Florida News Archive

An influential appointed panel that recommends changes to the Florida Constitution every 20 years is again in the crosshairs of state lawmakers.

With bipartisan support, the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee on Wednesday backed a proposal (SJR 204) by Sen. Jeff Brandes that would ask Floridians to eliminate the 37-member Constitution Revision Commission.

With the bill’s sponsor saying the coverage hasn’t kept up with the times, the latest effort to end Florida’s no-fault auto insurance system chugged through its first Senate committee on Tuesday.

The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee backed the proposal (SB 54), which seeks to replace a requirement that motorists carry personal-injury protection coverage — key to the no-fault system — with mandatory bodily injury coverage.

An estimated 1,700 in-person school days were lost as a result of COVID-19 isolation and quarantining and one person died after a two-day wrestling tournament that featured athletes from 10 high schools across three Florida counties, according to federal study released Tuesday.

After an outbreak of 3,405 cases in 2019, Florida reported 1,009 cases of hepatitis A in 2020. Here is a breakdown of the counties that had the most cases in 2020 of the contagious liver disease: 

— Duval: 209

— Escambia: 126

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.

With frustrations mounting amid a constrained supply of COVID-19 vaccines, Florida’s top public-health official urged hospital executives on Tuesday to turn to county health departments if they need to vaccinate newly hired staff members and patients.

Trying to return former President Donald Trump and other banned conservatives to social-media platforms, two Florida lawmakers filed proposals Tuesday that would prohibit state agencies and local governments from contracting with some tech-industry giants.

Citizens Property Insurance Corporation’s Board of Governors on Tuesday approved a pair of rate hike recommendations that make Citizens rates more competitive with private insurance company policies to slow the flow of policyholders returning to the Florida’s insurer of last resort.

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday approved a proposal that would give Florida businesses that “substantially” comply with public-health guidelines broad protection from coronavirus-related lawsuits filed by customers and employees.