Florida Legislature

You have heard of candidates for elected office getting on their high horse to kiss babies, shake hands, and aggressively ask for campaign donations and support, right? Meg Weinberger, a philanthropist and animal rescue maven from Palm Beach County who running for the Republican nomination in Florida’s 94th State House District, literally jumped on one […]

Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) announced a growth rate in private sector jobs for January. Adding 37,900 jobs over the year (0.4%), Florida doubled the national private sector job growth average for the same period. The state4's labor force growth nearly tripled the national average over-the-year in January as it grew by 243,000 jobs (2.2%) compared […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL—On the last day of the Florida Session, the Legislature has decreed that strip clubs can no longer employ dancers under 21, due to a Republican-led bill that passed Friday morning. Democrats, however, claimed legislative inconsistencies: why should an 18-year-old be able to buy a gun, but not become a stripper? "We have to […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL—In a rare break from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the Republican-led Senate has refused to confirm DeSantis-ally and Moms for Liberty co-founder, Tina Descovich, to the state ethics commission due to an unnamed Senator's concern of "lobbying the Legislature". Moms for Liberty is considered a right-wing, parental rights advocacy group that Descovich proudly co-founded […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL—Florida public schools will soon have their doors open wide for religious officials of all denominations to provide counseling, even—Democrats worry—Satanists and Santeria sacrifices. If signed into law, school chaplains would be available beginning this Fall. The measure provides for volunteer clergymen in schools, charging these religious officials with providing mental health and spiritual counseling […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL—The Florida Legislature has passed a revamped social media ban for minors following the Governor's veto of its old form, though critics believe that constitutionally, the bill is doomed to fail. HB 1 was a Republican-led bill banning all children under 16 on social media platforms, regardless of parental wishes. In a surprising show […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL—In a last-minute move in the final week of session, the Florida Senate altered an anti-human trafficking bill to raise the stripper age from 18 to 21, making Democrats worry this will lead young, struggling women to head down the dangerous avenue of prostitution. Proposed by Republican Sen. Bryan Avila, SB 796/HB 7063 originally […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL—The abortion debate continues to run rampant through the halls of the Florida Capitol, most recently winding its way into a bill compiling state-sanctioned pregnancy resources into a website for expectant mothers. "It is an online hub to display the wraparound services available in Florida that support women and families throughout pregnancy and parenting," […]

Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), and over thirty House lawmakers co-sponsored a bill to declare the migrant crisis at the southern border an “invasion.” According to Rep. Bilirakis’ , the legislation is an attempt to “help bolster the legal arguments of states in federal court who are seeking recourse against the federal government […]

Since becoming the Florida Democratic Party Chair, former Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried (D-FL) launched the “Take Back Florida” tour to gain voter registrations for the left side of the aisle. After years of Democrats dominating the state of Florida in terms of party affiliation of its residents, Republicans – for the first time in […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL—Boys who were tortured and raped at a now-shuttered reformatory school will each receive up to $50,000 in restitution due to a new bill passed Monday by the Florida Legislature. The Dozier School for Boys operated from 1900-2011, with one campus in Marianna and another in Okeechobee. Nearly 100 boys died and were buried […]

Government affairs firm Capital City Consulting announced that former senior advisor to Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) Heather Barker has been hired by the firm. The former senior advisor will head the firm’s political fundraising, charitable and non-profit fundraising, and assist in “business development and the facilitation of business-to-business strategic partnerships,” according to Capital City Consulting’s […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL—The Florida Legislature's second attempt at social media regulations for children has passed the Senate Floor, providing for increased parental rights provisions. The bill replaces its sister measure, which was killed by the Governor after outcries for increased parental discretion. Sponsored by Republican Sen. Erin Grall, HB 1 would have issued a blanket ban […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL—A Republican Lawmaker accused of racism for saying that slaves were paid has turned the spotlight on Democrats, claiming that liberals want to ban books that support his assertion that some slaves received wages. Last week, Republican Rep. Alex Andrade took part in a heated discussion over HB 1291 on the House Floor, a […]

DeSantis Kills Social Media ban Bill. The eighth week of the Florida Session was jam-packed with groundbreaking legislation, with Lawmakers pushing several bills through the Legislature and onto the Governor's desk. The biggest bill signed this week was a measure allowing for the unsealing of Jeffrey Epstein's grand jury documents, hoping for increased transparency and […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL—Gov. Ron DeSantis has officially killed the highly contested social media ban for minors, but that doesn't mean the Legislature is done with regulating these platforms. On Monday, Lawmakers'  quickly-drafted Plan B measure will be seen on the Senate Floor, one that they hope is more agreeable to the Governor. "I have vetoed HB […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL—The option to refuse a breathalyzer test has been all but removed with a new anti-drunk driving bill that passed the Senate Floor Friday afternoon, threatening first-time offenders with license suspension or a year-long interlock device. Proposed by Republican Sen. Nick DiCeglie, SB 260 punishes drunk drivers who want to refuse a blood, urine, […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL—The Florida House is trying to lower the rifle-buying age to 18, reversing a 2018 law enacted following the massacre at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas. Despite being a "non-starter" in the Senate, the House is still trying to push this bill through the Legislature. "People need to be able to protect themselves," HB 1223's sponsor, […]