Category: LEAD

Florida Supreme Court Ponders Definition of a Riot in 2021 State Law

The Center Square
2020 George Floyd Riots

The Florida Supreme Court is pondering the definition of a riot related to a law passed in 2021 designed to prevent violent protests like those seen in 2020 after the death of George Floyd.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil, Jacksonville/Duval County Sheriff Mike Williams, and Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony were named as defendants in the 2021 lawsuit filed by Dream Defenders and other social justice groups including Black Lives Matter.

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Expert: Florida Needs Only a Few Changes for a Perfect Education Freedom Score

The Center Square

According to a recent report, Florida is the nation’s best for education freedom, but one expert says only minor changes are needed for a perfect score.

The American Legislative Exchange Council recently put Florida at the top of its 2023 ALEC Index of State Education Freedom: A 50-State Guide to Parental Empowerment rankings.

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Florida Sues Biden Admin over Threats to Withhold Funds Following Union Law

Florida Capital Star Staff

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday alleging that the Biden administration threatened to withhold grant funding over a new state union law, according to an office press release.

The suit claims that the federal government is violating the Spending Clause and the Administrative Procedure Act by threatening to withhold more than $800 million in funding for not complying with federal union laws after the state passed SB 256 earlier this year, according to a press release from Moody’s office. SB 256 places a number of restrictions on public unions, including a prohibition from using government resources to deduct union dues from certain workers’ paychecks, requiring unions to notify members of the cost of membership and requiring unions to undergo annual audits and financial disclosures, according to a press release.

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Trump Leads DeSantis by 35 Points in Florida: Poll

Just the News

Former President Donald Trump holds a commanding lead over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in their shared state of residence.

Trump claimed the support of 57% of Republican voters in the Sunshine State to the governor’s 22% in a recent poll from Tony Fabrizio, who surveys for a pro-Trump super PAC. Fabrizio conducted this survey for a private client, according to The Messenger.

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Ron DeSantis Rakes In $15 Million During Third Fundraising Quarter

Florida Capital Star Staff

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday his campaign brought in $15 million during the third fundraising quarter, according to a press release.

DeSantis is the first 2024 GOP presidential candidate who has announced the figures ahead of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) filing deadline on Oct. 15. The governor raised just over $20 million during his first fundraising quarter as a presidential candidate, and entered this fundraising quarter with $12.2 million cash on hand.

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Florida Bill Proposes a Change to State’s Cosmetology License Application

The Center Square

Crime convictions three years before applying for barber or cosmetologist licensure would not be held against the applicants under a proposal from an Orlando state senator.

Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, said she is “giving these important common sense policies that represent my constituency’s interests one last push towards the finish line.” Senate Bill 42 is similar to past efforts that have failed in the last two legislative sessions.

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UAW Reaches ‘Tentative Agreement’ with Mack Trucks in Three States

The Center Square

The United Auto Worker’s Union has reached a “tentative agreement” on a new five-year agreement with the Volvo-Group-owned Mack Trucks in three states.  The union posted on social media that nearly 4,000 UAW members at Mack Trucks in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Florida (UAW Region 8 & Region 9) have a tentative agreement.

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Report Gives Florida Nation’s Best Overall Grade for Education Freedom

The Center Square

After a legislative session where Florida lawmakers passed universal school choice, the state was recognized as the nation’s best in a recent report for its policies on education. 

The nonprofit American Legislative Exchange Council, which previously published the Report Card on American Education over the past 25 years, has a new publication, The Index of State Education Freedom: A 50-State Guide to Parental Empowerment.

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Transportation Analyst: Private Rail Line Between Miami and Orlando Is ‘Promising’

The Center Square

A privately funded passenger rail line that launched last week between Miami and Orlando holds great promise, Robert Poole of the Reason Foundation told The Center Square.

“It shows what can really be done if you approach it as a true business venture,” said Poole, the foundation’s director of transportation policy.

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Report: Jacksonville Uses Green Infrastructure to Combat Flooding

The Center Square

A recent report from Florida TaxWatch proposes new measures to help combat storm water runoff and reduce flooding through the use of green infrastructure.

Over the past few years, the Sunshine State has had its fair share of severe storms, as recently as August, when Hurricane Idalia made landfall in the Big Bend region of the state, causing widespread flooding to coastal towns.

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DeSantis Suspends Florida School Choice Scholarships to Schools with ‘Ties to the Chinese Communist Party’

Just the News

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office announced that four schools will no longer receive school choice scholarships after an investigation from the state education department found the schools allegedly had “direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party.”

