Concerns were raised, in part, that the 24-hour proposal would conflict with other outdoor activities, such as bass fishing and duck hunting, and that there is the potential for meat spoiling from alligators harvested during the hottest part of the day.
Florida
Following House, Florida Senate Poised Wednesday to Impose 15-Week Abortion Limit
After weeks of speeches and raucous protests, numerous votes in legislative committees and a full vote in the state House, Florida is at the endpoint for a decision on a 15-week abortion ban that doesn’t include rape, incest and human trafficking.
Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis Are in a Race Back to the 1950s
Sen. Rick Scott proposes to take us back to the 1950s, that glorious era when Black people were beaten and arrested for trying to vote, when women of all colors were expected to stay home and raise the children, when Christianity dominated the culture, when gay people had to stay in the closet, and we lived in mortal terror of socialism.
Anti-‘Woke’ and ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bills Clear Florida House Following Emotional, Futile Debates
Yet two hotly-debated bills — HB 7, limiting conversations about racism and sexism in schools and at work, and HB 1557, restricting classroom discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity — were both passed by the House on near-party lines Thursday.
Senate Confirms Vaccine-Snubbing Ladapo as Surgeon General in Partisan Divide
A 24-15 party-line vote displayed the fissure between the parties on DeSantis’ approach to the pandemic, which in the past year has mostly concentrated on treating people who have tested positive for Covid-19 rather than boosting vaccinations. Ladapo has often echoed DeSantis’ positions since the September appointment.
Florida Lawmakers Scale Back Broadband Expansion, Potentially Hurting Flagler Efforts
Flagler County has been making just such a broadband expansion a priority for its west-Flagler residents, who have been perennially underserved. The county was banking on both federal and state expansions, the federal portion proving not sufficient–so far–to reach the county’s goal of universal coverage. State lawmakers’ latest move, substituting federal dollars instead of supplementing state dollars, will likely be a setback to Flagler.
Democratic Lawmakers Attempt to Raise Florida’s Stingiest Unemployment Benefit to $375 a Week
Mississippi has the lowest unemployment benefit in the nation, at $235. Arizona is next, at $240, but that ends in July, when it goes up to $320. Florida, Tennessee, Louisiana and Alabama remain tied for the lowest weekly benefit of $275, but Florida’s is still the stingiest at 12 weeks, while the other three states, plus Mississippi, all offer up to 26 weeks.
Myth-Ridden Bill That Would Reduce Rooftop Solar Credits to Residents Advances, Angering Industry
People who own rooftop solar systems are required to hook up to utility systems and are able to sell excess electricity and receive bill credits in return. Under the 2008 rule, monthly credits are provided at utilities’ retail rates. The bill could reduce the amounts going to rooftop solar owners.
Florida House Set to Take Up Bills Silencing Discussions of Race and Gender Identity
The Florida House, dominated by Republicans, is poised this coming week to pass two fiercely debated bills that would place restrictions on how issues about race, gender identity and sexual orientation are taught in public schools.
Big Changes Afoot for Bright Futures Requirements as Lawmakers Shift to Paid Work Instead of Volunteer Service
Florida High school kids vying for a scholarship could compile hours for paid work, not volunteer service, to qualify for Bright Futures scholarships, a popular merit-based scholarship program that can shave off thousands in college tuition, requires a high GPA, top college entrance exam scores, at least 75 hours of volunteer service, plus a project on civics or social issues.
Women’s Freedom and Autonomy? Not in Florida.
These magnanimous Republicans will allow women and girls to have control over their own bodies until the fetus inside them gets to be about the size of an apple. After that, ladies, you’re nothing but a “host body,” as former Florida House Speaker Jose Oliva famously said.
Florida House Passes Bill That Would Require Initiatives to Improve Fathers’ Parental Skills
The bill would require that grants be geared toward helping fathers in “finding employment, managing child support obligations, transitioning from a period of incarceration, accessing health care, understanding child development and enhancing parenting skills.”
