Tag: Gov Ron Desantis

Florida Republican Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Limit After Six Weeks

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Republican lawmakers in Florida filed bills Tuesday that would ban abortion after six weeks pregnancy.

On the first day of the legislative session, GOP legislators introduced such bills to the House and Senate – with a Republican supermajority – that would cut down the abortion window from the previously approved 15-week mark. The bills also allow for exceptions in the case that a mother was raped or fell victim to incest so long as they could prove such a crime.

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University of Florida Reports Significant Increase in Trans-Identifying Students, Sex Change Treatments in Response to DeSantis Audit

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University of Florida (UF) health centers reported an uptick in the number of transgender patients, fulfilling a request by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration in January, UF student newspaper the Independent Florida Alligator reported.

The Florida Office of Policy and Budget sent a memo to university leaders on Jan. 11 demanding reports about the number of patients treated for gender dysphoria at affiliated health centers. UF Health reported an increase in sex change treatments including puberty blocker prescription, hormone therapy, surgery and behavioral services at its various clinics since 2018, according to the reports obtained by the Alligator.

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DeSantis Signs Bill Ending Disney’s Special Self-Governing Status

The Center Square

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a bill ending the Walt Disney Company’s special self-governing status.

“Allowing a corporation to control its own government is bad policy, especially when the corporation makes decisions that impact an entire region,” DeSantis said in an announcement about the new law, which came largely in response to Disney’s advocacy against Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill, called the “Don’t say gay bill” by critics.

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Florida’s DeSantis, Legislative Leaders Push for Reforms Against Frivolous Lawsuits

The Center Square

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and legislative leaders want reforms to take on frivolous lawsuits and put a stop to what the governor calls “predatory” practices by trial lawyers.

DeSantis held a news conference in Jacksonville Tuesday with House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples about the proposals which would eliminate one-way attorney fees and fee multipliers for all lines of insurance, modernize Florida’s “bad faith” law, and put caps on damage claims to protect small businesses.

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Florida’s DeSantis Wants to Restrict Politically Motivated Investment Policies

The Center Square

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the Legislature to restrict politically motivated banking and investment policies with taxpayer funds and protect Floridians from discrimination from the banking industry in the upcoming session.

DeSantis held a news conference in Naples Monday to discuss legislative proposals to address environmental, social and governance investment policies. While ESG was prohibited in investment decisions for the state’s pension program through the State Board of Administration last year, DeSantis wants more restrictions.

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Florida’s DeSantis Seeks Tax Relief in Proposed $114 Billion Budget

The Center Square

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held a news conference in Tallahassee Wednesday to discuss his “Framework for Freedom” budget.

DeSantis’ proposed $114.8 billion budget contains some tax relief measures as the economy in the Sunshine State has performed far better than other states. Last year the state surplus was over $20 billion, and DeSantis stated that this money needs to go back to the people.

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DeSantis-Appointed College Trustee Clashes with Officials Over Prayer

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A New College of Florida (NCF) Board of Trustees member recently appointed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis clashed with board officials by requesting to open every meeting in prayer.

DeSantis appointed six new members to the NCF board of trustees earlier this month, a decision anticipated to move the college’s mission in a more conservative direction. Eddie Speir, one of the new appointees, announced on Twitter that he requested to begin every board meeting with prayer; however the request was denied by board chair Mary Ruiz and legal counsel David Smolker.

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Florida Democrats Still in Disarray After DeSantis’ Massive Midterm Victory

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Florida Democrats still have no clear leader or plan for the future two months after Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis swept the state in the November midterm elections, numerous lawmakers and leaders told The Washington Post.

DeSantis won his reelection by 19 points after winning his initial election by only 0.4 points in the former battleground state. There is no clear frontrunner to replace Manny Diaz, former Florida Democratic Party chair, following his recent resignation, and Democrats both within and outside Florida appear to be giving up on the third most populous state, according to the Post.

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DeSantis, State Legislature to Further Limit Chinese Influence in Florida

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he’s considering banning Chinese entities from purchasing property in Florida and that the state legislature was looking at ways to further restrict the communist country’s influence in Florida.

“We don’t want to have holdings [in Florida] by hostile nations. If you look at the Chinese communist Party, they’ve been very active gobbling up land … and when they have interests that are opposed to ours and we see how they have wielded their authority especially with President Xi [Jinping], who’s taken a much more Marxist-Leninist turn, that is not in the best interest of Florida to have the Chinese Communist Party owning farm land, owning land close to military bases.”

