Approximately 9% of America’s corporations moved headquarters since the beginning of 2022, the highest rate since 2017, with most corporations moving to Florida, Texas, and Arizona.
The states that corporations were most likely to abandon were Washington, New York, and California.
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis noted in an interview that he preferred baseball over basketball partly because the latter is played by guys who are “just freaks of nature.”
Speaking to the Christian Broadcasting Network, the 2024 GOP presidential candidate said baseball is a “thinking man’s game” that requires special skill sets, Newsweek reports.
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Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill last week that will expand prohibitions on direct-to-consumer auto sales in Florida while exempting electric car manufacturers such as Tesla.
House Bill 637, sponsored by state Rep. Jason Shoaf, R-Port St. Joe, prohibits legacy automakers from offering online sales or direct-to-consumer options if the licensee has existing dealerships that sell its vehicles in the Sunshine State.
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The state of Florida filed a lawsuit this week to challenge federal collaboration with accreditation organizations to usurp recent reforms to the Sunshine State’s higher education system.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Florida on Thursday with Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.
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A federal judge struck down Florida’s prohibition on Medicaid coverage for sex-change treatments, a rule previously set up by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Robert Hinkle, a U.S. District Judge appointed by former President Bill Clinton, ruled that Florida’s ban on Affordable Care Act coverage for puberty blockers and hormone therapy for people in Florida violated equal protection rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Hinkle called the rule “purposeful discrimination” and said the ban was instituted by DeSantis and the Republican-controlled legislature “for political reasons.”
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A recent follow-up audit from the Florida Auditor General’s office found several issues with the Lee County School District’s lack of oversight.
According to the audit, the school district had failed to properly investigate claims of alleged unemployment benefit fraud during the spring of 2020. The audit states that the district’s board and the superintendent were emailed about the alleged fraud but failed to produce evidence that the matter had been properly investigated externally and resolved. In response to the audit, the school district began an investigation in February 2023.
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Florida has provided over $100 million in down payment and closing cost assistance for nearly 7,000 veterans, active-duty service members, nurses, teachers, first responders and law enforcement officers as more Americans continue to relocate to the Sunshine State.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida legislature created the Hometown Heroes Housing Program to help those who serve their country and their communities to be able to afford to live where they serve.
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Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California claimed Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida was among those who “weaponized” the issue of men competing in women’s sports.
“I think the trans issue has — has come on as a more divisive issue in the context, particularly of sports, where it’s also been weaponized, and issues around pronouns,” Newsom said during a Wednesday interview with Fox 11 reporter Elex Michaelson. “I remember the first time I was on Zoom, and all of a sudden I saw these different pronouns. And that even took me, I was like, ‘What’s this?’ I didn’t fully understand that.”
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Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the state’s record-setting budget on Thursday which will increase state employee salaries, spend $1.6 billion on restoring the Everglades ecosystem and speed up infrastructure projects across the Sunshine State.
House Bill 2500 is the General Appropriations Act and the state budget for fiscal year 2023-24. Dubbed the “Framework For Freedom Budget” by the DeSantis administration, the bill provides $117 billion in state funding for projects across the state, including increases in education funding, teacher salaries and recruitment bonuses to attract more law enforcement officers.
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The College Board, the organization that oversees the administration of Advanced Placement (AP) tests and courses, has declined to alter the contents of its materials to comply with Florida law restricting the discussion of certain sexual topics in public schools.
Florida bars discussion of those matters from kindergarten through the twelfth grade. The state previously limited such discussion from kindergarten through the third grade, but expanded the measure. The state had previously asked the College Board to review its materials to determine which of its courses would require adjustment to comply with the expanded state guidance.
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Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody on Wednesday honored out-of-state police officers who relocated to Florida, the majority of whom have relocated to Pinellas County.
As part of her Thin Line Tribute: Sunshine Salute Series, she met with them at a press conference at the St. Petersburg Police Department.