Proposed Florida Law Would Crack Down on Social Media ‘Pop Up’ Events
Authorities would be able to impound vehicles for days and double fines on noncriminal traffic infractions to crack down on large unsanctioned events put together through social media, under a measure heading to the Senate floor.
Florida’s New Elections Restrictions Are Driving Local Supervisors from Office
Some of the officials who supervise Florida elections are considering retiring under the threat of $25,000 fines if they make mistakes, according to testimony produced Tuesday in the federal trial over the GOP-dominated Legislature’s new voting restrictions.
Supreme Court Rejects DeSantis Request on Cutting Up Congressional District Held by Black Democrat
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday denied a request by Gov. Ron DeSantis for an advisory opinion about his proposal to revamp a sprawling North Florida congressional district that has been held by a Black Democrat.
Shut Up, Floridians: Sweeping Bill Would Criminalize Protests Near Politicians’ Homes, Parks, Sidewalks
Protesters would be banned from picketing in front of the governor’s house, that of politicians or any residences. The prohibition would apply not only to private property but would extend to public parks, sidewalks and rights-of-way.
‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Advances in Legislature as Speakers Are Told Not to Say Too Much
The bill allows parents to sue school districts if they are not privy to situations related to their children or if their students are encouraged to have discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity. Opponents fear the bill would bring a chilling affect to Florida classrooms regarding LGBTQ students, putting them at risk of bullying. Almost all who addressed a Senate committee today were opposed to the bill.
‘Normal Life’ Likely a Month Away in Flagler as Omicron Surge and Covid Risks Recede
Flagler Health Department Medical Director Dr. Stephen Bickel expects a measure of normalcy to return to Flagler County in about a month as the covid pandemic’s latest surge tapers off. Hospitalizations have persisted even as new cases have fallen off, but hospitalizations always lag new cases by a few weeks.
How Republicans Take Biden Relief Bill Money and Run, After Unanimously Opposing It
The Biden administration’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan package was opposed by every Republican in Congress and criticized by Republican governors, most of whom are now grabbing the money.
Vacation Rental Bills Would Eliminate Flagler’s Ability to Regulate Occupancy or Conduct Inspections
Nearly identical Florida House and Senate bills that would all but eliminate Flagler County government’s authority to regulate vacation rentals are making their way through committees. The Senate bill started as more friendly to local regulations, and one committee approved it unanimously. But amendments have since pared that local regulatory power.
Florida Lawmakers Applaud Local School Board members Even as They Consider Cutting Their Salaries
Republican members of the Florida House and Senate have been pushing legislation to limit school board pay. At first, a House bill proposed zero salary for local school board members. Then, the Senate proposed a small salary of $29,697 — the same as Florida lawmakers, which would dramatically cut most school board member salaries.
Transgender Athlete’s Challenge of Florida Ban on Hold Pending Resolution of St. Johns Bathroom Case
U.S. District Judge Roy Altman last week issued a stay in the challenge filed on behalf of a Broward County transgender girl who is in middle school. The lawsuit contends that the ban, passed by lawmakers last year, is unconstitutional and violates a federal law known as Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs.
Florida’s Black Snow: How the Sugar Industry Makes Political Friends and Influences Elections
Florida produces more than half of America’s cane sugar and relies heavily on cane burning, a harvesting method in which the sugar industry burns crops to rid the plants of their outer leaves, producing pollution. Residents in the largely Black and Hispanic communities nearby claim the resulting smoke and ash harms their health. A city commissioner race provides a window into how the industry cultivates political allies, who help protect its interests.
In Trial Over Florida’s New Voting Law, Past Suppressions at Ballot Box Reverberate Anew
Post-Reconstruction history, first-hand narrative and statistics have laid the foundation this week in a legal challenge to a state election law that plaintiffs say will curtail Black and Hispanic Floridians’ ability to cast ballots and register to vote.
