Suppression or security? Elections changes cause uproar
Four months ago, Gov. Ron DeSantis bragged that other states should emulate voting procedures in Florida, where former President Donald Trump’s solid Election Day victory over President Joe Biden was done and dusted long before midnight.
Bright Futures proposal to see changes
Under pressure that has included a student-led opposition campaign, lawmakers are expected to overhaul a controversial Senate proposal that would tie Bright Futures scholarships to a list of job-creating degrees.
The measure (SB 86) was tabled last week before it was set to be considered by the Senate Education Committee. Sponsor Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, told reporters at the time that he was receiving “a lot of different inputs” on the proposal, which he said left him wanting to “hit the brakes.”
Regulators eye Citizens Rate increases
Florida regulators on Monday dug into a proposal to raise rates for customers of Citizens Property Insurance Corp., with the state-backed insurer saying its policy counts — and financial risks — are increasing because of problems in the private insurance market.
‘At risk and forgotten’
One year.
That’s how long it’s been since the onset of “the new normal,” when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.
Ban on ‘disability abortions’ advances
A House panel Thursday backed a bill that would prevent doctors from performing abortions that women seek because of tests showing that fetuses will have disabilities.
House panel targets school board pay
After debating whether county school board members should be paid, and if ending salaries would threaten diversity on the boards, a House panel took a first step Friday toward letting voters decide the issue in 2022.
Dual enrollment plan gets Senate support
A Senate proposal that would create a dual-enrollment “scholarship” program for high school students taking courses at colleges and universities is ready to go to the full Senate. The bill (SB 52), sponsored by Sen. Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, seeks to reimburse higher-education institutions for tuition and instructional material costs incurred by students who are dual enrolled.
Florida sees slowing of unemployment claims
Florida continues to see a slowing of first-time unemployment claims, with applications last week the lowest since the coronavirus pandemic started a year ago and as more federal stimulus money is poised to flow to the state.
By the numbers: completed COVID vaccinations by age
A state report Wednesday showed that more than 2 million people have completed COVID-19 vaccinations. That total includes people who completed two-dose series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which only requires one dose. Here is a breakdown by age of people who have completed vaccinations:
— Ages 16 to 24: 24,313 people
— Ages 25 to 34: 84,645 people
Lawmakers look to address ‘COVID slide’
As the state’s standardized testing “season” looms for students, teachers and schools, proposals that would help accommodate for what is being called the “COVID slide” are receiving bipartisan support in the Florida Senate.