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by Mary Lou Masters Miami’s conservative Mayor Francis Suarez announced Thursday morning he’s seeking the Republican nomination for president in 2024, joining an increasingly growing GOP primary field. Suarez filed the paperwork to run for president with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Wednesday. The 43rd Miami mayor’s announcement comes ahead of his official campaign launch speech Thursday evening at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute in Simi Valley, California. The mayor’s announcement makes him the third presidential candidate from Florida, along with his governor, Ron DeSantis, and former President Donald Trump. Suarez has the backing of a political action committee (PAC) SOS America, who has already begun fundraising for the mayor, and released a campaign-like advertisement video harping on his record in Miami for cutting taxes, decreasing crime and bolstering the business community. “America needs a leader ready to act — Francis Suarez will not back down,” the video said. “A father, a husband and a proud believer in American exceptionalism. Protecting American families, supporting law enforcement and defending the American dream — this is Miami Mayor Suarez’s Miami Model.” Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is running for President https://t.co/uTeOzqHM9U — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) June 14, 2023 Before being elected as the city’s first Miami-born mayor in…
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Tax revenue in the Sunshine State is exceeding projections, according to a recent report from the Office of Economic and Demographic Research.
General revenue collections for April showed a gain of $384.8 million, 7.9% higher than what was forecast by the General Revenue Estimating Conference held in March with 72% of that revenue from corporate income tax.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been working for months on plans to tear down and rebuild both the Department of Justice and the FBI, consulting with experts and members of Congress to develop a “Day One” strategy to end what conservatives see as the weaponization of the justice system.
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Loyola Marymount University President Timothy Law Snyder recently wrote an op-ed for the Miami Herald arguing Ron DeSantis is on the losing end of the woke battle in education since most students today are already socially liberal by the time they enter college.
Snyder suggests that DeSantis is out of touch with undergraduates, stating, “Has DeSantis met the college students of the year 2023? If he has, he has somehow missed entirely their makeup and conviction.”
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Actress Denée Benton directly compared Republican Florida Governor and 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis to the “Grand Wizard” of the Denée Benton (KKK) in a speech delivered Sunday night at the 2023 Tony Awards show.
Benton made reference to “the current Grand Wizard — I’m sorry, excuse me — governor of my home state of Florida” at the Tony Awards, an annual ceremony for Broadway plays and musicals. Her equation of the conservative governor to the national leader of the KKK received applause from the New York City audience.
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While the owners of the Tampa Bay Rays want a new stadium and a plan could be approved as soon as this fall, state funding will likely not be forthcoming due to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ policy against public funding of professional sports stadiums.
Team owner Stuart Sternberg has denied rumors that the team would leave St. Petersburg’s Tropicana Field, but team officials want a replacement for the domed stadium built in 1990 and home to the team since their debut in 1998. The team’s lease at Tropicana Field expires in 2027.
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Republicans in Florida are speaking out against the latest indictment of former President Donald Trump, who announced on Thursday night that he has to appear in federal court Tuesday in Miami to face charges over his handling of classified documents after he left the White House.
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Florida public retirees will get some improvements in their benefits, but larger, structural improvements to the state’s defined benefit pension system were not pursued by lawmakers this session.
The Florida Retirement System’s 629,073 members will receive a cost of living adjustment that they last received in 2011 and first responders will have their retirement age lowered.
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Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona on Wednesday and held a roundtable discussion on border security efforts with sheriffs from across the nation.
During his visit, DeSantis touted efforts taken by Florida to combat illegal immigration within the state and along the southern border, such as relocating illegal aliens who wish to be transported to sanctuary states and cities.
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Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law on Tuesday a bill that creates a Digital Bill of Rights for Floridians.
Senate Bill 262 sponsored by State Sen. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, creates the Digital Bill of Rights, which includes the right to control personal data and the right to delete, confirm, and access personal data on social media platforms.
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Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody won another round against the Biden administration in federal court, this time in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
On Monday, the court ruled to keep in place an injunction against the Department of Homeland Security’s parole program. The injunction was issued by a federal district judge in Florida last month. DHS appealed the judge’s ruling and lost.
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New details have emerged about the legal battle between the state of Florida and the Walt Disney Company after the presiding judge recused himself from the case.
U.S. Judge Allen Winsor (appointed by former President Donald Trump) will take over the case after U.S. Judge Mark Walker (a former President Barack Obama appointee) recused himself on Thursday. On Friday, Winsor issued an order setting a deadline for June 26 for the state of Florida to file a motion to dismiss the case and gave a deadline of July 26 for Disney to file a counter filing.
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Florida’s three largest universities must vastly expand their instruction on constitutional principles under a new law recently signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The new law refocuses three already established academic centers at Florida State, University of Florida and Florida International University, retooling them with an emphasis on nurturing patriotism and western-democratic thought through active instruction.
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Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law this week that will help protect Florida’s water resources and support conservation efforts in the Sunshine State.