Florida Judge Attacks Landmark 1st Amendment Decision Protecting Press as ‘Wrongfully Decided’
Judge Brad Thomas of the 1st District Court of Appeal wrote an 11-page concurring opinion that took aim at the Supreme Court’s 1964 New York Times v. Sullivan ruling, which, in part, required that public officials prove “actual malice” to prevail in defamation lawsuits. But the concurrence’s reasoning and citations lack context.
Florida House Completes Work on Its Own Voting Districts as Litigation Looms
The Florida House voted along party lines to approve a redistricting plan for itself and asked the state Senate to go along amid lingering uncertainty over the fate of congressional redistricting generated when Gov. Ron DeSantis got involved.
House Set to Vote on Plan to Scrap School Board Salaries
A bill that would eliminate salaries for school board members and increase scrutiny of the way public-school instructional materials and library books are chosen is now primed for consideration by the full House.
After 1,000 Manatee Deaths in a Year, Groups Sue to Upgrade Federal Protections
The Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife and the Save the Manatee Club filed the lawsuit in federal district court in Washington, D.C., against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
New Flood Maps Show US Damage Rising 26% in Next 30 Years
Despite recent devastating floods, people are still building in high-risk areas. With population growth factored in, the increase in U.S. flood losses will be four times higher than the climate-only effect. Deep inequities define who has to endure America’s crippling flood problem.
League of Women Voters President Blasts Florida’s Shackling Voting Law on 1st Day of Trial
League of Women Voters of Florida President Cecile Scoon testified Monday in federal court that Florida’s new election laws — adopted in 2021 Senate Bill 90 — makes voter-registration drives, voting by mail, and rendering basic assistance to voters in line needlessly difficult, resulting in voting suppression.
Secret College Presidential Searches in Florida Would Open the Way to Corruption, Nepotism and Cronyism
Once again, certain legislators want to exert more control — not less — over the thoughts, actions and beliefs of local Floridians who are seeking higher education to improve their lives and the lives of their families.
In Latest Union-Busting Move, Lawmakers Would Bar Payroll Deductions for Dues
A House panel began moving forward Thursday with a controversial proposal that would make changes for public-employee unions, including preventing workers from having dues deducted from their paychecks.
Are Lawmakers Seeking to Censor Discussions of Race and Gender in Classrooms and the Workplace?
With such things as critical race theory and sensitivity training targeted, much of the debate and public testimony centered around the bill’s effect on schools and whether it would curtail frank discussions about United States history and race.
Dismissing ‘Slippery Slope of Censorship,’ GOP Senators Back Stricter Scrutiny of School and Library Books
The proposal (SB 1300) would change the review process for books and other learning materials, adding requirements and making it more open to the public but also enabling regular purges of book lists to align them with standards or if the books are considered out of date.
Except in Schools, Omicron Wave Crests in Flagler and Florida as Officials See End to Emergency
An end to the pandemic has been predicted before, especially after vaccines began rolling out, only for delta to obliterated those premature hopes. But several factors are converging in an indication that this time the crisis stage may well be on the wane, to be replaced by more routine infectious-disease management strategies.
Patient, Beware: Florida Among States Still Pushing Ineffective Covid Antibody Treatments
Unethically and deceptively–since it gives patients a false sense of security–several states, Florida among them, are still pushing the costly monoclonal treatments — often charging hundreds of dollars a session — that public health officials now say are almost certainly useless.
Jacob Oliva, Still a Flagler Resident, Is One of Three Finalists for Miami-Dade Superintendent
Jacob Oliva, senior chancellor of education and a former superintendent of Flagler County schools, is one of three finalists for superintendent in Miami-Dade, the nation’s fourth-largest district. The nine-member Miami-Dade school board will interview him for the job, along with two other candidates, on Monday.
