Florida Republican Rep. Carlos Gimenez raised the alarm after 17 Chinese nationals were apprehended in Key Largo, which is inside his district.
“Florida Highway Patrol and U.S. Border Agents detained 17 Chinese nationals after illegally making landfall in Key Largo – my district,” Gimenez said on Thursday.
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Florida’s Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book has filed three pro-abortion bills for the 2024 legislative season.
Senate Bill 256 focuses on crisis pregnancy centers – clinics that provide a variety of reproductive services for free to the community, including prenatal care and anti-abortion counseling. The clinics are not required to be licensed or inspected and Book, D-Plantation, wants regulation.
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A new bill has been filed in the Florida Legislature that would allow nonviolent offenders to receive parole after serving a certain amount of prison time.
House Bill 223 is sponsored by state Rep. Alina Garcia, R-Miami, and would make provisions for parole granted to nonviolent prisoners under certain circumstances while retaining jurisdiction for courts.
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On Monday, the Surgeon General of Florida recommended against the COVID-19 booster for individuals under 65, making Florida the first state to advise its residents to avoid the risky shots.
In a bulletin and video statement aimed at health care providers, Dr. Joseph Ladapo said that based on all the available data, the booster shots—formulated for the XBB.1.5 Omicron subvariant—are not worth the risk.
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Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration ordered two major universities in Florida to remove Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapters from campus Wednesday, citing the organizations’ support for “terrorism.”
Multiple student organizations at elite colleges and universities signed open letters or held rallies in support of Palestinians following the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, including the University of Florida and the University of South Florida. The chancellor of Florida’s university system, Ray Rodrigues, called on the colleges to disband SJP chapters Tuesday following their declaration of support for Palestinians, alleging they violated Florida’s antisemitism laws.
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According to the latest figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Florida has a seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate of 2.8% and ranks 14th overall, sharing a spot with Kansas and Hawaii.
Of the five largest states by population — California, Texas, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania — Florida has the lowest unemployment rate. At the same time, New York, Texas and California all sit above the national average of 3.8%.
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The Florida Legislature has called a special legislative session to expand sanctions on Iran, express support for Israel and advance several legislative priorities.
Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner issued a joint proclamation on Friday outlining eight agenda items including prioritizing tax relief and other financial assistance related to damages resulting from Hurricane Idalia. Other items on the agenda include expanding funding for recovery efforts related to natural disasters and expanding school choice for students with special needs.
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A Florida lawmaker has filed a new bill to impose term limits on county commissioners.
House Bill 57 is sponsored by Rep. Michelle Salzman, R-Cantonment, and would introduce a term limit for county commissioners, limiting them to two four-year terms.
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Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida announced a $3 million ad buy on Thursday, the largest of any 2024 Republican Senate candidate to date.
Scott, who defeated then-Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida in 2018 following a contentious recount battle, previously served two terms as governor of Florida, and he faces a challenge from former Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who is the current frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. “The game is now rigged against hardworking Americans who still believe in this country, believe in God and the American values of hard work, patriotism and self-reliance,” Scott says in the ad.
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A Democratic opponent of Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida in the state’s 2024 election has withdrawn from the race to challenge a Republican member of the House of Representatives, instead.
Phil Ehr, a U.S. Navy veteran and former Democratic candidate against Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida in 2020, announced Wednesday that he would run to challenge Republican Rep. Carlos Giménez of Florida. Ehr’s withdrawal makes former Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell of Florida the favorite in a crowded field to win the primary, according to polling.
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Ray Rodrigues, the chancellor of the State University System of Florida, issued a memo Friday to university presidents warning that pro-Palestinian protesters, who allegedly called for Israel to be “wiped off the map,” may have violated Florida law, according to an email obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at Florida State University (FSU) hosted a protest on Oct. 11 advocating for “Palestinian resistance” just days after Hamas, a U.S.-designated Palestinian terrorist organization, attacked Israel, killing over 1,300 and wounding thousands, according to Florida’s Voice. Rodrigues said in his memo that allegations had been made that protesters called for Israel to be “wiped off the map” and warned university presidents, if true, the behavior would “not be tolerated.”
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After Hamas attacked Israel, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the state would be advancing greater sanctions against Iran. He also declared a state of emergency and issued an executive order to activate the national and state guard and other agencies to help bring Americans home who are stranded in Israel.
