As an appeals court considers the constitutionality of a 2023 Florida law banning children from attending drag shows, it is pondering whether the case moot after Hamburger Mary’s, the Orlando restaurant challenging the law closed. An attorney for Hamburger Mary’s argued in a brief to the court that the business has continued to produce drag shows with other venues and plans to host shows when it reopens in Kissimmee.
Florida Legislature
Doctor Faces $10,000 Fine for Violation Abortion Waiting Period
After the state Department of Health called for revoking the doctor’s license, the Florida Board of Medicine this week issued a final order imposing a $10,000 fine and reprimanding a physician who did not comply in 2022 with a law requiring 24-hour waiting periods before abortions can be performed.
From Facebook Ban to Building Regulations, These Nine New Florida Laws Go in Effect on Tuesday
From banning minors from social media to imposing harsher penalties for getting too close to first responders, these nine laws go into effect on New Year’s Day.
As Florida Celebrates Ignorance, SAT Scores and College Rankings Drop, Teachers Flee
A recent column in the Independent Florida Alligator laments how college professors and other educators who teach disfavored subjects or use certain words are beginning to self-censor. The headline reads, “Think While It’s Still Legal.” Gov. Ron DeSantis and his angry regime aren’t big fans of thinking. Or learning. They hate and fear knowledge.
Yet Another Florida House Member Dumps Democrats for GOP Supermajority
Broward County Rep. Hillary Cassel announced her decision to leave the Democrats and join the GOP, becoming the second state lawmaker to do so this month. Cassel, who ran unopposed for her second term in November, in a post on X bashed the Democratic Party over what she called a lack of support for Israel and said she believes Republicans offer a better vision for Florida.
Justifying Book Bans, Florida Says It’s Not Required to Provide Libraries to School Students. Publishers Disagree.
Major publishing companies and authors Friday argued that a federal judge should deny Florida’s request to dismiss a lawsuit over the removal of school library books, saying a controversial state law violates First Amendment rights. Attorneys disputed a state position that selection of school library books is “government speech” and, as a result, is not subject to the First Amendment.
Florida Imposed More Death Sentences Than Any Other State in 2024
Florida led the nation this year in imposing death sentences, reflecting DeSantis’ successful push to eliminate the requirement of a unanimous jury recommendation. The Death Penalty Information Center reports that 26 people were sentenced to death in the United States in 2024, seven of them in Florida.
Florida Senate President Ben Albritton Wants to Phase Out ‘Dreamers’ Tuition Break
Senate President Ben Albritton suggested phasing out a decade-old law that allows some undocumented immigrant students, known as “dreamers,” to receive in-state tuition rates at Florida universities and colleges.
‘Granny Cams’ Could Be Coming to Florida’s Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities
The bill (SB 64) by Republican Sen. Illeana Garcia would allow residents to install cameras so long as they are willing to foot the bill for installation and removal. Nursing home residents who share rooms would have to secure permission from their roommates to use the cameras, as well.
Palm Coast’s Vacation-Rental Rules Ready for Prime Time as Council Refines Them, But They Could Be Short-Lived
Palm Coast’s debut short-term rental ordinance is heading for approval over the next few weeks as the City Council today, inheriting a draft in the works for months under a largely different council, signed off on it with minor adjustments. The council will vote on the proposal on Dec. 17 and Jan. 7, when the public may yet address it.
GOP’s Randy Fine Files Bill to End In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants
Undocumented immigrants would lose access to in-state tuition rates at Florida colleges and universities under a bill filed by Sen. Randy Fine. The Republican from Brevard County called the practice of providing in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants a “sweetheart deal.”
Long-Time Tampa Democrat Susan Valdes Switches to Republican, Adding to GOP’s House Supermajority
Elected four times to the state House as a Democrat, Tampa lawmaker Susan Valdes on Monday added to Republicans’ supermajority. Valdes announced she had become a Republican, saying she expected to be “welcomed and treated with respect” by her new party. The move, which drew a rebuke from House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, came a week after Valdes lost a bid to become chairwoman of the Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee.
County Favors State Aid for New Sheriff’s Station in Hammock, But Not for Animal Shelter or Library
The Flagler County Commission wants the state to help it pay for a new Sheriff’s District Office on the barrier island, but not paired with a community center and branch library. It wants financial aid with its projected tourism center on State Road 100. And it wants aid with a drainage project and a new agricultural extension center. Commissioners are foregoing asking for state money for a countywide animal shelter, among other projects.