DeSantis’ announcement Friday targets the Lower and Upper Sagemont Preparatory Schools in Weston, located west of Fort Lauderdale, and the Parke House Academy and Park Maitland School, both of which are located in Winter Park, a northern suburb of Orlando.

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Report Ranks Florida Third for Solar Power Implementation

The Center Square

The Sunshine State is quickly outpacing the rest of the country as a top solar energy installer, which looks to continue in coming years.

According to data from the Solar Energy Industries Association, Florida was ranked third in the country in 2022 behind Texas and California, installing around 12,000 megawatts of generation capacity since 2013, enough to power 1.51 million homes.

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Florida House Examines Implementation of ‘Responsible Fatherhood’ Law

The Center Square

A Florida House subcommittee met this week to discuss implementing some of the elements of a bill that passed during the 2022 session designed to promote responsible fatherhood.

House Bill 7065 was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in April of 2022 and was designed to “aid in creating and sustaining safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for children and families that allow children to grow up to their full potential,” and also focuses on responsible fatherhood.

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DeSantis’ Energy Plan: Midland over Moscow

The Center Square

On Wednesday, Republican presidential candidate Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his energy plan. It includes reversing all Biden administration policies to get gasoline prices at the pump back to $2 a gallon in 2025. 

Gas prices and all other household goods reliant on petroleum have soared to over 40-year highs since President Biden implemented new energy policies in 2021. They include canceling the Keystone Pipeline on his first day in office, halting offshore and onshore lease sales, advancing EPA and other regulatory restrictions solely on U.S. oil and natural gas companies, halting investments in the industry by imposing environmental, social governance policies to restrict lending to U.S. oil and natural gas companies, among other policies. 

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Newly Approved Florida Rules Could Cut Price of Prescription Drugs

The Center Square

New rules approved by officials in Florida this week are designed to increase accountability from pharmaceutical companies when it comes to drug pricing.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday that he and the Florida cabinet approved rules that will allow the implementation of provisions within Senate Bill 1550, the Prescription Drug Act.

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Abortion-Related Bill Filed as Florida Supreme Court Ponders Six-Week Ban Law

The Center Square

A bill seeking to prevent Florida women from being prosecuted for seeking abortions out of state was filed last week as the state Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of the state’s six-week abortion ban. 

In a news release, Florida Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Davie, said she had filed legislation to prevent pregnant women and girls from being criminally charged and imprisoned for obtaining an abortion, stating that the new bill — Senate Bill 34 — was in response to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ claim that only abortion providers would be prosecuted.

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Florida’s Nunez Says DeSantis Administration Delivers on Conservation Promises

The Center Square

Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez extolled the conservation efforts of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration at an award ceremony Friday for the Florida Python Challenge.

Nunez said that she is proud to be part of keeping Florida’s natural environment pristine.

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Florida City Councilman Faces Recall Petition

The Center Square

Ballotpedia tracked one new recall effort against a local official in Florida from Sept. 4 through Sept. 10, bringing the yearly statewide total to six efforts against five officials. The most recent effort is: Henry Rosenthal recall, Islamorada, Florida (2023): Seat 4 Village Councilman. 

Recall organizers accused Rosenthal of malfeasance, alleging that he asked the village’s planning director to ask the rest of the council how they planned to vote on an amendment he needed for a project to open a theater and entertainment venue in the village, which violated multiple Florida laws.

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Florida First State to Officially Recommend Against COVID-19 Boosters

The Center Square

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo said Wednesday that the Sunshine State will be the first state to officially recommend against COVID-19 boosters for those under age 65.

The state, in its guidance, discourages use of the booster for those under age 65 because the new U.S. Food and Drug Administration boosters lack a human clinical trial and evidence of their efficiency or benefits.

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New Committee Assignments for Florida Lawmakers Issued Ahead of Session

The Center Square

There will be some changes to committee assignments when the Florida Legislature reconvenes in January.

Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, has announced new committee assignments ahead of the start of interim committee meetings on Sept. 18. Lawmakers can start filing bills on Monday.

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Former TN Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn Fails Upward, Lands $367k per Year Job with University of Florida

TC Weber

Tennessee’s former commissioner of education, Dr. Penny Schwinn, has landed a new position with the University of Florida. Dr. Schwinn will join the school in a newly created position as vice president for PK-12 and Pre-Bachelors Programs.

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Florida Enrollment in Medicaid Continues Recent Decline

The Center Square
doc nurse senior patient

Florida’s Medicaid enrollment continue to decline, according to recent data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on health policy, research and polling.

