News
Statehouse Democrats oppose GOP election reform bill; Elections Supervisors like the reforms
Two influential county Supervisors of Elections are defending a Republican-sponsored proposal that Democrats are labeling as “voter suppression.” The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Blaise Ingoglia, a Republican from Hernando County, makes a number of changes to the Florida Election Code, including moving the last day for voters to request vote-by-mail ballots from six days […]
DeSantis pick to be Fl surgeon general subject of UF sexual harassment investigation
Newly appointed Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees is already in hot water. The New Service of Florida is reporting that Rivkees, who was appointed to his post on Monday by Gov. Ron DeSantis, was the subject of a sexual harassment investigation in 2012 while at the University of Florida. Rivkees, who is chairman of the […]
Governor meeting today with football legend Dan Marino, celebrating FL Golf Day, dinner with conservative think tank, visiting firefighters
Gov. Ron DeSantis’s schedule today shows he visited with former Miami Dolphins player Dan Marino, United States Coast Guard Rear Admiral Peter Brown, is traveling to the Panama City area in the Panhandle to check in with forest firefighters battling a blaze there, and appearing at the Captains for Clean Water Skiff Challenge. Back in […]
The big price tag for a new voucher program; Dems concerned
A new “Family Empowerment Scholarship” voucher program would cost an estimated $110.8-million if 15,000 students take advantage of it to attend private and religious schools using public dollars. And that amount would grow as the program takes on more and more students over the years. At issue is that the money for the voucher program […]
Florida might break with Trump over Obamacare lawsuit
Florida could break with the Trump administration over a lawsuit aimed at repealing the federal Affordable Care Act. No decision has been reached yet, but Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody said Tuesday that she is studying a legal brief filed by Republican attorneys general from Ohio and Montana that asks a federal appellate court to […]
Hundreds of crime victims rally for safety and criminal justice reforms in the Capitol
Aswad Thomas was a standout basketball player at Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts, an NCAA Division III school. But his dream of playing professionally overseas ended abruptly when he was shot in a convenience store in Hartford, Connecticut in the summer of 2009. He says after he survived the incident, he didn’t receive any help. […]
Lawmakers want to give a break to private schools and students when it comes to “dual enrollment” classes.
Tens of thousands of thousands of public school students in Florida take local college courses for free while they’re still in high school – a “dual enrollment” program that is popular with families who want to save on college tuition down the road. Now, under proposed legislation, students in private schools – as well as […]
All that talk about solving Florida’s horrible algae outbreaks? Legislature comes up short so far
Florida made national news last year when nasty algae outbreaks fouled the coasts and sent dead sea creatures washing ashore. The environmental crisis was a campaign issue during the fall election, as pricey waterfront mansions suddenly overlooked green, stinking waterways and tourists fled beaches because of dead fish and harmful fumes. Politicians promised to attack […]
Want to see Gov. DeSantis? Pick your press conference
Have you been seeing a lot of news about Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis lately? That’s no accident. DeSantis is holding a lot of press conferences. Take today, for example. DeSantis is in Tallahassee, and he (and, in some appearances, the first lady Casey Desantis) are having four press conferences; one at 10:30 am, one at […]
The 2020 U.S. Census will face challenges, advocates say, but at least you can fill it out online
With the 2020 U.S. Census a year out and counting, Florida lawmakers and advocacy groups are pushing to make sure every citizen is counted, even as the massive undertaking faces challenges. “A fair and accurate Census is one of the most significant civil rights and economic justice issues facing our country today,” said Democratic state […]
Moms bring petitions to Capitol demanding background checks for all gun buyers
Gun safety advocates presented boxes of petitions signed by more than 8,000 Floridians to state leaders on Monday to show support for legislation that would require criminal background checks in all gun sales. The group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America brought the petitions to the offices of Senate President Bill Galvano and […]
What should schoolchildren know about human trafficking?
Florida has been in the spotlight over human trafficking, in part because of the recent trafficking and prostitution scandal that led to charges against prominent, wealthy men – and lawmakers want to make sure young people are aware of the dangers. That means students in public schools should be educated about the warning signs of […]