House Bill 1379 was sponsored by Rep. Kevin Steele, R-Hudson, and Rep.Tobin Overdorf, R-Stuart, and will create designated funding for the state’s conservation efforts as part of DeSantis’ common sense conservation agenda.
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Smart & Safe Florida, a campaign supporting a ballot initiative to legalize marijuana in Florida, has collected 967,528 valid signatures, exceeding the 891,523 valid signatures needed to be placed on the ballot in 2024.
State officials confirmed on June 1, that the campaign had submitted enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot and had met the signature distribution requirement mandating that signatures equaling at least 8% of the district-wide vote in the last presidential election be collected from at least half (14) of the state’s 28 congressional districts.
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A new poll shows Florida Governor Ron DeSantis statistically tied with former President Donald Trump in the Sunshine State’s presidential primary race, a reversal of fortune for DeSantis from a few months ago.
But Fort Meyers, Florida-based pollster Victory Insights has provided no topline or key demographic background data on the poll, raising more questions about surveys used to power a narrative that DeSantis is more electable than Trump.
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The Department of Defense has put a stop to a “child-friendly” drag show event slated for Thursday at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) declared the decision to cancel the drag show a “huge victory” in the wake of his demands for answers on why such shows on military installations are continuing despite statements to Gaetz during a House Armed Services Committee hearing by Biden Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley that they were not aware such events were occurring and that they agree they should not be held.
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A recent audit of the Miami-Dade County School District has revealed several issues with accurate record-keeping and sound financial management.
The Florida Auditor General found nine separate issues, ranging from IT and security concerns to failing to correct deficiencies in annual inspections.
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Florida is one of the top destinations for vacationers and the state’s economy has experienced a boost as other states continue to feel the effects of shutting down during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Florida experienced record tourism numbers in the first quarter of 2023. Around 37.9 million visitors poured into the Sunshine State between January and March, the largest number of visitors ever recorded in a single quarter, according to Visit Florida estimates.
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So far in 2023, six states signed school choice legislation into law, giving millions of families and their children education options, including access to taxpayer-funded vouchers.
Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Utah, South Carolina and Oklahoma all signed legislation into law that makes at least some, if not all students within the states, eligible for taxpayer funded vouchers or a tax credit that can be used on education expenses such as private school tuition, textbooks and transportation. Under the legislation enacted in 2023, millions of students across the country are now able to attend schools outside their designated zip code or apply to receive funding in order to seek a private or a homeschool education.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis put his pen to work, signing 27 bills into law this week covering topics such as crime, regulation of drones and other issues.
Most of the new laws signed on Thursday will go into effect on July 1, the first day of the fiscal year.
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Florida National Guard, state troopers, and other personnel are in “full force,” assisting with Gov. Greg Abbott’s border security mission, Operation Lone Star (OLS), at the Texas-Mexico border, Gov. Ron DeSantis says.
On May 16, Abbott requested aid from his fellow 49 governors to help secure its border. Within hours, DeSantis announced Florida’s pledge to help. Within a few more hours, 24 governors had pledged their support.
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Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed several bills over the past few years designed to improve the U.S. history and civics knowledge of Florida students.
The need for such reform was spotlighted by a decline in eighth grade social studies scores on The National Assessment of Educational Progress examinations. These tests designed to measure student achievement in several subject areas in the fourth, eighth and 12th grades.
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While much of the focus has been on the southern border ahead of the public health authority Title 42 ending May 11, Title 42 never applied to those interdicted at sea.
And a new policy implemented April 27 makes Cubans and Haitians attempting to enter illegally by sea indefinitely disqualified from a new Department of Homeland Security parole process.
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Chinese citizens living in Florida sued the state Monday over a new law that prohibits people from “countries of concern” from purchasing certain property within the state.
People from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Syria are barred from purchasing property within 10 miles of “any military installation or critical infrastructure facility” and agricultural land under the law, SB 264, signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 8. Backed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the plaintiffs allege that Florida’s law, which will take effect on July 1, expands housing discrimination and has “farreaching stigmatizing effects among people of Chinese and Asian descent,” according to the complaint.
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Florida has become the first state in the nation to officially accept the Classic Learning Test as an alternative to SAT and ACT, the latter of which are considered ideologically slanted to the left.
The legislation, signed earlier this month by Gov. Ron DeSantis, makes the exam eligible as an option for students seeking to qualify for state-funded scholarships to Florida colleges and universities. It also allows school districts to offer the CLT to 11th graders.
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The NAACP ( National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) Board of Directors issued a travel advisory for the state of Florida in what the civil rights organization says is in “direct response” to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ policies on black history and diversity, equity and inclusion programs in state schools.
