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Nearly a year after George Floyd’s death, a start for police reforms in FL — but, ‘we have a long way to go’
Eleven months after the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and a recent incident in Minnesota involving the death of Daunte Wright, Florida lawmakers have just begun to consider police reforms that could become law, with two weeks remaining in the legislative session. Black lawmakers from the Florida Legislative Black Caucus and […]
FL faith leaders call on lawmakers to address racial disparities: ‘We are in the battle for the soul of this country’
Faith leaders from across the state warned Wednesday that pending legislation in the Florida Legislature will threaten the lives of minorities and likely increase racial disparities. Members of the Florida Council of Churches cited myriad concerns about curtailing voting rights and the freedom to protest, and curbing equal access to health care for low-income families, […]
Feds recommend pause on J&J vaccines; People shouldn’t be ‘freaking out,’ DeSantis says
For those people who have already gotten the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and those who were in line to get the shot — there’s some news Tuesday: Federal health officials are recommending a pause on administering the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, after six reported cases of a rare blood clot in individuals receiving the shot. […]
Gov. Ron DeSantis invites same panel of doctors who had been censored: ‘We are not going to be silenced’
Following a recent public health discussion in March that was removed last week from YouTube, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the same panel of doctors and epidemiologists on Monday slammed the video-sharing platform for its decision to censor information challenging safety measures to combat COVID-19. “Science in particular needs to have dissenting views. I am glad […]
COVID’s ‘United Kingdom’ mutation has swept across the USA, with the highest number of cases in FL
The coronavirus mutation first identified in the United Kingdom has become the predominant COVID strain in the United States, with the variant detected in all 50 states, according to federal health officials. And Florida has the most United Kingdom variant cases in the nation. The U.K. variant, also known as B.1.1.7, has caused 20,915 infections […]
Crowds of advocates, organizers demanding justice on anti-protest legislation
Hale Morrissette, a north Florida organizer, traveled from Pensacola to the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center in Tallahassee, to join her group in opposing an anti-protest bill that has shaken Floridians who value the right to demonstrate. “We have been at the House with this, now we are here at the Senate,” said Morrissette, who […]
FL Legislature approves major cuts in dollars for affordable housing, amid COVID-19 and housing crisis
Residents from Florida’s most vulnerable populations rely on affordable housing programs to buy a home, pay rent, and afford costly home repairs and construction. But those programs are now threatened by state lawmakers who have pushed to permanently cut a significant chunk of money for the state’s affordable housing fund. Those dollars come from documentary […]
Lawmakers from FL Black Caucus call on big corporations to join fight over GOP’s ‘oppressive’ voting measures
A coalition of Black lawmakers in Florida denounced efforts to restrict voting rights across the nation and called on big corporations to join the fight against what they call attempts by Republicans to suppress the vote. The Florida Legislative Black Caucus issued a press release Monday, saying those voting restriction bills sponsored by Republican members […]
FL House proposes expanded Medicaid postpartum coverage for moms and babies, but Senate has not
The Florida House has included millions in its proposed 2021-22 state budget to extend postpartum care for mothers eligible for Medicaid to a period of 12 months or 365 days. Usually it’s been just two months. But so far, the Florida Senate has not moved on the budget issue, creating a standoff on Medicaid expansion […]
Top elected statewide leaders in Florida have gotten the COVID vaccine or plan to get the shots
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried on Thursday urged Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Florida Cabinet members who may not have received COVID-19 vaccines to do so publicly to gain public trust in shots and “show trust in science.” Fried, the only statewide elected Democrat, received her first dose of the Moderna vaccine and streamed the event […]
19- & 20-year-olds: ‘We are pushing these young people over the cliff from being insured to being uninsured’
Young people ages 19 and 20 who rely on affordable health coverage could see their Medicaid coverage eliminated — which could push low-income youths into a crisis mode, health advocates say. State lawmakers in the Florida Senate have proposed cutting Medicaid coverage for those with low incomes in that age group in its 2021-22 state […]
Obesity is linked to more severe illness from COVID-19; FL faces weight problems
Health officials say obesity is among many health conditions that can cause severe illness from COVID-19 including death or hospitalization, with Florida facing a detrimental trend of obese and overweight residents. People who are overweight or obese are more likely to experience negative outcomes when they contract COVID, according to the federal Centers for Disease […]