TALLAHASSEE, FL—In an age of increasing artificial intelligence, the Florida House has passed a bill requiring a disclaimer for AI use in political advertisements, imposing a first-degree misdemeanor for those in violation. Proposed by Republican Rep. Alex Rizo, HB 919 requires a disclaimer on any political ad or digital content utilizing AI, to increase transparency […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—At a press avail Wednesday, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo seemingly announced the death of a controversial bill that would have expanded Florida's Wrongful Death Act to unborn children. The bill had become a hot topic of debate for conversations involving abortion, IVF, and fetal personhood. "It needs more work," Passidomo, a Republican, told reporters […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Florida schools are one step closer to implementing instruction on the history of, and the "increasing threat" of, communism, due to a bill barreling through the Florida Legislature. "27-30 percent of our children right now believe that communism is something that they'd like to try in this nation. If that doesn't bother you, I'm […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—A Florida bill would create a taxpayer-funded website housed under the Department of Health and would compile all pregnancy resources for expectant mothers. Opponents, however, criticized the Surgeon General and worried about the website's inclusion of unlicensed Crisis Pregnancy Centers. "The website will contain critical resources for pregnant women ranging from pre-natal care, maternal […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Florida is cracking down on vapes, limiting their sale exclusively to Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—approved products, worrying business owners and smokers alike about increased powers to Big Tobacco. Proposed by Republican Sen. Keith Perry, SB 1006 limits vape sales to FDA-approved products and products under review for approval, which are exclusively products made […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Tuesday kicked off Children's Day at the Capitol, with the Progidy Cultural Arts Program for at-risk youth visiting Tallahassee in hopes of earning $3.5 million to continue diversion programs for low-income and struggling families. Partnered with Aetna Health, the Progidy Cultural Arts Program has been around for 23 years and serves eight counties. It's […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—A bill allowing volunteer religious officials in public schools passed its final Senate Committee Monday afternoon, drawing criticisms over untrained professionals providing counseling to children. "This bill authorizes each school district to adopt a policy to authorize volunteer school chaplains to provide support services and programs to students with parental consent," said Republican Sen. […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—A bill, which critics claim defines fetal personhood, was suddenly postponed before its final committee, raising questions about whether the bill will pass the Legislature and become law. If it is not rescheduled, the bill will be proclaimed dead. “I have requested that Senate Bill 476, Civil Liability for the Wrongful Death of an […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—The newly confirmed Director of the Florida State Guard announced that only five members of the organization are currently at the Texas border, though the Guard is prepared to send up to a platoon to shore up the southern border. "The support that we still think we may send is about a platoon-level: that's […]
Social Media Ban Puts Parental Rights in Crosshairs The past week at the Capitol has been a flurry of activity, with Lawmakers rushing to turn their bills into Florida law. With only a week and a half left in the 2024 Legislative Session, big bills related to Jeffrey Epstein and—in the most controversial news of […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—During yet another press conference, Gov. Ron DeSantis hit on hot topics like troops at the Texas border, Hurricane Idalia relief, and Jeffrey Epstein, announcing in Cedar Key his plans to increase security, relief, and transparency for Floridians. "If you don't have a border you don't have a country...There's a lot of people from […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—The Florida House moved Thursday afternoon to allow school districts to employ volunteer religious officials as counselors in public schools, dividing Democrats over allowing these clergymen to provide mental health advice to students. Co-sponsored by Democratic Rep. Kimberly Daniels and Republican Rep. Stan McClain, HB 931 provides for volunteer chaplains in schools, defined as […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Democrats are demanding that a bill defining fetal personhood and expanding wrongful death actions to the unborn be killed on the Senate Floor. They worry that if it passes, it will spell the end of IVF treatments in the state of Florida. On Wednesday the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are considered […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—A bill banning local governments from providing community IDs to illegal immigrants passed its final committee stop Wednesday afternoon, though not before facing claims of "inhumanity". SB 1174 builds on a sweeping immigration package passed last session. One of the provisions prevented local governments from providing money to nonprofits so they could create community […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—The bill sponsor for a defamation bill threatening increased penalties for journalists and news outlets faced bizarre allegations of secret, back-door dealings in Wednesday's House Judiciary Committee, while the bill itself faced down claims of unconstitutionality. Proposed by Republican Rep. Alex Andrade, HB 757 presumes that if a reporter published a false statement by an anonymous […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—A bill allowing parents to collect damages for the death of their unborn child would grant rights to a fetus at all development stages, raising concerns about abortion and in vitro fertilization. Republican Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, who carried last year's six-week abortion ban, is sponsoring HB 651, which would expand Florida's Wrongful Death Act […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—A bill banning delta-8 and capping THC milligrams in hemp products divided House Republicans Tuesday afternoon, raising concerns about the economy and sick patients who use hemp to cope with their illnesses. "The legislature has made some mistakes," HB 1613's sponsor, Republican Rep. Tommy Gregory said Tuesday. "We've regulated marijuana instead of really focusing […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Seven weeks into the nine-week Legislative Session, the Florida House has unveiled a major new election bill, reinstating runoff primaries for the next Governor election and drastically reducing the number of mail-in ballot drop-off boxes—and Republicans are not happy. PCB 24-06, a 44-page bill revealed yesterday by the House State Affairs Committee, makes sweeping […]