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DeSantis Wants to ‘Further Advance Protections for Innocent Life’

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican who signed a 15-week abortion ban into law last year, wants more protections for Florida’s unborn babies.

“The upcoming 2023 Florida legislative session starts in March, and we look forward to working with the Florida Legislature to further advance protections for innocent life,” press secretary Bryan Griffin shared with The Daily Signal on Tuesday afternoon.

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Conservative Christopher Rufo Among the Appointees to New College of Florida’s Board of Trustees by Gov. DeSantis

Just the News

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed conservative activist Christopher Rufo and five other people to the New College of Florida Board of Trustees with the goal of restructuring the university’s curriculum to a “classical liberal arts model.”

Rufo, a Manhattan Institute senior fellow and filmmaker known for his activism against Critical Race Theory, was appointed on Friday along with Hillsdale College Professor Matthew Spalding, Claremont-McKenna College Professor Charles Kesler, former Emory University Professor Mark Bauerlein, Inspiration Academy founder Jason Speir and attorney Debra Jenks. 

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Florida Achieved Economic Milestones in 2022

The Center Square

Florida’s economy reached many milestones in 2022, including recording it’s second lowest unemployment rate in state history and reaching record levels of job creation and budget reserves. It also closed 2022 with nearly $22 billion in surplus, the highest in state history, and decreased its debt by $1.3 billion.

“By keeping Florida free and open, we have created a positive economic environment and invested in our state’s workforce and communities,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said of the state’s economic progress. He’s touted Florida leading the U.S. “in net migration and talent attraction” while “other states continue to struggle at the hands of poor leadership; people and businesses are flocking to Florida.”

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Florida COVID-19 Committee Members Emphasize Importance of Restoring Public Trust Related to Vaccine

The Center Square

In response to Gov. Ron DeSantis creating a new Public Health Integrity Committee and filing a petition for a statewide grand jury to investigate potential crimes related to the COVID-19 vaccine, seven doctors on the committee expressed their support for the only governor in America taking such a stand.

The members of the new committee include Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, Martin Kuldorff, PhD, Tracy Beth Høeg, MD, PhD, Joseph Fraiman, MD, Christine Stabell Benn, MD, PhD, Bret Weinstein, PhD, and Steven Templeton, PhD.

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Trump Leads GOP Primary with DeSantis as Runner-Up: Poll

Just the News

Former President Donald Trump is the top choice for the 2024 Republican presidential primary, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis coming in as the runner-up, according to a new poll.

The Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll released Friday found that 48 percent of GOP voters said they would support Trump if the primary were held today, while 25 percent said they would vote for DeSantis. If Trump does not run in 2024, 48 percent of GOP voters said they would support DeSantis, with former Vice President Mike Pence as the runner-up with 15 percent support.

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DeSantis Announces Plan to Empanel Grand Jury to Investigate Wrongdoing Linked to COVID-19 Shots

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Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Tuesday that he has petitioned the Florida Supreme Court to empanel a statewide grand jury to investigate “any and all wrongdoing” linked to the COVID-19 shots to bring accountability to those who have engaged in misconduct.

In its petition to the state Supreme Court, the DeSantis administration said that the “pharmaceutical industry has a notorious history of misleading the public for financial gain” and the grand jury will probe “the development, promotion, and distribution of vaccines purported to prevent COVID-19 infection, symptoms, and transmission.”

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Florida County Is New Focal Point of Election Integrity Complaints in Pro-Election Security State

Just the News

Orange County, Fla., has become a focal point for election security complaints — from alleged ballot harvesting to unauthorized exposure of protected voter information — despite the state’s new emphasis on election integrity.

The office of the Orange County Supervisor of Elections (SOE), which has been led by Democrat Bill Cowles since he was first elected to his position in 1996, has come under scrutiny as whistleblowers have come forward in recent months to reveal an array of alleged election irregularities occurring on his watch.

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Judge Sides with DeSantis, Says Governor Won’t Have to Testify in Lawsuit Brought by Former Prosecutor

Just the News

A federal judge this week ruled that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will not have to testify in a lawsuit brought against him by a prosecutor he dismissed over the summer.

DeSantis made headlines in August when he fired State Attorney Andrew Warren after the latter indicated he would not enforce laws prohibiting sex-change operations for minors. “State Attorneys have a duty to prosecute crimes as defined in Florida law, not to pick and choose which laws to enforce based on his personal agenda,” DeSantis said at the time.

