Law shielding Florida lawmakers addresses among those that took effect this week

With Gov. Ron DeSantis signing a state budget and a flurry of other bills, the dust has settled on the 2025 legislative session.

by Jim Saunders, Jim Turner and News Service of Florida July 2, 2025July 15, 2025

News & Views

‘Gulf Of America,’ school start times and more freshly-signed laws for Florida educators

Lawmakers spent much of the 2025 legislative session at odds with each other, causing several education bills to be delayed until the last scheduled day of session.

by Jay Waagmeester and Florida Phoenix July 2, 2025July 8, 2025

News & Views

Florida Sen. Rick Scott was ‘surprised’ by spending in ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ but he still voted for it anyway

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released a calculation Sunday showing the bill would add $3.25 trillion to deficits over 10 years.

by Mitch Perry and Florida Phoenix July 2, 2025August 3, 2025

News & Views

Trump visits Florida on Tuesday for ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ opening

Protests are planned to start at 10 a.m.

by Jackie Llanos and Florida Phoenix June 30, 2025July 4, 2025

News & Views

SCOTUS ruling on porn age verification has implications for lawsuit over similar Florida law

Florida lawmakers passed the age-verification requirements in 2024 as part of a broader bill (HB 3) that also seeks to prevent children under age 16 from opening social-media accounts on some platforms.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida June 30, 2025July 9, 2025

News & Views

Former Florida Sen. Jeff Brandes says ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ could ‘have all kinds of issues with staffing’

‘Is it a federal facility, or is it a state facility that is leased to the feds? That’s an important distinction.’

by Ray Roa June 29, 2025August 1, 2025

News & Views

There’s now a lawsuit to stop ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ from operating in the Florida Everglades

Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity filed the suit in the U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida.

by Mitch Perry, Jay Waagmeester and Florida Phoenix June 27, 2025July 4, 2025

News & Views

Organizers for Florida’s citizen-led amendments prep for ‘surge’ of petition gathering

There will also be an intense focus on collecting signatures this weekend in St. Petersburg.

by Mitch Perry and Florida Phoenix June 27, 2025July 2, 2025

News & Views

Florida’s slavery memorial, ‘Circle of Chains,’ is now open to the public in Tallahassee

Lawmakers are eying a formal dedication this fall.

by Mitch Perry and Florida Phoenix June 27, 2025July 29, 2025

News & Views

Reparations checks for Survivors of Florida’s notorious Dozier school are now being processed

Hundreds of men who were abused as children at two notorious state reform schools are in line to receive checks of more than $21,000 in the coming days

by Dara Kam and News Service of Florida June 27, 2025July 15, 2025

News & Views

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is developing a new university accreditor to ‘upend the monopoly of the woke accreditation cartels’

DeSantis has focused heavily on “woke” ideologies by pushing legislation to ban state spending on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and remaking state higher education institutions to be more conservative.

by Jay Waagmeester and Florida Phoenix June 27, 2025July 7, 2025

News & Views

Florida’s state-backed Citizens insurance now has less than 800K policies

It expects to have fewer than 654,000 by the end of the year.

by Jim Saunders, Tom Urban and News Service of Florida June 26, 2025July 2, 2025

News & Views

DeSantis says ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ will have ‘zero impact’ on Everglades restoration

Democrats pushing back “don’t want the laws enforced at all” on immigration, he said in Tampa on Wednesday.

by Mitch Perry and Florida Phoenix June 25, 2025July 8, 2025

News & Views

Florida ranks 35th in child well-being, report says

The state’s education ranking plummeted from fifth to 19th since 2024, with 79% of eighth graders failing math benchmarks.

by Trimmel Gomes and Florida News Connection June 25, 2025July 13, 2025

News & Views

State attorney asks judge to toss out lawsuit over online gambling compact with Seminole Tribe

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida June 25, 2025July 3, 2025

News & Views

DeSantis signs bill that could clear the way for Florida’s Trump presidential library

Trump is a Palm Beach County resident.

by News Service of Florida June 25, 2025July 30, 2025

News & Views

DeSantis rushes ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ to detain undocumented immigrants in the Everglades

Critics called it a ploy to go viral at taxpayers’ expense.

by Christine Sexton, Jay Waagmeester and Florida Phoenix June 24, 2025July 1, 2025

News & Views

DeSantis warns of New Yorkers fleeing to Florida if ‘leftist’ Mamdani wins

The New York City Democratic mayoral primary happening Tuesday could impact Palm Beach.

by Mitch Perry and Florida Phoenix June 24, 2025July 3, 2025

News & Views

Florida gas prices went up as conflict between Israel and Iran escalated

AAA said the national average Monday was $3.22 a gallon, up 8 cents from a week earlier.

by News Service of Florida June 24, 2025June 26, 2025

News & Views

Florida Attorney General asks US Supreme Court to let state enforce blocked immigration law

The new law targets undocumented immigrants who enter the state.

by Jim Saunders and News Service of Florida June 24, 2025July 1, 2025

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Florida News

Law shielding Florida lawmakers addresses among those that took effect this week

‘Gulf Of America,’ school start times and more freshly-signed laws for Florida educators

Florida Sen. Rick Scott was ‘surprised’ by spending in ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ but he still voted for it anyway

Trump visits Florida on Tuesday for ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ opening

SCOTUS ruling on porn age verification has implications for lawsuit over similar Florida law

Former Florida Sen. Jeff Brandes says ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ could ‘have all kinds of issues with staffing’

There’s now a lawsuit to stop ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ from operating in the Florida Everglades

Organizers for Florida’s citizen-led amendments prep for ‘surge’ of petition gathering

Florida’s slavery memorial, ‘Circle of Chains,’ is now open to the public in Tallahassee

Reparations checks for Survivors of Florida’s notorious Dozier school are now being processed

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is developing a new university accreditor to ‘upend the monopoly of the woke accreditation cartels’

Florida’s state-backed Citizens insurance now has less than 800K policies

DeSantis says ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ will have ‘zero impact’ on Everglades restoration

Florida ranks 35th in child well-being, report says

State attorney asks judge to toss out lawsuit over online gambling compact with Seminole Tribe

DeSantis signs bill that could clear the way for Florida’s Trump presidential library

DeSantis rushes ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ to detain undocumented immigrants in the Everglades

DeSantis warns of New Yorkers fleeing to Florida if ‘leftist’ Mamdani wins

Florida gas prices went up as conflict between Israel and Iran escalated

Florida Attorney General asks US Supreme Court to let state enforce blocked immigration law

Everything we saw at the 2026 Tampa Pro [Photos]

Bob Buckhorn officially enters 2027 Tampa mayoral race, says he expects council members to ‘stay in their lanes’

Tennis legend Mike Bryan is selling his St. Pete Beach home for $2.5 million

St. Pete’s historic Mefford Mansion is now on the market in Snell Isle