According to data from the Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker, the number of people on Medicaid in the Sunshine State declined 7% from April to July, shrinking from 5.78 million to 5.36 million.

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Florida Launches New Crime-Fighting Initiative, Partnership

The Center Square

 Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is launching a new statewide crime fighting initiative involving former America’s Most Wanted host John Walsh.

Moody made the announcement in West Palm Beach on Wednesday with Florida Association of Crime Stoppers President Frank Brunner, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, other law enforcement officials, and Walsh.

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Florida School Board Rejects ‘LGBTQ History Month’ Proposal Again

Florida Capital Star Staff

Miami Dade County school board members rejected a proposal Thursday that would have recognized October as “LGBTQ history month,” according to Politico.

Miami-Dade County school board members acknowledged LGBTQ History Month in 2021 but did not do so in 2022 after the school board was realigned ideologically with members  endorsed by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, according to Politico. School board members voted against the measure 5-3 following hours of public comment and debate on the issue.

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DeSantis Floats Pardons After Blasting Lengthy Sentences for Proud Boys

Florida Capital Star Staff

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida on Wednesday blasted the lengthy sentences given to Proud Boys members and said that he is considering pardons to “ensure that everyone’s treated equally.”

Multiple members of the group were sentenced to prison terms of up to 22 years over their involvement in Jan. 6. DeSantis noted that similar sentences were not imposed over the riots that followed the death of George Floyd in May 2020, which resulted in at least 24 people being killed and caused nearly $1 billion in property damage.

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Florida Initiative to Prohibit Abortion Restrictions Qualifies for State Court Review

The Center Square

Floridians Protecting Freedom, sponsors of an initiative that would prohibit restrictions on abortions before fetal viability, have submitted 297,586 valid signatures as of Sept. 1, qualifying the proposal for a review by the state Supreme Court.

The initiative would provide that “no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s health care provider.” The amendment would not change the state legislature’s ability to require parental notification for abortions sought by minors.

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Several Florida Areas Lose Eligibility for Federal Rural Home Loan Program

The Center Square

Nine counties in Florida have areas that will no longer be eligible to participate in a federal loan program for rural housing due to population increases.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development completed its recent review of rural areas nationwide, using data from the 2020 U.S. Census. The ruling goes into effect for those areas on Oct. 1.

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Despite Hurricane Landfall, Florida Gas Prices Decrease Going into Labor Day

The Center Square

Despite being hit by Category 3 Hurricane Idalia, gas prices in Florida have decreased by five cents going into the Labor Day weekend.

The average gas price in Florida was $3.69 per gallon of regular according to the American Automobile Association, down from $3.75 last week but four cents more than last month. The national average is $3.83.

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Florida Continues Hurricane Idalia Recovery Efforts

The Center Square

Florida state officials say more than 476,000 electric customers have had their power restored 48 hours after Hurricane Idalia made landfall.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a news briefing on Thursday that there were 91,000 customers in Taylor, Madison, Lafayette, Hamilton, Suwannee, Dixie and Jefferson counties that awaited  restoration after Idalia made landfall on Wednesday in the Big Bend as a Category 3 storm.

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Hurricane Idalia Leaves at Least Three Dead, Causes Up to $20 Billion in Estimated Damage

Just the News

Hurricane Idalia’s path of destruction through four different states has left at least three people dead and caused up to $20 billion in estimated damage.

The storm, which first hit Florida’s northern Gulf coast Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane, traveled through Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina before entering over the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday.

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DeSantis Turns Down Millions in Incentives from Biden’s Signature Climate Bill

Florida Capital Star Staff

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has effectively rejected nearly $350 million dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) designated for use in Florida, according to Politico.

The IRA, President Joe Biden’s signature climate spending bill, sets aside money for rebates for consumers to buy more efficient appliances that the Biden administration is pushing and to help low-income individuals buy solar panels for their homes, according to Politico. DeSantis and the Florida legislature have effectively refused $3 million set aside for cleaning up pollution, $5 million in federal funds to set up the appliance rebates program and $341 million to actually fund that program.

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Texas A&M Task Force Deploys to Florida Ahead of Hurricane Idalia

The Center Square

Members of the Texas A&M Task Force 1 deployed to Florida on Tuesday ahead of Hurricane Idalia to help Floridians.

Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to deploy the task force, saying, “The State of Texas is sending personnel and resources to Florida as Hurricane Idalia prepares to make landfall in Florida tomorrow.

