The Florida Senate recently passed bills 28-9 that would change all state statutes as well as require state agencies, school boards, and charter schools to update geographic and instructional materials from the “Gulf of Mexico” to the "Gulf of America." The widespread changes now head to Gov. Ron DeSantis's desk for his signature. Sen. Nick […]
The Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice recently advanced a bill 8-0 that would require the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to post names of those convicted of animal cruelty on its website. Sen. Tom Leek (R-St. Augustine) sponsored the bill (SB 494). Rep. Linda Chaney (R-St. Petersburg) filed a similar House version […]
The Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development unanimously advanced a bill 14-0 on Thursday that would extend toll exemptions in Florida to include drivers of vehicles and motorcycles with Purple Heart specialty license plates. Sen. Jay Collins (R-Tampa) explained his bill (SB 574) to the committee. Rep. Tom Fabricio (R-Miami Lakes) filed […]
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced state-level charges on Thursday against Ryan Wesley Routh, the attempted assassin of then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump last year. “On September 15th, 2024, Ryan Routh attempted to assassinate then presidential candidate Donald J. Trump at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach,” Uthmeirer said. “Shortly after the […]
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently announced that the Sunshine State broke another tourism record with a 15.5% share of the domestic vacation market in 2024, a 1% increase from last year's mark. “Florida is the world’s favorite place to visit,” DeSantis said in a press release. “This record tourism is a result of policies that […]
The Florida House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill 111-0 on Wednesday that would exempt police officers, correctional officers, correctional probation officers, and service members of the United States Military from the mandatory three-day waiting period for firearm purchases. Rep. Jeff Holcomb (R-Spring Hill) explained his bill (HB 383) on the House floor. The bill […]
WASHINGTON—Newly-elected U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis on Wednesday praised Congressman Byron Donalds for announcing his Florida gubernatorial run while telling First Lady Casey DeSantis to either get in the race or step aside. "I think Byron's got a heck of a head start, albeit it's eighteen months out. A lot of things can happen in eighteen […]
Incumbent Mayor Vince Lago soundly defeated City Commissioners Kirk Menendez and Michael A. Abbott to retain leadership in the Coral Gables mayoral election on Tuesday. Vince Lago received 55% of the vote to 38% for Commissioner Kirk Menendez. Michael A. Abbott came in a distant third place with 7% of the vote. Lago has been […]
The Florida Senate unanimously passed a bill 37-0 Wednesday that would divert criminally appropriate defendants suffering from mental illnesses into treatment programs instead of incarceration. Sen. Jennifer Bradey (R-Fleming Island) championed SB 168, also known as the Tristan Murphy Act. Rep. Nan Cobb (R-Eustis) is sponsoring the House version of the bill (HB 1207), which […]
The House State Affairs Committee advanced a joint resolution 16-6 Tuesday to the chamber floor that would amend the Florida Constitution to institute eight-year term limits for county commissioners and school district board members. Rep. Michelle Salzman (R-Escambia County) explained a strike-all to her joint resolution (HJR 679) to the committee. The strike-all, which passed, […]
The House Education and Employment Committee favored a bill Tuesday that would require public schools and charter schools to train its employees to identify potential students victimized by human trafficking and take necessary action. Rep. Erika Booth (R-St. Cloud) explained her bill (HB 1237) to the committee. The legislation is also co-sponsored by Rep. Tobin […]
Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried recently expressed confidence that Florida could again become a battleground state after small victories in two special elections last week. "It is a realistic goal, and I think we showed proof of concept this past week that within four months, we were able to go into areas like Escambia […]
Gov. Ron DeSantis celebrated the University of Florida's championship success after the Gators men's basketball team defeated the Houston Cougars, 65-63, to win their third national title in program history. "After tonight’s championship win, the list of universities that have won three national championships in both football and basketball: 1. The University of Florida. End […]
The Miami-Dade Democratic Hispanic Caucus recently launched a county-wide billboard campaign exposing four Cuban-American Republican politicians for their "cowardice and neglect" to immigrant communities, particularly as the Trump administration seeks to end temporary protected status (TPS) to Venezuelans living in the United States. The four Republicans attacked were Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. […]
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced charges to eight individuals connected to an international child pornography ring after authorities uncovered advertisements on social media selling large amounts of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Led by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the investigation revealed a group led by Mehmet Berk Bozuyuk, a resident of Turkey, allegedly […]
Florida college and university leaders discussed Monday how the House of Representatives' recent budget proposal to trim $4 billion would affect higher education for state students, particularly those who use Effective Access to Student Education (EASE) grants, which some rely on to pursue degrees in the healthcare industry. Members of the discussion were from the […]
Florida Republican Congressman Randy Fine said Sunday that permanent tax cuts for Americans should be a top priority for House Republicans in the Trump agenda after he was elected to the Hill last week in an interview with Kevin Corke on the Fox Report. "Lower tax rates incent people to work harder. It incents them […]
Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago issued a statement Saturday condemning fake code violation notices being sent to city residents. The false flyers were reportedly designed to mimic official City of Coral Gables Code Enforcement citations on homeowners with $500 fabricated violations. "This is nothing short of a coordinated campaign of intimidation,” Lago said in a […]