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Judge Blocks Florida’s Anti-Woke Law at Colleges and Universities

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A federal judge on Thursday blocked Florida’s “Stop W.O.K.E. Act,” signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, from being enforced at colleges and universities.

U.S. District Judge Mark Walker ruled Thursday that the legislation, which prohibits faculty from teaching race in a way that might induce “guilt, anguish or other psychological distress,” cannot be enforced at higher education institutions calling it “positively dystopian.” The ruling comes after two lawsuits by a Florida A&M professor and University of South Florida student and professor who argued the act was unconstitutional.

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Numerous Programs Exist to Assist, Recognize Florida’s 1.5 Million Veterans

The Center Square

Calling Florida the “most veteran-friendly state,” Gov. Ron DeSantis says state agencies and partners are committed to caring for its 1.5 million veterans through a range of programs and resources. Throughout Military Family Appreciation Month, Attorney General Ashley Moody is also highlighting the state’s efforts to protect them from scams targeting those in the military.

“Florida’s veterans have made countless sacrifices to protect our freedoms, and in return we are working hard to ensure they have the resources and support they need to be successful and take care of their families,” DeSantis said. “My administration will continue to invest in our veterans in the same way that they made sacrifices to invest in the freedom of our nation.”

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Trump Calls DeSantis an ‘Average’ Governor, Says He Was ‘Politically Dead’ Before Endorsing Him

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Former President Donald Trump criticized Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida Thursday in a statement posted on Truth Social, calling him an “average” governor who was “politically dead” and in “desperate shape” before Trump endorsed him in 2017.

“Ron came to me in desperate shape in 2017 – he was politically dead, losing in a landslide to a very good Agriculture Commissioner, Adam Putnam, who was loaded up with cash and great poll numbers. Ron had low approval, bad polls, and no money, but he said that if I would Endorse him, he could win,” Trump said in the statement.

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DeSantis Blasts Democrat-Run States as More People Flee to Florida

The Center Square

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who leads in all polls heading into Tuesday’s midterm election, has been blasting Democratic-run states on the campaign trail over the past week, pointing out that more people are “voting with their feet” and fleeing from woke leaders “running so many parts of our country.”

He made the remarks as at least nine incumbent Democratic governors’ races are too close to call and are considered “toss-ups.”

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New Campaign Ad Says on the Eighth Day God Made a Fighter: DeSantis

The Center Square

A new campaign ad dropped on Friday describing Gov. Ron DeSantis as one created by God to fight for freedom.

DeSantis is running for reelection to his second term and holds a more than 10-point lead over his Republican-turned-Democratic challenger Charlie Crist.

The governor’s wife, Casey DeSantis, posted the ad on Twitter, saying, “I love you, Ron. On behalf of millions of people, never stop fighting for freedom.”

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Massive Crowd Gathers for Zeldin Rally with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

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by Madeleine Hubbard   Rep. Lee Zeldin, New York’s Republican nominee for governor, said thousands of people attended his Long Island, New York, rally with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. With both men facing gubernatorial elections next week, some observers online noted that the giant turnout for the rally Saturday evening with DeSantis may foreshadow what his possible 2024 presidential campaign would look like, ADN America reported. “INCREDIBLE turnout tonight on Long Island for our Get Out The Vote Rally,” Zeldin tweeted after the event. “THOUSANDS strong showed up for our event on only one day’s notice.” INCREDIBLE turnout tonight on Long Island for our Get Out The Vote Rally with Florida Governor @RonDeSantisFL! THOUSANDS strong showed up for our event on only one day’s notice. 10 days until New York elects a new Governor. It can’t happen soon enough! pic.twitter.com/0rMVuNsYzW — Lee Zeldin (@leezeldin) October 30, 2022 DeSantis, who is double-digits ahead in some polls against his Democratic challenger, former Gov. Charlie Crist, focused on Zeldin’s tough-on-crime approach during the rally. “Florida is a law-and-order state. I am a law-and-order governor. If Lee Zeldin gets into office, New York will become a law-and-order state,” he said. NY deserves a leader who will restore law & order. @leezeldin is…

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DeSantis Suspends Deadlines for Property Tax Payments

The Center Square

Gov. Ron DeSantis is taking several actions to help Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian, including planning on calling a special session in December to address property taxes and property insurance reform.

