Politics & Law
GOP bill establishing a federal parental bill of rights passed in U.S. House
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans on Friday passed a bill designed to empower parents to inspect books and other teaching materials in local public schools, but Democrats sharply criticized the measure, saying it would censor teachers and ban books. The legislation, called the Parents Bill of Rights, passed on a 213-208 vote. It would codify federal education law to […]
DOJ memo on threats to local school boards lambasted by Republicans at U.S. House hearing
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans on Thursday continued to press accusations that a “woke agenda” is deteriorating parents’ rights in their local school districts. The first hearing this Congress of the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government convened to examine whether a 2021 Department of Justice memo played a role in […]
Members of Congress blast TikTok CEO as bipartisan support for U.S. ban looks possible
A U.S. House panel grilled TikTok’s CEO for more than five hours Thursday over the social media giant’s ties to China, and indicated there may be bipartisan consensus for a national ban on the platform. Members of both parties showed an unusual level of agreement during tough questioning of TikTok CEO Shou Chew. Several members […]
FL House poised to vote on ‘permitless’ carry bill; Dems, gun safety advocates raise concerns
The Florida House is hours away from approving gun legislation to allow individuals who carry concealed weapons to forego a license or training course. Democrats and gun safety advocates say the proposal will make the state less safe — right now, people must get a permit through the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Currently, […]
Public-sector bill will dismantle unions, but they’re not going down without a fight
Dozens of union members from around the state lined the Fourth Floor Rotunda of the Florida Capitol Thursday, game-day style, to welcome lawmakers before a meeting of the full Senate. They raised signs and sang the union anthem, “Solidarity Forever,” opposing what they saw as an impending attack on public workers. “They know we’re […]
DeSantis, insurers win tort-reform vote in FL Senate but injured parties lose clout
Insurance companies will have an easier time deflecting lawsuits by policyholders claiming denial or low-balling of benefits under legislation that cleared the Florida Senate Thursday. Ordinary Floridians, meanwhile, will face higher risks, less safety, and fewer options to hold wrongdoers accountable, critics warned. Because the state House had already OK’d the bill, it heads to […]
Massive school voucher program headed to Gov. DeSantis’ desk; questions remain about costs
Nearly all Florida families may soon be able to send their K-12 children to private schools with taxpayer money, even if their household incomes exceed millions or billions of dollars — an expansive effort that critics say could drain the state’s public school system for years to come. The Legislature pushed through the bill, HB […]
Democratic report on U.S. debt default predicts disrupted benefits for seniors, veterans
WASHINGTON — Congress’ Joint Economic Committee released a report Thursday detailing the economic repercussions of defaulting on the nation’s debt, adding fuel to the fire as Democrats pressed Republicans to address the nation’s borrowing limit without tying action to spending cuts. The report, from Democratic staff on the bipartisan Joint Economic Committee, says that a […]
Trifecta: Potentially removing books; banning LGBTQ+ instruction, restricting ‘pronouns’ in schools
After weeks of multiple bills moving through legislative committees, GOP House lawmakers on Thursday combined three controversial measures into one — all about how Florida public schools operate regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. The combination bill is now headed to the full House, even as the three-pronged measure could create a hostile environment for […]
Bookman: Potential indictments of former president not created equal
Let me ask a question, purely theoretical: Should the justice system treat a former president of the United States just as it would treat any other American citizen? As long as it’s just theoretical, the obvious answer is yes, of course. As Americans, we have no kings, no untouchable royalty. We are all equal before […]
Priorities for rail safety bill debated in U.S. Senate hearing with Norfolk Southern CEO
Members of a U.S. Senate committee on Wednesday previewed what they would push for in bipartisan rail safety legislation likely to progress through Congress in the aftermath of the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment. Democrats and Republicans on the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hinted they wanted to strengthen requirements about reporting hazardous cargo, […]
Five years after Parkland, proposal to allow 18-year-olds to purchase long guns gains favor
Five years after the Florida Legislature and then-Gov. Rick Scott passed a package of gun reforms in the immediate aftermath of the Parkland school shooting massacre, a committee in the state House advanced a bill Thursday that would repeal one of those provisions – reducing the age to purchase rifles and other long guns from […]