Florida News Archive

Citizens Property Insurance Corp. leaders Tuesday approved a proposed 7.2 percent average rate increase for residential policyholders, while also backing a plan that could lead to substantially higher rates in the future for new customers of the state-backed insurer.

The Citizens Board of Governors took the steps as it faces a surge in additional policies amid troubles in the state’s private property-insurance market. The troubles have driven up private rates and caused companies to pull back on covering homes, spurring customers to turn to Citizens.

A controversial Senate proposal that would require Florida state colleges and universities to survey students about “intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity” on campus cleared its first hurdle Tuesday.

What isn’t clear is what would be done with the survey data if the bill ultimately passes.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity on Friday released a December unemployment report. Here are the county-by-county unemployment rates:

— Osceola County: 8.7 percent

— Miami-Dade County: 7.3 percent

More than 25,000 Florida residents have died since the COVID-19 pandemic hit early last year, according to numbers released Friday by the state Department of Health.

The department reported a major increase Friday of 272 resident deaths, bringing the total to 25,011. Florida also passed another troubling milestone this week, when it topped 9,000 deaths of residents and staff members of long-term care facilities — with the vast majority involving seniors in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.