According to some news reports, there are roughly 20,000 Americans, including many, who are stranded in Israel. They are unable to get out because of commercial flight cancellations and other travel and logistics disruptions due to the ongoing war with Hamas.
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Florida homeowners’ policies are becoming more expensive, but officials say improvements are in the offing as more companies enter the market.
On Tuesday, the Florida Senate’s Committee on Banking and Insurance heard an update from the state’s insurance commissioner and the state’s property insurer of last resort.
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A new bill has been filed that would ban the practice of citizen’s arrest in Florida, but will likely find resistance in a Republican-dominated Legislature.
House Bill 27 is sponsored by Rep. Christopher Benjamin, D-Miami Gardens, and would prohibit citizen’s arrests while specifying exceptions. In the bill’s text, it states that a private person who is not in law enforcement is unable to arrest another citizen for any perceived violations of state law.
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Within days of Hamas attacking Israel, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state plans to increase sanctions against the Iranian regime. The new sanctions include expanding the industries on Florida’s scrutinized companies list and strengthening Florida’s position against states that sponsor terror.
DeSantis said that as the federal government has eased sanctions on Iran and funded state-sponsored terrorism by sending billions of U.S. taxpayer money to Iran and restoring hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Palestinians that was previously halted by the Trump administration, Florida is taking the opposite approach.
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Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody of Florida asked the state Supreme Court Monday to review language for a proposed abortion amendment that would enshrine the practice up to viability, according to The National Desk.
The amendment was submitted by Floridians Protecting Freedom (FPF) and has amassed 0ver 400,000 of the 891,523 signatures needed by Feb. 1 to get the amendment on the November 2024 ballot, according to The National Desk. Moody has been vocal in her opposition to the amendment and told the court Monday that she felt FPF’s proposed language did not “satisfy the legal requirements” for a spot on the ballot.
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The Florida Supreme Court is pondering the definition of a riot related to a law passed in 2021 designed to prevent violent protests like those seen in 2020 after the death of George Floyd.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil, Jacksonville/Duval County Sheriff Mike Williams, and Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony were named as defendants in the 2021 lawsuit filed by Dream Defenders and other social justice groups including Black Lives Matter.
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According to a recent report, Florida is the nation’s best for education freedom, but one expert says only minor changes are needed for a perfect score.
The American Legislative Exchange Council recently put Florida at the top of its 2023 ALEC Index of State Education Freedom: A 50-State Guide to Parental Empowerment rankings.
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Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday alleging that the Biden administration threatened to withhold grant funding over a new state union law, according to an office press release.
The suit claims that the federal government is violating the Spending Clause and the Administrative Procedure Act by threatening to withhold more than $800 million in funding for not complying with federal union laws after the state passed SB 256 earlier this year, according to a press release from Moody’s office. SB 256 places a number of restrictions on public unions, including a prohibition from using government resources to deduct union dues from certain workers’ paychecks, requiring unions to notify members of the cost of membership and requiring unions to undergo annual audits and financial disclosures, according to a press release.
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Former President Donald Trump holds a commanding lead over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in their shared state of residence.
Trump claimed the support of 57% of Republican voters in the Sunshine State to the governor’s 22% in a recent poll from Tony Fabrizio, who surveys for a pro-Trump super PAC. Fabrizio conducted this survey for a private client, according to The Messenger.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday his campaign brought in $15 million during the third fundraising quarter, according to a press release.
DeSantis is the first 2024 GOP presidential candidate who has announced the figures ahead of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) filing deadline on Oct. 15. The governor raised just over $20 million during his first fundraising quarter as a presidential candidate, and entered this fundraising quarter with $12.2 million cash on hand.
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Crime convictions three years before applying for barber or cosmetologist licensure would not be held against the applicants under a proposal from an Orlando state senator.
Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, said she is “giving these important common sense policies that represent my constituency’s interests one last push towards the finish line.” Senate Bill 42 is similar to past efforts that have failed in the last two legislative sessions.
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After a legislative session where Florida lawmakers passed universal school choice, the state was recognized as the nation’s best in a recent report for its policies on education.
