Jim Turner

The state analysts projected tourism could start to experience an uptick midway through 2021, although foreign travel will continue to lag for several years.

State economists have estimated lawmakers will be working with a potential budget shortfall of about $2.7 billion for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

“One of the things we can do to help Central Florida is, and I think the president wants to do this, let’s get travel from Brazil back, let’s get travel from the European countries back,” DeSantis said.

Almost 40 percent of the state’s public-school students have been studying remotely in the current semester.

“There really isn’t any one particular thing that we can hang our hat on and say, ‘Well, this is what protected Florida this year.’”

Overseas travelers could reach 6.8 million in the 2023 fiscal year, reach 9 million the next year, but not reach 10 million until the 2028 fiscal year.

Since mid-March, the department has received 4.68 million jobless claims.

The economic impact of the pandemic could stretch across years, even if vaccines start to become available in the coming months.

“We need to stop treating our environmental budget like a giant pork-barrel buffet.”

“We cannot blame all of law enforcement for the sins of a few.”

“We didn’t just hold the line,” Sprowls said. “We didn’t just pick up one seat or two. We picked up five.”

The chamber on Friday called the task-force process “a new way of deliberately planning for the population increases we know we are going to have.”

Morgan says he’s “happy” with the job DeSantis is doing and doesn’t see himself running for political office or bankrolling another amendment.

Democrats have maintained that the larger the turnout, the better for their candidates.

The registration change charge carries penalties of up to five years in jail and up to $5,000 in fines.

“To shut it off entirely at this point, I think it’s counterproductive,” DeSantis said.

The 1992 presidential contest had the highest modern turnout rate at 83 percent.

Since mid-March, when the pandemic started to damage Florida’s economy, more than 4.38 million unemployment claims have been filed with the state.

As of Monday morning, 2.5 million ballots had been cast by mail, with Democrats returning nearly 1.23 million, while Republicans had returned 757,696.

“Democrats are leading in the metrics that will determine this election and returning their ballots at a higher rate than Republicans — and we aren’t letting up.”