Randy Fine, One of Florida’s Most Bruising and Bellicose Lawmakers, Will Run for Mike Waltz’s Congressional Seat
Randy Fine, whose latest financial disclosure report showed a net worth of $30.3 million, was an early Trump supporter in the GOP presidential primary and has unabashedly signaled his allegiance to Trump on social media. The only Jewish Republican legislator in Florida, Fine often has taken an openly combative approach to political opponents, an image he has embraced publicly. “Unafraid to say what needs to be said,” Fine’s X profile boasts.
Florida’s Legislative Leaders Issue Roadmap for Leaner Years Ahead
The House memo provided to the press shows that House Speaker Danny Perez plans to try to curb the size of the state budget. He announced he’s scrapping the long-standing House Appropriations Committee (and subcommittees) and replacing them with the Budget Committee and subcommittees. He noted it’s more than just a name change and that it “carries a deeper philosophical point.”
Florida’s Abortion Rights and Recreational Pot Amendments Fail
A ballot proposal that would have enshrined abortion rights in the Florida Constitution failed Tuesday, giving a major political victory to Gov. Ron DeSantis — and dealing a huge blow to abortion-rights supporters. A $150 million-plus effort to allow recreational use of marijuana in Florida fizzled out.
Republicans Retain Super-Majority in Florida Legislature
Miami Republicans and House Speaker-designate Daniel Perez released a statement late Tuesday night announcing the GOP maintained its super majority in the Florida House of Representatives.
Renner, on His Last Day, and Staly on His 2,497th, Break Ground on Florida Guard’s Training Facility in Bunnell
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly, who all but birthed the concept, and Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, joined with state and local officials this afternoon to break ground on the future $10 million Florida State Guard multi agency, regional training facility in Bunnell. The facility will serve the State Guard, which Gov. Ron DeSantis revived four years ago, but also all local police and fire agencies, and some regional law enforcement agencies as well in a more advanced training complex than they’ve known to date.
Behind the Desperate Attempt to Defeat Abortion-Rights Amendment: GOP’s Contempt for Women’s Autonomy
DeSantis knows the majority of Floridians — like the majority of Americans — support a woman’s right to choose whether to have a baby, and he’s so scared Amendment 4 will pass he’s resorting to using every dirty trick in the patriarchal book to stop it. Like Donald Trump, he despises women, for whose right to determine what happens with their own bodies is nothing short of obsessive.
Internet Groups File Constitutional Challenge to Renner-Led Social Media Law Restricting Access
In a long-anticipated move, two internet-industry groups Monday filed a constitutional challenge to a new Florida law aimed at keeping children off social-media platforms. The Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice, whose members include tech giants such as Google and Meta Platforms, said in a federal lawsuit that the law violates First Amendment rights and that parents should make decisions about children’s social-media use.
New College’s Descent from Stellar Florida College to ‘Eugenicon’
Steve Sailer, a “eugenicon” who believes Black people are genetically inferior to whites, race is biological, interracial marriage is wrong, and “core Americans” are by definition white, has been invited to speak at one of New College’s “Socratic Stage Dialogues.” Socrates himself would not know whether to laugh, cry, or take an even bigger swig of hemlock.
Federal Appeals Court Backs Florida Law Cracking Down on Protesters, Overturning Injunction
After seeking help from the Florida Supreme Court on the meaning of the word “riot,” a federal appeals court Monday overturned an injunction against a 2021 state law aimed at cracking down on violent demonstrations. A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the law is not unconstitutionally vague and overbroad and would not affect peaceful protesters. Civil-rights groups contended the measure could lead to peaceful protesters facing criminal charges when demonstrations turn violent.
Judge Refuses to Block Florida Government From Disseminating What Critics Call Abortion ‘Misinformation’
Saying courts “must trust the people to decide what information is important to them,” a Leon County circuit judge refused to issue a temporary injunction to block the state Agency for Health Administration from disseminating what critics call “misinformation” about a proposed constitutional amendment on abortion rights. Judge Jonathan Sjostrom rejected arguments by Floridians Protecting Freedom, a political committee sponsoring the proposed amendment, and wrote that the case is “not justiciable by courts because political power is reserved to the people in an election by means of each ballot.”
Ban on Homeless Sleeping in Most Public Places Among 34 New Florida Laws Going in Effect Oct. 1
Nearly three dozen new state laws will take effect Oct. 1, including a contentious measure that will limit where homeless people can sleep. Other measures include creating a license plate for Parrot Heads living the life of the late singer Jimmy Buffett and requirements about flood disclosures for home buyers. In all, 34 laws that passed during the 2024 legislative session will take effect, with the homeless changes (HB 1365) drawing the most attention.
