Florida News Archive

President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday rolled out a sweeping $1.9 trillion pandemic relief plan that, if adopted by Congress, would direct about $400 billion toward directly controlling the coronavirus.

It’s a big lift, even as Democrats prepare to assume a narrow majority in the U.S. Senate. And already some Republicans — including Florida U.S. Sen. Rick Scott — have questioned portions of the plan, especially the extra financial help for states. Scott said that, while there were some “good things” in the proposal, it would result in bailouts for “wasteful, liberal states.”

The state’s rocky rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations came under scrutiny this week, as Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees made the rounds of House and Senate committees.

Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, chided Rivkees, saying Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration hasn’t been open with the public about the effort to get shots in arms.

House and Senate committees this week kicked off meetings in advance of the 2021 legislative session, as a pandemic-created “new normal” transformed the Capitol and neighboring environs.

Adams Street, where restaurants, the members-only Governors Club and swanky offices are situated just steps from the Capitol, typically would have been abuzz.

State lawmakers, advised this week about limited tax dollars amid the COVID-19 pandemic, have already proposed 43 hometown projects worth more than $45 million. 

And hundreds more are expected before the 2021 legislative session starts in early March.

State and local law enforcement agencies in Tallahassee are bracing for potential protests at the Florida Capitol this weekend and early next week, although officials say there are no specific threats right now.

“We do not have any specific intelligence, but the national narrative that’s going around, we’re certainly aware of that and planning for that as well,” Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell told city commissioners on Wednesday.

Florida officials maintained Thursday they can still land Space Force operations and facilities, a day after the state was passed over for the command headquarters of the newest military branch.

The new primary target is the Space Training and Readiness Command field command, or STARCOM, which is set up to handle education, training and unit testing for Space Force.

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.