He first issued an executive order to suspend property tax deadlines for residents in 26 counties impacted by Hurricane Ian. The order covers personal homes and commercial property that were either destroyed or rendered uninhabitable.

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Biden Praises DeSantis for His Leadership Overseeing Recovery Efforts

The Center Square

President Joe Biden praised Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for his leadership in overseeing recovery efforts after the devastation created by Hurricane Ian.

After surveying areas damaged by the hurricane, Biden met with the governor and state and local officials. At a news conference, he praised DeSantis’ management of recovery efforts, saying, “What the governor has done is pretty remarkable.”

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Florida AG Moody Issues Another Warning About Price Gouging, Disaster Scams in Aftermath of Hurricane Ian

The Center Square

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is issuing another warning to Floridians to be aware of fraudsters attempting to take advantage of those impacted by Hurricane Ian.

“Hurricane Ian devastated Floridians, destroying homes and leaving thousands without food, water or electricity,” Moody said. “Rebuilding will take months or longer – creating an inexhaustible demand for qualified contractors and debris removal services.

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DeSantis Issues Additional Warnings as Strengthening Hurricane Expected to Make Landfall Tuesday

The Center Square

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued new warnings Monday ahead of Hurricane Ian, expected to make landfall this week. It was upgraded from a tropical storm to a Category 1 hurricane Monday morning and is projected to strengthen to a major hurricane.

As of 11 am Monday, the storm was located roughly 375 miles south of Key West. It’s moving about 15 miles an hour north with maximum winds of 80 miles an hour. As it moves into the Gulf, it’s expected to strengthen into a major hurricane as early as Tuesday, DeSantis said.

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Florida Democrat Backs DeSantis: ‘Too Much Is on the Line’

Just the News

A top Florida Democrat has come out in support of Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in his reelection bid, citing policies of his opponent with which he does not agree.

In a Tweet this week, Palm Beach County commissioner Dave Kerner, who was previously the mayor of Palm Beach County, called DeSantis “the obvious choice this election cycle.” The governor faces a challenge from Democrat Charlie Crist, a former Republican governor himself.

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George Soros Network Bankrolled Activist Group Suing DeSantis over Martha’s Vineyard Flights

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A nonprofit network that left-wing billionaire George Soros backs has bankrolled an activist group that is suing Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other officials over the state’s move to fly illegal migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.

The advocacy law firm Lawyers for Civil Rights filed the lawsuit Tuesday with Alianza Americas, an immigration nonprofit, on behalf of “Vineyard migrants and all similarly situated people who are fraudulently induced to travel across state lines by DeSantis and the State of Florida.” Three nonprofits in Soros’ Open Society Foundations (OSF) network have notably given almost $1.4 million to Alianza Americas between 2016 and 2020, according to OSF records.

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DeSantis Responds to Critics of Martha’s Vineyard Migrant Flights

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Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida took on critics attacking him over flying illegal immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, during a Monday night Fox News appearance.

“Sean, it’s really frustrating. You have been covering this,” DeSantis told Fox News host Sean Hannity. “Millions of people since Biden has been president illegally coming across the southern border. Did they freak out about that? No. You had migrants die in the Rio Grande, you had 50 die in Texas in a trailer because they were neglected. Was there a freak out? No, there wasn’t.”

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Migrants Whom DeSantis Flew to Martha’s Vineyard File Class Action Suit Against Him

Just the News

Some of the migrants whom Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis flew to Martha’s Vineyard have filed a lawsuit against him and state officials.

These migrants allege that the group boarded the planes under false pretenses. The governor sent two planes of illegal migrants to upper crust liberal enclave Martha’s Vineyard late last week, prompting horror from the area’s residents and outrage from Democratic politicians. Authorities promptly relocated the migrants from the wealthy area to a military base near Cape Cod.

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NBC Deletes Tweet with Immigration Activist’s Quote Comparing Illegal Migrants to ‘Trash’

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NBC News was criticized after tweeting a quote from an immigration activist who compared the illegal migrants sent by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, to “trash.”

The since-deleted tweet included a link to a story titled, “DeSantis sending asylum-seekers to Martha’s Vineyard divides Venezuelan Americans.” The post stated: “Florida Gov. DeSantis sending asylum-seekers to Martha’s Vineyard is like ‘me taking my trash out and just driving to different areas where I live and just throwing my trash there,’ a founding member of a foundation which helps refugees says.”