The nonprofit American Legislative Exchange Council, which previously published the Report Card on American Education over the past 25 years, has a new publication, The Index of State Education Freedom: A 50-State Guide to Parental Empowerment.
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A privately funded passenger rail line that launched last week between Miami and Orlando holds great promise, Robert Poole of the Reason Foundation told The Center Square.
“It shows what can really be done if you approach it as a true business venture,” said Poole, the foundation’s director of transportation policy.
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A recent report from Florida TaxWatch proposes new measures to help combat storm water runoff and reduce flooding through the use of green infrastructure.
Over the past few years, the Sunshine State has had its fair share of severe storms, as recently as August, when Hurricane Idalia made landfall in the Big Bend region of the state, causing widespread flooding to coastal towns.
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If Wednesday’s second GOP presidential primary debate proves to be anything like the first, we’re in for a night of political punches and maybe a rhetorical gang fight or two as the candidates look to score points in another Trump-less bout.
With former President Donald Trump skipping the debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA, top tier candidates like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Ohio entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley will try to tell those watching why they’re a better option than the race’s far and away frontrunner — and the rest of the crowded field of Republican candidates.
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Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office announced that four schools will no longer receive school choice scholarships after an investigation from the state education department found the schools allegedly had “direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party.”
DeSantis’ announcement Friday targets the Lower and Upper Sagemont Preparatory Schools in Weston, located west of Fort Lauderdale, and the Parke House Academy and Park Maitland School, both of which are located in Winter Park, a northern suburb of Orlando.
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The Sunshine State is quickly outpacing the rest of the country as a top solar energy installer, which looks to continue in coming years.
According to data from the Solar Energy Industries Association, Florida was ranked third in the country in 2022 behind Texas and California, installing around 12,000 megawatts of generation capacity since 2013, enough to power 1.51 million homes.
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A Florida House subcommittee met this week to discuss implementing some of the elements of a bill that passed during the 2022 session designed to promote responsible fatherhood.
House Bill 7065 was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in April of 2022 and was designed to “aid in creating and sustaining safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for children and families that allow children to grow up to their full potential,” and also focuses on responsible fatherhood.
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On Wednesday, Republican presidential candidate Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his energy plan. It includes reversing all Biden administration policies to get gasoline prices at the pump back to $2 a gallon in 2025.
Gas prices and all other household goods reliant on petroleum have soared to over 40-year highs since President Biden implemented new energy policies in 2021. They include canceling the Keystone Pipeline on his first day in office, halting offshore and onshore lease sales, advancing EPA and other regulatory restrictions solely on U.S. oil and natural gas companies, halting investments in the industry by imposing environmental, social governance policies to restrict lending to U.S. oil and natural gas companies, among other policies.
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New rules approved by officials in Florida this week are designed to increase accountability from pharmaceutical companies when it comes to drug pricing.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday that he and the Florida cabinet approved rules that will allow the implementation of provisions within Senate Bill 1550, the Prescription Drug Act.
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A bill seeking to prevent Florida women from being prosecuted for seeking abortions out of state was filed last week as the state Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of the state’s six-week abortion ban.
In a news release, Florida Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Davie, said she had filed legislation to prevent pregnant women and girls from being criminally charged and imprisoned for obtaining an abortion, stating that the new bill — Senate Bill 34 — was in response to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ claim that only abortion providers would be prosecuted.
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The Tampa Bay Rays will reportedly announce plans Tuesday for a new $1.2 billion domed stadium that could cost up to $600 million in public funds.
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Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez extolled the conservation efforts of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration at an award ceremony Friday for the Florida Python Challenge.
Nunez said that she is proud to be part of keeping Florida’s natural environment pristine.
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Ballotpedia tracked one new recall effort against a local official in Florida from Sept. 4 through Sept. 10, bringing the yearly statewide total to six efforts against five officials. The most recent effort is: Henry Rosenthal recall, Islamorada, Florida (2023): Seat 4 Village Councilman.
Recall organizers accused Rosenthal of malfeasance, alleging that he asked the village’s planning director to ask the rest of the council how they planned to vote on an amendment he needed for a project to open a theater and entertainment venue in the village, which violated multiple Florida laws.
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Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo said Wednesday that the Sunshine State will be the first state to officially recommend against COVID-19 boosters for those under age 65.
