding with plaintiffs, a federal appeals court has refused to put on hold a decision that bans the state from denying the right to vote to felons who are unable to pay court-ordered fees and fines. Monday’s ruling by a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit […]
By The News Service of Florida A proposal that would impose eight-year term limits on county school board members is ready for consideration by the full Senate. The proposal (SJR 1216), sponsored by Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, cleared the Senate Rules Committee on Monday. The full House last month passed its version of the proposal […]