Florida Lawmakers

The Florida House unanimously passed a bill 112-0 on Wednesday that would increase boating safety in the state in honor of 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez, who tragically died after a 2022 boat crash during Labor Day Weekend on Biscayne Bay "Lucy's Law" was filed by Reps. Vicki Lopez (R-Miami) and Vanessa Oliver (R-Punta Gorda). "House Bill 289 […]

TALLAHASSEE—Four years after Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a bipartisan bill that would have eliminated the requirement for Florida drivers to buy personal injury protection, the measure, which passed its first House committee Thursday, has returned. Filed by Republican Rep. Danny Alvarez, HB 1181 swaps the state's no-fault automobile insurance system with a fault-based one. It […]

Republican lawmakers are defending President Donald Trump’s administration as they face criticism for enabling a leak of military information after granting a journalist access to a private channel used by top defense and intelligence officials.  The Atlantic’s Editor in Chief Jeffrey Goldberg recently claimed he was added to a Signal chat with top Trump administration […]

TALLAHASSEE—For the third year in a row, the Florida House passed a bill lowering the gun-buying age to 18, reversing a law passed in the wake of the state's deadliest school shooting, even though the Senate has yet to schedule the bill for a hearing. This is the third time the state House has passed […]

TALLAHASSEE—Florida Senate Democratic Leader Jason Pizzo gave an update on the status of condo reform bills currently going through the legislative session. It's fair to say Sen. Pizzo is not optimistic the bills to address the issue will cross the legislative goal line. "The House version of the condo bill and the Senate version are […]

TALLAHASSEE—The Florida Legislature could put its own definitions into citizen-led ballot amendments with undefined terms, according to a petition fraud bill that passed its final House committee on Wednesday. The sweeping 45-page bill, filed by Republican Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, was approved by the House State Affairs Committee Wednesday afternoon after three hours of debate. It […]

The Senate Committee on Transportation favored a bill 8-0 on Tuesday that would exempt 100% disabled veterans from having to pay tolls in the State of Florida. Sen. Blaise Ingoglia filed the bill (SB 532) in the Senate. Rep. J.J. Grow (R-Inverness) is carrying the House version (HB 445). Sen. Ingoglia explained the bill to […]

The Senate Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability advanced a controversial bill 5-2 that would prohibit the use of preferred pronouns in Florida workplaces and limit gender identity training for state and local government employees. Sen. Stan McClain (R-Ocala) sponsored the bill (SB 440). Rep. Rachel Plakon (R-Lake Mary) leads the House version (HB 1495). […]

President Donald Trump is defending National Security Advisor Mike Waltz after the latter reportedly mistakenly granted The Atlantic’s Editor in Chief access to sensitive military information.  Editor in Chief Jeffrey Goldberg recently claimed he was added to a Signal chat with top Trump administration officials where they discussed the US’ recent strikes on Houthi targets.  […]

The Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources advanced a bill 8-0 on Tuesday that would designate the American Flamingo as Florida's official state bird and the Florida scrub-jay as the official state songbird. If passed, the American flamingo would replace the northern mockingbird as the official state bird. The mockingbird has been Florida's state […]

TALLAHASSEE—Because two Republicans stepped out, and a third voted “no,” a conservative Florida bill that would have allowed guns on school buses and in university dorms died in its first Senate committee on Tuesday. The final vote on Sen. Randy Fine’s SB 814 was 4 “nays” to 3 “ayes” in Tuesday’s Senate Criminal Justice Committee. […]

TALLAHASSEE—Florida became only the second state in the union to unveil a Holocaust memorial. Governor Ron DeSantis, along with First Lady Casey DeSantis hosted a ceremony of the unveiling of the monument at the Capitol Complex’s “Memorial Park.” During his remarks, Gov. DeSantis reminded attendees that the state of Florida sent “$20 million funding to […]

TALLAHASSEE—A hotly contested Florida bill banning Pride, Black Lives Matter, and Trump flags in schools and atop government buildings passed its second Senate hearing on Tuesday. Filed by Republican Sen. Randy Fine, expected to head to Congress in April, SB 100 would outlaw all “politically partisan” flags, which he says include flags denoting race or […]

TALLAHASSEE—Florida teens could work night shifts and eight hours without a meal break, according to a controversial child labor bill that passed its first Senate committee on Tuesday.  Filed by Republican Sen. Jay Collins, SB 918 continues the Republican-led Legislature’s efforts from last year to loosen child labor laws. This comes after Gov. Ron DeSantis […]

Florida Sate Senator Randy Fine (R) is pulling no punches in the lead up to the special election for the US’ House of Representatives 6th Florida seat.  Senator Fine has been fiercely criticizing his Democrat opponent, Joshua Weil, for questionable actions he reportedly committed while being a public school teacher.  According to Fine and local […]

The Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a bill 14-0 on Monday that would require a person 18 years of age or older to complete a traffic law and substance abuse education course to obtain a Florida driver's license and pass a driver's education safety course for a learner's permit. Sen. Jay Collins (R-Tampa) filed the bill […]

President Donald Trump has announced new ‘secondary tariffs’ on Venezuela that impose a general 25% levy on exports from any country purchasing Venezuelan oil.  The tariffs come as US-Venezuela relations sour due to President Trump’s discontent with Venezuelan Dictator Nicolas Maduro’s immigration policies as well as his undemocratic practices. Trump blamed Venezuela for “purposefully and […]

A jury has found two Eastern European individuals guilty of conspiring to kill US-based journalist Masih Alinejad after being hired to do so by Iran. Polad Omarov and Rafat Amirov were hired by Iran to murder Alinejad due to her fierce criticism of Iran’s theocratic authoritarian government.  Omarov and Amirov were high-ranking members of an […]