The state, in its guidance, discourages use of the booster for those under age 65 because the new U.S. Food and Drug Administration boosters lack a human clinical trial and evidence of their efficiency or benefits.
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There will be some changes to committee assignments when the Florida Legislature reconvenes in January.
Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, has announced new committee assignments ahead of the start of interim committee meetings on Sept. 18. Lawmakers can start filing bills on Monday.
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Florida’s Medicaid enrollment continue to decline, according to recent data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on health policy, research and polling.
According to data from the Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker, the number of people on Medicaid in the Sunshine State declined 7% from April to July, shrinking from 5.78 million to 5.36 million.
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Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is launching a new statewide crime fighting initiative involving former America’s Most Wanted host John Walsh.
Moody made the announcement in West Palm Beach on Wednesday with Florida Association of Crime Stoppers President Frank Brunner, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, other law enforcement officials, and Walsh.
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Miami Dade County school board members rejected a proposal Thursday that would have recognized October as “LGBTQ history month,” according to Politico.
Miami-Dade County school board members acknowledged LGBTQ History Month in 2021 but did not do so in 2022 after the school board was realigned ideologically with members endorsed by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, according to Politico. School board members voted against the measure 5-3 following hours of public comment and debate on the issue.
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Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida on Wednesday blasted the lengthy sentences given to Proud Boys members and said that he is considering pardons to “ensure that everyone’s treated equally.”
Multiple members of the group were sentenced to prison terms of up to 22 years over their involvement in Jan. 6. DeSantis noted that similar sentences were not imposed over the riots that followed the death of George Floyd in May 2020, which resulted in at least 24 people being killed and caused nearly $1 billion in property damage.
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Floridians Protecting Freedom, sponsors of an initiative that would prohibit restrictions on abortions before fetal viability, have submitted 297,586 valid signatures as of Sept. 1, qualifying the proposal for a review by the state Supreme Court.
The initiative would provide that “no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s health care provider.” The amendment would not change the state legislature’s ability to require parental notification for abortions sought by minors.
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Nine counties in Florida have areas that will no longer be eligible to participate in a federal loan program for rural housing due to population increases.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development completed its recent review of rural areas nationwide, using data from the 2020 U.S. Census. The ruling goes into effect for those areas on Oct. 1.
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A Florida judge this weekend struck down a congressional map approved by GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, ruling it diluted minority voting power in the region, making it “unconstitutional.”
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Despite being hit by Category 3 Hurricane Idalia, gas prices in Florida have decreased by five cents going into the Labor Day weekend.
The average gas price in Florida was $3.69 per gallon of regular according to the American Automobile Association, down from $3.75 last week but four cents more than last month. The national average is $3.83.
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Florida state officials say more than 476,000 electric customers have had their power restored 48 hours after Hurricane Idalia made landfall.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a news briefing on Thursday that there were 91,000 customers in Taylor, Madison, Lafayette, Hamilton, Suwannee, Dixie and Jefferson counties that awaited restoration after Idalia made landfall on Wednesday in the Big Bend as a Category 3 storm.
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Hurricane Idalia’s path of destruction through four different states has left at least three people dead and caused up to $20 billion in estimated damage.
The storm, which first hit Florida’s northern Gulf coast Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane, traveled through Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina before entering over the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday.
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Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has effectively rejected nearly $350 million dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) designated for use in Florida, according to Politico.
The IRA, President Joe Biden’s signature climate spending bill, sets aside money for rebates for consumers to buy more efficient appliances that the Biden administration is pushing and to help low-income individuals buy solar panels for their homes, according to Politico. DeSantis and the Florida legislature have effectively refused $3 million set aside for cleaning up pollution, $5 million in federal funds to set up the appliance rebates program and $341 million to actually fund that program.
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Members of the Texas A&M Task Force 1 deployed to Florida on Tuesday ahead of Hurricane Idalia to help Floridians.
Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to deploy the task force, saying, “The State of Texas is sending personnel and resources to Florida as Hurricane Idalia prepares to make landfall in Florida tomorrow.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 46 counties in Florida on Monday as Tropical Storm Idalia is predicted to make landfall as soon as Wednesday as a major hurricane.
The National Hurricane Center predicts Idalia to stroke the Big Bend of Florida as a Category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
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