Florida News Archive

With the coronavirus pandemic significantly reducing state tax revenues, the House appropriations chairman told his committee Wednesday to expect budget cuts.

And don’t anticipate that possible additional federal assistance will cover the projected shortfall.

Abortion opponents will seek approval during this year’s legislative session of a bill that would prevent abortions beyond five months of pregnancy.

The bill, which was announced in an online news conference Wednesday, has not been filed but is being called the Florida Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. Similar measures have been filed in the past but have not received legislative approval. This year’s session will start March 2.

The Florida Department of Transportation is urging a judge to reject bondholders’ arguments that it did not have the authority to suspend tolls on a controversial Panhandle bridge since a September hurricane.

As lawmakers gathered this week in Tallahassee, the scene in the Capitol was a stark departure from the typically convivial initial round of committee meetings in advance of the legislative session.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday his decision to steer highly sought-after COVID-19 vaccines to people 65 and older has been vindicated by a Trump administration announcement that it will do the same.  But the Trump administration’s decision to use supplies it has held in reserve to vaccinate more people has some Florida hospitals worried. “There’s […]

Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Tuesday that law enforcement “reinforcements” will be on hand if anyone plans to participate in armed protests at the state Capitol.

A Senate Republican on Monday filed a proposal that could refuel a debate about regulation of vacation rental properties.

Florida on Monday topped 23,000 reported deaths of residents because of COVID-19. Here are the 20 counties with the most resident deaths:

— Miami-Dade: 4,441

— Palm Beach: 1,972

Florida U.S. Sen. Rick Scott on Friday asked President Donald Trump to attend the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to demonstrate “the peaceful transfer of power to our people and to the world.”

Graduation rates for Florida high school students ticked up this year, with 90% of students graduating, according to a state Department of Education report released this week.