Florida Republican lawmakers file flurry of Trump-inspired immigration bills

DeSantis called the special session because he wants lawmakers to make changes to help carry out President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida January 27, 2025February 3, 2025

News & Views

In Florida, it’s not as simple as just calling it the ‘Gulf of America’

Florida laws shows at least 55 statutes include references to the Gulf of Mexico, while local-government ordinances also are tied to the traditional name.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida January 22, 2025May 6, 2025

News & Views

Florida Republican wants to undo law that would force high schools to start later

The proposal (SB 296), filed by Sen. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, would undo changes that lawmakers passed in 2023.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida January 20, 2025April 23, 2025

News & Views

Florida manatees will remain a threatened species, says federal wildlife officials

Florida manatees for decades were considered endangered species, which can receive more protections than threatened species.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida January 13, 2025May 20, 2025

News & Views

Former State Attorney Andrew Warren’s legal fight with DeSantis is pretty much dead

A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the dismissal of Warren’s lawsuit against DeSantis, saying the case is moot.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida January 10, 2025April 30, 2025

News & Views

Conservative lobbyists are pushing for Florida’s controversial pronoun law to extend to cities and counties

Labriola said he hopes the issue will be considered during this year’s legislative session, which will start March 4.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida January 9, 2025May 8, 2025

News & Views

Florida court rules cops can’t search vehicles based on alert from drug-sniffing dogs

The ruling could add complexity to police searching vehicles without obtaining warrants.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida January 8, 2025June 15, 2025

News & Views

Porn advocates ask judge to stop enforcement of new Florida age verification law

Pornhub drew national attention last month when it said it would block people in Florida from having access to the site because of the law.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida January 8, 2025June 14, 2025

News & Views

Century-old Tropicana supplier ends Florida citrus production, blaming disease and storms

Fort Myers-based Alico Inc. said it will not spend additional money on citrus operations after the current crop is harvested.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida January 7, 2025July 17, 2025

News & Views

House Ethics report finds evidence Matt Gaetz paid for sex and drugs, including with a minor

Gaetz also filed a federal lawsuit Monday in Washington, D.C., seeking to block the committee from releasing the report.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida December 23, 2024June 8, 2025

News & Views

Trial will decide if Florida’s DEP violated Endangered Species Act, causing manatee deaths

Florida had a record 1,100 manatee deaths in 2021, with the largest number, 358, in Brevard County, the focus of the lawsuit.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida December 23, 2024May 20, 2025

News & Views

EPA approves Florida plan for radioactive roads made from toxic waste

The possibility of using phosphogypsum in road projects has long drawn opposition from environmental groups.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida December 20, 2024July 15, 2025

News & Views

Florida’s population topped 23 million people this year

Florida’s increase of 467,347 people was second only to Texas, which gained 562,941.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida December 19, 2024April 21, 2025

News & Views

State regulators will allow Tampa Electric to raise rates in 2025

Tampa Electric requested that the Public Service Commission approve a $287.9 million increase in 2025.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida December 19, 2024May 26, 2025

News & Views

‘Constitution does not mandate comfortable prisons’: Florida seeks to toss lawsuit over extreme heat in prisons

The allegations focus, in part, on the effects of heat on older inmates with medical conditions.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida December 18, 2024May 2, 2025

News & Views

Rate hikes at Tampa Electric teed up for 2025

Tampa Electric has about 844,000 customers in Hillsborough, Polk, Pasco and Pinellas counties.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida December 16, 2024June 15, 2025

News & Views

Florida appeals court rules in favor of Rick Wilson over tweets roasting former Trump advisor Michael Flynn

Wilson referred to Flynn in a 2022 tweet as “Putin employee Mike Flynn” and in 2023 retweeted “FYI, Mike Flynn is Q.”

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida December 11, 2024February 6, 2025

News & Views

State of Florida agrees to pay $725K in legal fees after losing lawsuit over ‘Stop Woke’ act

The underlying lawsuit involved a challenge to part of the law that placed restrictions on addressing race-related issues in workplace training

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida November 21, 2024March 9, 2025

News & Views

PAC that led push for Florida’s abortion amendment will fight state’s $328K fine

Floridians Protecting Freedom on Nov. 1 sent a request to the Department of State for an evidentiary hearing on the fine.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida November 20, 2024April 2, 2025

News & Views

New Florida Senate president says he wants to hold the insurance industry accountable and lead a ‘rural renaissance’

Calling himself a “proud son of rural Florida,” Albritton asked senators to join him in “the fight for a rural renaissance in Florida.”

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida November 19, 2024March 26, 2025