News
FL Senate ready to act on a bill that would block local governments from banning sunscreen
The Florida Senate is poised to block cities, like Key West, from banning the sale of sunscreen. When the Senate holds its first floor session of the 2020 session on Wednesday, the first bill on the agenda is a measure (SB 172), sponsored by Republican Sen. Rob Bradley, that would preempt local regulation of over-the-counter […]
Florida is projected to gain two seats in Congress. Here’s why that’s a huge deal
WASHINGTON — Florida is projected to gain two U.S. House seats in the coming years, new data show — a change that would increase the state’s influence in national politics and could lead to more money for federally funded projects and services like roads and health care facilities. The Sunshine State is one of seven […]
FL Supreme Court advisory opinion on Amendment 4 is a win for governor, GOP; voting rights advocates vow to fight on
The Florida Supreme Court sided with Gov. Ron DeSantis and legislative Republicans in an advisory opinion issued Thursday in which the court said 2018’s Amendment 4 requires ex-felons to pay any fines, fees, or restitution before they recover their right to vote. The five-member court (there are two vacancies at the moment) was unanimous on […]
Bipartisan Senate panel: It’s time to get low-level drug offenders out of state prison
Florida lawmakers on a key Senate panel want to keep low-level offenders out of state prison, particularly drug offenders who need treatment, not incarceration. The panel — the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee — voted unanimously to reform criminal sentencing guidelines to accomplish that goal, with both Republicans and Democrats supportive of the measure. The concept […]
U.S. House votes to torpedo DeVos student loan rule
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House passed a resolution Thursday that would overturn a Trump administration rule that critics say guts protections for defrauded student loan borrowers. The resolution expresses congressional disapproval of the so-called borrower defense rule, which was revised by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Led by Nevada Democratic Rep. Susie Lee, the resolution was […]
Preliminary FL House budget plan falls short of DeSantis’ proposal for raising teacher pay
The Florida House has come up well short of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plan to boost starting teacher pay to $47,500 a year and to offer a revamped bonus program for educators. In a preliminary budget proposal, which is likely to be modified before the House advances its proposed state budget in a few weeks, House […]
FL Surgeon General defends past “reports about sexual harassment and some impropriety,” as senators weigh his confirmation
With state senators weighing his confirmation, Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees strongly defended his background Wednesday, saying “what has been reported truly is mischaracterization of the facts.” Rivkees, who also heads the Florida Department of Health, was appointed nine months ago by Gov. Ron DeSantis. But after mounting scrutiny last year, he had not been […]
PAC report: December saw DeSantis committee’s strongest fundraising haul of 2019
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ political committee closed 2019 by collecting more than $1.2 million, including two gifts of $100,000, according to data compiled by the Florida Division of Elections. Those big contributions came from Rahul Patel, a corporate transactions and finance partner with King & Spalding’s Atlanta office, and Anita Zucker, a billionaire philanthropist who lives […]
Florida will buy 20,000 acres in Everglades to block oil-drilling plan
The state will buy 20,000 acres of wetlands in the Florida Everglades for no less than $16.5 million to block the possibility of oil-drilling there, officials announced Wednesday. It’s not a certainty that the owner, Kanter Real Estate LLC, would have struck oil there or would actually have tried to, but it recently secured an […]
Parental consent bill for teens seeking abortions now moving in the FL Senate
A bill requiring teenagers to have parental consent before obtaining an abortion moved ahead in the Florida Senate on Wednesday. In a 3-2 vote, with Democrats in opposition, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill (SB 404) that would require women under the age of 18 to have the consent of a parent or legal […]
U.S. House votes to send impeachment articles to the Senate
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House on Wednesday approved a resolution that sends impeachment articles to the Senate and names seven impeachment managers to serve as prosecutors in the upcoming Senate trial against President Donald Trump. The roster includes House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), who have led […]
U.S. House Speaker Pelosi picks Florida’s Val Demings to make case for ousting President Trump
WASHINGTON — Florida Democratic Rep. Val Demings often discusses her resume as she describes her unlikely rise to Congress. She’s the daughter of a maid and a janitor who climbed the ranks of the Orlando Police Department until she became the city’s first female chief of police and then a congresswoman. Now, she’s one of […]