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DeSantis Declares State of Emergency as Idalia Takes Aim at Florida’s Big Bend

The Center Square

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 46 counties in Florida on Monday as Tropical Storm Idalia is predicted to make landfall as soon as Wednesday as a major hurricane.

The National Hurricane Center predicts Idalia to stroke the Big Bend of Florida as a Category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

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Florida Regulators Hold First Hearing on Storm Preparation Charges for Utilities

The Center Square

The Florida Public Service Commission held the first of a series of hearings Thursday into how much utilities can potentially charge their customers to repair storm-damaged electrical infrastructure.

Thursday’s hearing was an organizational one to set the stage for the main hearings Sept. 14-17. Each utility and the commission’s staff can call witnesses and offer testimony during the hearings. 

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Florida’s Two School Choice Scholarship Programs Break Participation Record

The Center Square

The state of Florida says a record number of students are either participating or have applied to the state’s two school choice scholarship programs.

In a news release, Gov. Ron DeSantis stated that almost 430,000 scholarship applications had been received for the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship and the Family Empowerment Scholarship programs.

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Florida Officials Forecast State’s Economy, Tax Revenues Will Continue Growth

The Center Square

Despite incorrectly predicting a mild recession for the first two quarters this year, Florida officials estimate that the state’s economy and tax revenues will continue to grow. 

The Office of Economic and Demographic Research held a Revenue Estimating Conference last week, with officials saying that the “current economic environment presented significant forecasting challenges.”

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Florida Officials Forecast State’s Economy, Tax Revenues Will Continue Growth

The Center Square

Despite incorrectly predicting a mild recession for the first two quarters this year, Florida officials estimate that the state’s economy and tax revenues will continue to grow. 

The Office of Economic and Demographic Research held a Revenue Estimating Conference last week, with officials saying that the “current economic environment presented significant forecasting challenges.”

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Florida’s New College Enrolls More Students, Looks to Cut Gender Studies

Admin

A small public Florida college has rapidly transformed under Governor Ron DeSantis-appointed trustee board, as liberal faculty have resigned in large numbers, a gender studies major is slated for demolition and admissions numbers rise.

Conservative activist and journalist Christopher Rufo, who serves as a trustee of the New College of Florida, motioned at the latest board meeting to begin to dissolve the gender studies program.

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Florida Becomes First State to Sanction Medicaid Providers for Covering Minor Transitions

Florida Capital Star Staff

Florida has become the first state to sanction Medicaid providers for covering the attempted gender transitions of minors.

The state is fining five Medicaid health care insurers for violating Florida’s new rule banning taxpayer funds from going to transgender treatments, such as performing a double mastectomy or administering puberty blockers, Jason Weida, secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, told The Daily Signal in a phone interview.

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Judge Rules Against ACLU Requesting to Block Florida Chinese Land Ownership Law

Just the News

A federal judge ruled not to block the new Florida law that restricts Chinese nationals and some nationals from other countries from purchasing land in the state

U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor on Thursday denied an injunction requested by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which was representing four Chinese citizens and a real estate firm that wanted the law overturned. 

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DeSantis’ Travel, Security Cost Florida Taxpayers $8 Million over Past Year amid Presidential Bid

Just the News

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ travel and security costs have cost state taxpayers over $8 million to Florida taxpayers over the past year as he tours the United States for his campaign to win the 2024 Republican nomination for president.

Over the 2022-2023 fiscal year, which in Florida is from July 1 to June 30 of the following, DeSantis’ travel and security expenses cost $8,073,607, according to data from the state Department of Law Enforcement cited by The Miami Herald in an article Wednesday.

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Abortion Clinic Fined $193,000 for Violating Florida Law

Florida Capital Star Staff

The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) ordered a clinic Monday to pay nearly $200,000 in fees for violating a rule preventing women from receiving an abortion within 24 hours of requesting the procedure, according to a final order.

The rule, which lawmakers passed in 2015 and instated in April 2022, mandates that women must receive an ultrasound as well as a full explanation of the risks posed by abortion at least 24 hours before the procedure takes place, the Orlando Weekly reported. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the rule in June 2015, and the legal move prevented the bill from taking effect until Circuit Judge Angela Dempsey dismissed the suit in 2022, according to The Associated Press.

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Florida Officials Predict Increased Student Aid Costs for Taxpayers

The Center Square

Florida officials project that taxpayer-funded student aid will increase in coming years as more students graduate from high school in the Sunshine State.

The Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research’s Education Estimating Conference was held on Friday to discuss projections for various scholarship programs for Florida college students in fiscal 2023-24 to fiscal 2028-29.

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