Senator Who Sponsored Vacation Rental Bill Deregulating Local Control Says He Won’t Do So in Next Session
Florida lawmakers may once again attempt to pass legislation tightening regulation of short-term vacation rentals next year but, if they do, the state senator who has sponsored those bills during the past two sessions won’t be the one carrying it.
Property Owners Opposed to Public’s ‘Customary Use’ Of Beach Appeal Ruling in Case with Implications for Flagler
Property owners are challenging a ruling by U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington that said the town had adequately shown a history of “customary use” by the public of parts of the beach that are privately owned, to let the public keep using those beaches.
Legislative Analysts Warn Florida’s Surpluses Could Turn to Billion-Dollar Deficits as Federal Aid Dries Up
While there are numerous caveats, the picture could go from a $2.09 billion surplus during the upcoming 2025-2026 fiscal year to a potential deficit of $2.826 billion in the 2026-2027 fiscal year and a potential deficit of $6.941 billion in the 2027-2028 fiscal year.
Abortions Down 13% in First 8 Months After Florida’s Restrictions Became Law
The number of abortions reported in Florida during the first eight months of this year was nearly 13 percent lower than during the same period in 2022 and 2023, as a law preventing abortions after six weeks of pregnancy has led to fewer procedures.
The “School Choice” Swindle Is Demolishing Public Schools
“School choice” is an orchestrated demolition of public schools and the social contract. The focus-group euphemism masks the thieving of tax dollars to subsidize private schools, transforming what was once an aspiration of fringe Christian and anti-government militants into state doctrine. Flagler County schools are losing close to $11 million this year to “choice.”
Senator Proposes Banning Smoking in All Florida Public Places
While he supports a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow recreational use of marijuana, state Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, said Thursday he will propose legislation that would ban smoking of all types in public places.
Religious Leaders Warn Schools of Liability Dangers of Voluntary Chaplain Program
School districts have shown little interest in welcoming volunteer chaplains to serve in their facilities, an initiative recently permitted by the Legislature that, according to the ACLU, could create legal liability for schools and risk creating an environment of “religious coercion and indoctrination of students.” For school boards and districts that may move to implement the program, religious and civil rights leaders have recommended approaches they believe would best protect children.
Producer of Lab-Grown Poultry Sues Florida Over ‘Cultivated Meat’ Ban
A California-based producer of lab-grown poultry filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday challenging a new Florida ban on selling or manufacturing “cultivated” meat. UPSIDE Foods, Inc., contends, in part, that the law violates a constitutional prohibition on favoring in-state businesses over out-of-state competitors.
After Lawmaker Complains of Alleged Anti-Israel Bias, Florida Universities Are Ordered to Scan Materials
Florida university presidents have been instructed to scan their syllabi for material deemed antisemitic or exhibiting anti-Israeli bias following concerns raised by Rep. Randy Fine. Once a course has been reviewed and all instances of antisemitism and anti-Israel bias have been flagged, universities must report their findings to the chancellor’s office.
To Succeed Travis Hutson, Tom Leek’s Battle of the Fliers with David Shoar Is Among Key Florida Senate Races
The Republican primary for Senate District 7–made up of St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler and part of Volusia counties–has drawn a flood of money and endorsements as House Appropriations Chairman Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach, former St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar and financial adviser Gerry James seek to represent the heavily Republican district. Term-limited Sen. Travis Hutson, R-St. Augustine, cannot seek re-election in the district.
Florida Officials Want Supreme Court to Approve a Manipulated ‘Impact Statement’ on Abortion Amendment
Lawyers for Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner on Friday urged the Florida Supreme Court to reject an attempt to invalidate a revised “financial impact statement” that would appear on the November ballot with a proposed constitutional amendment on abortion rights. A state panel made controversial changes to the financial impact statement, which Floridians Protecting Freedom–leading efforts to pass the constitutional amendment–wants invalidated.
Florida Has the Highest Rate of Heat-Related Illnesses, Report Finds
More than 5.7 million Floridians are vulnerable to extreme heat, according to a report from the Florida Policy Institute, which called upon state lawmakers to repeal a new law that prohibits local governments from enacting heat protections for outdoor workers.
Sales Tax Is Lifted On Slew of Recreational Items For All of July
Sales taxes won’t be collected in July on many supplies for boating, fishing and camping and tickets purchased for live music events, sporting events, fairs, festivals, theater performances and movies. Last year, the state offered the tax holiday for three months, but it will be limited to July this year.