Federal Judge Slams UF Over Muzzling Professors: ‘Stop Acting Like Your Contemporaries in Hong Kong’
In a scathing ruling Friday, Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker blocked the University of Florida from enforcing a controversial conflict-of-interest policy that gave school administrators discretion over allowing professors to serve as expert witnesses in litigation.
House GOP Wants Lower School Board Salaries and Higher Scrutiny of Library Books
The proposal (HB 1467) approved by the House Education & Employment Committee in a 13-7 vote Thursday would require schools to post information about the selection of books and instructional materials on their websites.
GOP Lawmakers Back Prohibition on Innumerable Ballot Initiatives
Florida voters in recent years have approved high-profile initiatives about issues such as raising the minimum wage and broadly legalizing medical marijuana. Such initiatives would be barred in the future if the House proposal is ultimately approved.
After Emotional Testimony in 1st Hearing, GOP Lawmakers Back 15-Week Abortion Ban, 12-6
The vote on the abortion-ban bill proposed by Florida Republicans came following emotional, angry and passionate words in the audience and at the subcommittee meeting table, where lawmakers had to make decisions based on dramatically opposite views.
Land of the Free: Sing the National Anthem or Else, Florida Legislators Tell Sports Teams
Florida’s measure would prohibit government agencies from entering agreements with professional teams without written verification that the anthem would be played. Failure to play the anthem could lead to teams or venues being required to repay government money they received.
Actually, Y’All, Some of Us Would Prefer Facts with Our Politics
In the first speech of his 2024 presidential campaign, not-so-cunningly disguised as the “State of the State” address, Ron DeSantis declared, We have made Florida the freest state in these United States. He just hopes you don;t look behind the syrup.
Florida Legislators Are Stealing Money from Environmentally-Sensitive Lands Pot, Without Consequences
In 2014, 75 percent of Florida voters approved an amendment to the state Constitution that said the Legislature had to spend a certain amount of money buying environmentally sensitive land. Legislators have been illegally appropriating hundreds of millions of dollars away from the intended purpose of the amendment.
Federal Judge Ridicules UF Attorney’s Attempt to Smear Professors in Conflict-of-Interest Battle
In a fiery hearing Friday, a federal judge excoriated a lawyer for the University of Florida who accused political science professors of having “misled” the court in a lawsuit challenging the school’s conflict-of-interest policy.
Flagler’s Covid Cases Near 1,500 in a Week, Shattering Record Even as Peak Is in Sight; 3 More Deaths Bring Total to 288
Like most communities across the country, Flagler County this week shattered its weekly covid-infection total, with 1,469, exceeding last week’s record of 1,166, though emergency-care clinics’ numbers suggest that the region is near or at its peak of this latest wave, driven mostly by the astonishingly infectious but less lethal omicron variant.
Supreme Court Blocks Vaccine Mandates for Big Employers But Backs Mandates for Health Workers
After Florida and other states fought the plans, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday blocked a Covid-19 vaccination mandate for large employers while clearing the way for a requirement that health-care workers get shots to try to curb the virus.
Sen. Travis Hutson’s Bill Giving Business Power to Suspend Ordinances Through Suits Worries Local Officials
The Republican-controlled Senate Community Affairs Committee voted 7-2 along party lines to approve the proposal (SB 280), which would require counties and cities to produce a “business impact statement” before passing ordinances and to suspend enforcement of the ordinances amid legal challenges.
DeSantis Scripts State of the State’ ‘Freedom’ Rhetoric With Eyes on Re-Election and Presidential Ambitions
Gov. Ron DeSantis opened the 2022 regular session of the Florida Legislature on Tuesday by crowing that he has kept Florida “the freest state in these United States” during the Covid crisis and promising to continue to oppose a “coercive biomedical apparatus.”
Full Text: Gov. DeSantis State of the State Address
The prepared text of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s 2022 State of the State Address before the Florida Legislature as he opened the session. “We have 60 days to work together to build upon our rock of freedom,” he said.