By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers will gather March 5 in the House chamber to hear Gov. Ron DeSantis give his first State of the State address, the traditional start of the 60-day legislative session. Led by Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, and House Speaker Jose Oliva, R-Miami Lakes, […]
Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced last week that 12 previously deported aliens have been indicted separately by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States. U.S. Attorney Keefe said: “Enforcing immigration laws is a priority of the Department of Justice, along with protecting all members […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — With the U.S. Supreme Court moving quickly to hear the case, a legal battle about a proposed citizenship question on the 2020 U.S. census could have political ramifications for Florida. The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to take up the U.S. Department of Commerce’s appeal […]
By Ana Ceballos, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday he wants to create a new “equal opportunity” voucher program to eliminate a waiting list of about 14,000 low-income students seeking to use state-backed scholarships to attend private schools. The governor is asking lawmakers to create a “supplement” to the […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s orange crop forecast has held steady since the end of 2018, while projections for other types of citrus have been reduced. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, releasing January and February forecasts on Friday, reported Florida remains on pace to grow enough oranges to fill […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Four years after lawmakers started a controversial teacher-bonus program, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday he wants to scrap the “Best and Brightest” program and plow nearly $423 million into a new effort to reward teachers and principals. The Best and Brightest program has faced opposition, […]
While supporters of a Jefferson County Commission approved bike trail along a Duke Power easement have focused on the benefits of the trail, there has been little discussion about the potential costs associated with the project. Jefferson County Commission officials and supporters of the project cite costs of $40,000 over two years, but do not […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — In the first major demonstration of an ideological shift on the revamped Florida Supreme Court, justices Tuesday refused to consider an appeal in a Miami Beach minimum-wage lawsuit that a former liberal-leaning majority of the court had scheduled to hear next month. The move by […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday touted a proposal to spend an additional $18.8 million next year on a program that provides voucher-like scholarships to students with disabilities, saying he trusts “parents to make the best decision” for the education of their children. DeSantis appeared at […]
Joe Gruters, a Sarasota Republican in the Florida state Senate, has filed a bill to outlaw abortions after 20 weeks into a pregnancy. Gruters introduced the “Florida Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” for the upcoming legislative session in response to a controversial vote in New York state which expanded abortion rights. Currently, Florida state law […]