Florida News Archive

Florida is considering legal avenues to challenge federal guidelines that keep passenger cruise ships from sailing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, as efforts continue to convince the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to lift restrictions.

With supporters saying the issue is about property rights, the Florida House on Friday overwhelmingly passed a bill that would allow people to carry guns at churches that share locations with schools. House members voted 76-37 to approve the measure (HB 259), sponsored by Rep. Jayer Williamson, R-Pace, and Rep. Cord Byrd, R-Neptune Beach.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that all Floridians ages 40 and older will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations starting Monday. DeSantis focused initially on vaccinating seniors and health-care workers but has gradually loosened eligibility requirements. Here is a breakdown of the ages of people who had been vaccinated as of a Wednesday count:

— Ages 16 to 24: 99,482 people

— Ages 25 to 34: 241,935 people

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced that all Floridians ages 40 and older will be able to receive COVID-19 vaccinations starting Monday and that all adults will be eligible on April 5.

A Senate committee next week will consider a proposal that would raise maximum state unemployment benefits to $375 a week, an issue that has drawn heavy attention during the past year as the COVID-19 pandemic led to massive layoffs.

A proposal that could allow high schools to offer prayers over public-address systems before athletic championship games is headed to the full Florida House.

In Florida insurance circles, it’s known simply as the “glide path.”

For the past decade, the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. has been prevented from raising individual customers’ premiums more than 10 percent a year to avoid soaring increases.

The Biden administration announced Tuesday that it will extend by three months a special enrollment period for Americans to sign up for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, giving people until Aug. 15. The extension will give people additional time to tap into health-insurance subsidies that were included in the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package passed by Congress this month.

A divided appeals court on Tuesday approved a waiver for a 16-year-old girl who is seeking to have an abortion without her parents being notified. The majority of a three-judge panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal said a Polk County circuit judge had improperly denied the waiver of a state law that ordinarily requires parental notification before minors can have abortions.

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration has swept away four emergency orders dealing with visitors to nursing homes, just days before the Legislature is poised to pass a bill that would help shield the facilities from lawsuits associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.