Palm Coast Reels Back Talk of Firing Its Lobbyists as Southern Group’s Emissaries Deliver Veto-Proof Defense
A presentation to the Palm Coast City Council today by its Southern Group lobbyists was a response to an inquisition, albeit an inquisition that, by the time the pair of lobbyists had sat down in person in front of the council, had already been sharply dialed down to a sort of Marriage Encounter session. The council critics’ aim was no longer to criticize or threaten dissolution but to learn, recalibrate and grow, especially as the lobbyists twice reminded them of Palm Coast’s record appropriation hauls of the last two years.
DeSantis Protects Left-Lane Laggards and Residents Who Shoot Bears in ‘Stand Your Ground’ Encounters
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a controversial measure that will bolster self-defense arguments for people who kill bears on their property, while vetoing a bill that would have prevented motorists from cruising in the left lanes of highways.
Florida Supreme Court Finds No Threat to ‘Peaceful’ Protest in DeSantis Restrictions on Protesters
Rejecting arguments that the law is ambiguous, the Florida Supreme Court said Thursday that peaceful protesters are not threatened by a measure that Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Legislature passed in 2021 to crack down on violent demonstrations.
Social Media and Gun Laws Await Supreme Court Rulings, with Big Implications for Florida
The social-media ruling likely will decide whether Florida can carry out a 2021 state law that placed restrictions on platforms such as Facebook and X. The gun ruling in a Texas case could help determine the fate of a 2018 Florida law that barred people under age 21 from buying rifles and shotguns.
Integrity Florida Calls on Governor DeSantis to Veto Senate Bill 7014
This bill threatens to undermine the very principles that our government should uphold. The bill includes provisions that would restrict the ability of citizens and watchdog organizations like Integrity Florida to hold elected officials accountable.
Florida Argues in Court It Is Free to Censor or Control State-School Professors’ Academic Freedom in Classrooms
The state of Florida is free to forbid college professors from criticizing the governor in the classroom, an attorney argued on behalf of the state during an appellate court hearing over the Stop Woke Act — adding that those professors are free to seek work elsewhere if they don’t like a legislature-controlled curriculum. Academic freedom and when the government can insert itself into the classroom were focal points for a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit panel.
Federal Judge Stops Florida’s Law Banning or Restricting Transgender Care, Calling It Discriminatory
A federal judge on Tuesday ruled that a 2023 Florida law and regulations prohibiting the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapy to treat children for gender dysphoria and making it harder for trans adults to access care are unconstitutionally discriminatory and were motivated by “animus” toward transgender people.
Judge Blocks Florida Law Requiring Cities’ Elected to Disclose Same Financial Details as County and State Officials
A federal judge has blocked a 2023 Florida law that required municipal elected officials to disclose detailed information about their personal finances, ruling that the law likely violated First Amendment rights. U.S. District Judge Melissa Damian on Monday issued a preliminary injunction, siding with municipal officials throughout the state who challenged the law. The decision came three weeks before a July 1 deadline for filing the information.
In Florida and Elsewhere, New GOP Rules Hostile to Voter Registration Threaten Fines and Criminal Penalties
Republican lawmakers in Florida , Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, and Texas have enacted a variety of voter registration laws over the past four years. The measures add new requirements around registering and communicating with voters and threaten hefty penalties for violations. The stated goal of the new laws is to prevent fraud, but in the absence of any evidence of more than very rare fraud some voting rights groups contend their real purpose is to dampen participation by likely Democratic voters.
Sprawling Vacation Rentals Becoming a Nuisance to Palm Coast Residents. City’s Answer: ‘Our Hands Are Tied.’
As resident after resident complained about short-term renters next door–the noise, the partying, the traffic, the garbage, the unexpected–the Palm Coast City Council chambers Tuesday evening sounded more like a scene transplanted from the County Commission a decade ago, or legislative committees in Tallahassee every year since. But the legislature just passed a new law that forbids cities like Palm Coast from imposing stricter regulations on vacation rentals than they would on permanent residents.
DeSantis Signs Bills Adding Judges and Revising “Live Local Act”
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed 11 bills, including a measure that will increase the number of circuit-court and county judges and a bill that will revise a major housing law, known as the “Live Local Act,” that passed in 2023.
Judge Rules Unconstitutional Part of Florida Law Forbidding Non-Citizens from Gathering Petitions
A federal judge Wednesday issued a final decision blocking part of a 2023 Florida elections law that placed new restrictions on voter-registration groups, including preventing non-U.S. citizens from “collecting or handling” registration applications.
Bacardi Jackson , New Florida ACLU Leader, Points to ‘Urgency of Now’ at ‘Deeply Disturbing’ Juncture
Bacardi Jackson, a veteran litigator seeped in civil-rights advocacy, took the leadership of of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida on Monday amid a growing number of challenges to laws passed by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Jackson views her new position as an opening to spur action at a critical juncture in the history of the state and the nation.