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Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that while the exodus from large cities is slowing down, several Florida cities are still among the nation’s fastest-growing municipalities.
The Census Bureau’s latest report shows Florida had three out of the top 15 fastest-growing cities, both in terms of percentage and raw numbers.
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A Florida fifth-grade teacher justified her decision on CNN to show her students an LGBT-themed Disney movie claiming that parents who complained about it are “ignorant.”
Journalist and Grabien founder Tom Elliott tweeted a clip of CNN’s interview Monday night with Jenna Barbee, a fifth-grade teacher at Winding Waters School, a K-8 school in the Hernando County district, who is under investigation over possible violation of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law, recently expanded to prohibit classroom instruction in sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades from K-12, rather than only K-3.
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Federal prosecutors have asked the courts to dismiss an indictment against former Florida Democrat governor candidate Andrew Gillum.
Gillum lost the state’s 2018 gubernatorial race to Republican Ron DeSantis by less than 1 percentage point.
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New College of Florida (NCF) students raised more than $90,000 to hold an alternative commencement ceremony to oppose the “hostile takeover” prompted by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointment of conservative trustees earlier this year, according to its GoFundMe page.
The alternative commencement, titled “[NEW] Commencement: On Our Terms,” is scheduled to be held on May 18 at an alternative venue to recognize graduates on the students’ “own terms, separate from the official commencement ceremony,” its GoFundMe description reads. DeSantis appointed six new members to the Board of Trustees, which led to backlash from students who disagree with the conservative members.
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Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a measure into law on Friday that bans the use of a central bank digital currency in the state of Florida and further bans the use of CBDCs issued from foreign government reserves and central banks, including China’s digital Yuan.
“I’m just glad we are thinking ahead here in the state of Florida because once this genie is out of the bottle, I think it will be very hard to put back in,” DeSantis said, adding that cash is king, and allows a person to control their own lives.
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Data shows that despite lingering inflation, Florida’s economy is excelling.
The latest data from the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research shows tax revenues are up and federal data reveals the Sunshine State had the nation’s 10th lowest unemployment rate.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law on Tuesday that bans automatic payroll deductions for teachers union dues.
Under the “Employee Organizations Representing Public Employees” law, public-employee unions are no longer allowed to automatically deduct dues from paychecks and must annually notify members of union costs. The bill, signed into law by DeSantis Tuesday, passed the state Senate in March, 23-17, and the state House in a 72-44 vote.
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Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law Monday a bill that would block Chinese ownership of agricultural land and property near military installations, the latest state to crack down on Communist Party control of U.S. sites.
The law prohibits anyone from China and other totalitarian regimes, including Iran, Russia, Venezuela, Syria, Cuba and North Korea, from having a stake in any property within 10 miles of Department of Defense installations or critical infrastructure. A separate bill, also signed into law Monday, creates additional hurdles for foreign ownership of private schools after federal lawmakers raised red flags over Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ties to a private Florida high school operating a military pre-enlistment program.
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Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Friday to nullify Disney’s last-minute agreements intended to curb the governor’s state control board implemented to oversee the corporation’s special tax district.
Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District anticipated the governor’s signing of legislation to revoke the company’s self-governing privileges, and made eleventh-hour agreements granting Disney control of the district’s developmental rights and privileges. DeSantis signed the bill to nullify those agreements, as they were made within the three-month window that the state control board was enacted.
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The Florida legislative session has come to an end after state lawmakers made their final votes on the budget on Friday.
Senate Bill 2500, the General Appropriations Act, passed both chambers on day 60 of the regular session and is set to be far higher than initially planned, reaching an estimated $117 billion, $7 billion higher than the previous year’s budget.
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Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill on Wednesday that will allow the purchase of prescription drugs outside of the U.S.
DeSantis held a news conference in Jupiter to sign the “Prescription Drug Reform Act” into law, a measure that advocates say will lower prescription drug costs for customers in Florida.
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Planned Parenthood is planning on launching a ballot measure initiative to roll back Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ newly-signed six-week abortion ban, according to Politico.
DeSantis signed a bill April 16 to protect the lives of the unborn after six weeks gestation with exceptions in cases of rape, incest and human trafficking, or when the mother’s life is in danger. Planned Parenthood, a pro-abortion advocacy group, is attempting to curb the governor’s efforts by attempting to create a ballot initiative allowing for abortions until fetal viability, according to Politico.
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