Signaling how it is likely to handle scores of Death Row cases, a majority of the Florida Supreme Court threw out death sentences and ordered a new penalty proceeding for a convicted triple-murderer.
Florida Legislature
New Florida Senator Files Bill To Scrap 2014 Law Granting In-State Tuition to Undocumented Immigrants
The plan by Sen. Greg Steube, a Sarasota Republican, repealing the in-state tuition exception, could alter the higher-education plans of many students who have spent much of their lives in Florida.
Democrats Try to Stay Relevant After Barely Adding to Their Diminished Numbers in Florida Legislature
Democrats’ 41-member caucus faces a 79-member Republican majority in the Florida House, with 15 Democrats facing 25 Republicans in the Senate.
Races Lost Across the State Again, Florida Democrats Look for Answers, and a Leader
After losing the state’s presidential and U.S. Senate races and failing to make major gains in the Legislature, Florida Democrats are groping for a way forward as the 2018 elections loom with battles for governor and all three state Cabinet seats.
Staly Is Flagler’s New Sheriff, Bexley New Court Clerk, Republicans Sweep County Commission, Klufas Wins Palm Coast Seat, Barbosa Wins School Board, Hutson, Renner Win
Election results are showing the making of a historic Republican sweep in Flagler County as early but significant tallies show Rick Staly winning sheriff, Tom Bexley winning clerk of court, and all three Democrats in county commission races well behind.
Florida’s Death Penalty On Hold: Supreme Court Halts Trial Pending Legislative Change
The Florida Supreme Court on Friday stopped a Clearwater judge from proceeding with a death penalty case, signaling that courts might not be able to move forward with capital trials until the Legislature changes a law that justices earlier this month struck down as unconstitutional.
Those Double-Digit Health Insurance Rate Hikes in Florida? Blame State GOP.
Sen. Bill Nelson, once Florida’s insurance commissioner, reminds residents that it was the Republican state Legislature that stripped the office of insurance regulation of the authority to approve, modify or reject rate hikes by health insurance companies, thus leading to current, unacceptable rate hikes.
Continuing Series of Voting-Rights Decisions, Judge Rules Against State on Disputed Ballot Signatures
The 30-page ruling Sunday by U.S. District Judge Mark Walker focused on situations in which voters’ signatures submitted with mail-in ballots do not appear to match signatures on file with county supervisors of elections. Under a 2004 law, such mail-in ballots are rejected.
Florida Supreme Court in Seminal Decision Rules Death Penalty Verdicts Must Be Unanimous
The court’s 5-2 decision, which will immediately affect 40 inmates and many of the 385 others on death row, ends Florida’s status as an outlier state where non-unanimous death penalty recommendations were allowed.
An $18,400 Raise for Supervisor of Elections And Other New Laws Go Into Effect This Week
County elections supervisors are up for pay raises, while penalties increase for trafficking in the modern version of food stamps and for stealing credit-card information at gas pumps, under new laws that go into effect Saturday.