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Crist Calls Florida GOP Gubernatorial Opponent ‘DeSatan’ in Surfaced Video

The Center Square

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist appears to have compared himself to Jesus Christ and Gov. Ron DeSantis to Satan at a campaign event in which he spoke about “decency.”

A video of the comments that was published on several social media channels surfaced from a volunteer kick-off event hosted by Pinellas County Democrats in March.

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DeSantis Activates Florida National Guard to Assist Corrections Officers

The Center Square

Gov. Ron DeSantis activated the Florida National Guard in an effort to provide ongoing assistance to the state’s corrections officers.

Activating the guard will help reduce overtime for corrections officers and provide temporary staffing relief as the state continues to fill vacancies. They were activated immediately as of Sept. 9 for a period of nine months or until they are no longer needed.

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Miami Doctor Uses TikTok, Hip-Hop Music to Promote Sex Change Surgeries to Teens

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Dr. Sidhbh Gallagher, a Miami-based plastic surgeon, advertises the “gender-affirming” surgeries she performs on adolescents on the youth-dominated social media app TikTok, a Daily Caller News Foundation review found.

Gallagher’s TikTok profile contains hundreds of videos about transgender-related surgeries she performs, some of which include photos or videos of her young patients showing off mastectomy scars. Her videos are part of the pro-medicalization, transgender-affirming trend encouraging young people on social media to pursue biomedical interventions.

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New Florida Legislative Proposal Saves Toll Drivers 50 Percent in Savings

The Center Square

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a new proposal for the legislature to consider next year to give toll road commuters a 50% discount.

Under the new plan, drivers who use toll transponders like SunPass and E-PASS and have 40 or more transactions a month would receive a 50% credit on their monthly bills. The proposal would benefit about 750,000 Floridians and save the average commuter $550 a year, according to estimates.

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Florida School Board Votes to Not Recognize LGBTQ History Month

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The Miami-Dade County Public Schools board has voted against a proposal to observe October as LGBTQ History Month, following the state’s recently enacted Parental Rights in Education law that prohibiting K through third-grade teachers giving lessons on “sexual orientation” or “gender identity.”

The measure – which critics and others frequently refer to as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill – was signed into law in March by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

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Gov. Ron DeSantis to Kari Lake: Florida Will Send National Guard Troops to Help Secure Southern Border

Neil Jones

PHOENIX, Arizona – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke to a theater full of onlookers in downtown Phoenix Sunday at a Turning Point Action rally to support local Trump-endorsed nominees like Kari Lake and Blake Masters. Mentioning Florida would be willing to help Lake secure the border if she gets elected.

“What I’ve told Kari Lake, I said ‘look, if you’re willing to put people on that border, and keep ’em [illegal immigrants] from coming in to begin with, I’ll send National Guard to help with that,” said DeSantis.

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Florida Pushes to Recruit Military Veterans for Teaching Jobs

The Center Square

Gov. Ron DeSantis is encouraging military veterans interested in teaching at Florida public schools to consider applying through a new program.

“Florida is leading the way by bringing some of the best, the brightest and the bravest among us into our classrooms through a new program that helps military veterans become teachers,” he said in a video announcement Thursday. “If you served in the military for at least four years, were honorably discharged, have taken 60 college credits, and pass a subject area exam, we want you to be able to teach Florida students.

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‘They’re Not Gatekeepers Anymore’: DeSantis Spokeswoman Pushaw Puts Media on the Defense

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Christina Pushaw, press secretary for Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, has been putting Democrats and the corporate press on defense by refusing to play along with what she says are partisan narratives.

Pushaw has garnered national attention for her active and sometimes aggressive interactions with journalists. Her strategy may serve as a playbook for conservatives who are ready to reject the media’s framing and communicate with the public on their own terms.

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DeSantis Signs Bill into Law Increasing Penalties for Illegally Selling, Distributing Opioids in Florida

The Center Square

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law that increases penalties for those who illegally sell and distribute opioids in Florida. It expands on a statewide strategy launched in 2019 to combat the opioid epidemic through education, treatment, prevention, recovery and law enforcement efforts.

“Floridians of all walks of life have witnessed the destruction caused by the opioid epidemic across our state,” DeSantis said. “While the Biden administration has failed to stop the flow of dangerous drugs, including fentanyl, across our southern border, we are taking action in Florida to lower both the demand and the supply of illicit and illegal drugs.”

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