The new tax-cut package will combine with about $290 million earmarked to hold down local property taxes that would otherwise go into the state’s school-funding formula.
Florida
Supreme Court Halts Double Murderer James Asay’s Execution, 2nd Stay in 4 Weeks
Hours after hearing arguments in the case, the Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday indefinitely postponed the execution of Mark James Asay, a convicted double murderer scheduled to die on March 17.
Fiercely Opposed by Environmentalists, Bill To Ease Fracking in Florida Dies In the Senate
The bill was backed by the Florida Petroleum Council, Associated Industries of Florida and the Florida Chamber of Commerce. It is opposed by environmental groups and dozens of local governments that have approved fracking bans.
In Major Shift, Florida Senate Panel Approves Use of “Full-Strength” Pot for Terminally Ill
The bill, in part, would likely lead to more licenses for nurseries that would be able to grow, process and distribute the full-strength and non-euphoric types of pot.
Florida Court Clears Way for 24-Hour Waiting Period Before an Abortion
Florida joins 27 other states with waiting periods. Opponents say the law would impose hardships on women seeking abortions because it would force them to miss work, lose wages and pay for additional child care and travel.
Flagler’s Aveo Pandering: The Artful Way To Do a Groundbreaking, and the Bogus Way
It was rank manipulation when Aveo Engineering, county government and Rick Scott pretended to break ground on a factory at the Flagler County airport three years ago. It was never built.
Driver’s Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants: Flagler Sheriff Says Yes, But Local Opinion Is Divided
A dozen states have legalized issuing driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, primarily as a safety measure, but Flagler officials reflect state opinion that has prevented such legalization from taking place in the Sunshine State.
With 3 Weeks to Go Before Florida Primary, Trump Is Thumping Rubio By 16 Points, on Rubio’s Turf
The New York real-estate mogul holds a commanding 44-28 percent lead over Rubio among likely GOP primary voters, the Quinnipiac University poll found. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas came in third with 12 percent.
Put Away Your Glocks, Backyardigans:
Gov. Scott Signs Bill Banning Urban Gun Play
Scott’s signature Wednesday comes nearly five years after the governor signed into law a measure that voided all local firearms restrictions.
Too Many Questions Beg The Answer: End the Death Penalty in Florida
Rick Scott shouldn’t plan on signing any more death warrants soon, if ever, argues Martin Dyckman, even as the Florida House “cured” what the U.S. Supreme Court specifically found wrong with Florida’s death penalty.
But Can He Win?
Helping to rally Florida Republican leaders behind Rubio is the fear that real-estate tycoon Donald Trump could win the nomination. But it’s a long way to the 1,236 delegates needed for nomination.
Citing Home Rule, Bunnell Opposes State Move Forcing Cities to Alter Election Schedules
Voter turnout in Bunnell city elections has been notoriously low. A state proposal aims to change that by forcing cities like Bunnell to adopt different election schedules. The Bunnell City Commission is opposed.
Court Ruling Favoring Counties in Juvenile Detention Costs Could Send Flagler $300,000
An appeals court ruling could mean the state owes more than $100 million to counties in a long-running dispute about who pays to detain juvenile offenders.
Flagler Voter Registrations Surge to 90%, Aiding GOP as Democrats Fall to Historic Low
Flagler County’s voter registration rolls have surged by 21 percent since 2009, resulting in a 90 percent registration rate, with Republicans riding a 4,500-voter advantage over Democrats.
The End of Jeb
While the favorite of many Republican insiders and fund-raisers, Bush could never appear to get his footing in a race that has been largely dominated by the outsider Donald Trump.
Florida Still Outlier as Death-Penalty Fix Falls Short of Requiring Unanimous Jury Verdicts
The measure would require at least 10 jurors to recommend the death penalty for the sentence to be imposed and would empower juries to decide whether defendants should die or be imprisoned for life without the chance for parole.
Citing Overreach, Senate Kills Public Record Exemption for Hunters’ Personal Information
Barbara Petersen, president of the First Amendment Foundation, welcomed the defeat of the bill, which she labeled “the Ted Nugent Act” because of publicity surrounding a bear hunt last year.
Florida Senators Reject Weakening State’s Regulatory Power in Health Care Expansions
The Senate on Wednesday listened to hospitals, nursing homes and hospice providers and killed a bill that would have weakened the “certificate of need” process that gives the state power to review and approval new health-care facilities.
Florida Senate’s Latest Bow to Guns: Allowing Them in Airport Terminals
The measure would allow people to continue carrying sidearms in the areas of airports up to where passengers go through the security-screening process.
Beef Ads, Dolphin Pools, Farm Aid and Rodeos: Florida Lawmakers’ Pork Projects
The legislature’s budget plans are filled with pork items for local groups, parks, theaters and museums that may be minor in the overall proposals but important to lawmakers who want to take home money for projects and programs.
States Begin Increasingly to Let People Reject Smart Meters Amid Health and Privacy Fears
At least 15 states allow customers to opt out of smart meter installation, although many permit utility companies to impose a fee on customers who don’t want the meters. Florida is not among those states.
Flagler School District Is Rated B For Third Straight Year, All Schools Either A or B
This year’s grades are almost eight months late. They’re less reliable than in previous years. And they’re still facing bitter criticism because of the state’s troubled standardized testing system.
Thanks to Elderly, Florida Medical Marijuana Market Could Be a $1.5 Billion Industry By 2020
Florida is one of four states best positioned to legalize medical marijuana, with the state’s older population playing a large role in the industry’s viability.
Proposal Would End Local Districts’ Oversight of Charter Schools in Favor Of State Power
The proposed constitutional amendment would set up a statewide entity with the power to approve charter schools anywhere in Florida, bypassing local school districts. The Legislature is expected to approve sending the proposal to the ballot.
Legislature Tells Florida’s Horse Farmers to Find a New Business
Florida horsemen are screwed, argues Nancy Smith: Only a miracle can save the $1.2 billion Florida horse racing industry they represent. Their bane: the Florida Legislature.
More Public Record Exemptions For Gun Owners, This Time For Hunters and Fishermen
People getting hunting, fishing and boating licenses and certificates from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission would be shielded from public record disclosures.
In a Decisive Shift, Palm Coast Will Oppose Fracking On and Offshore, Citing Environment
Abandoning its silence and tacit nod to fracking, the Palm Coast City Council will forcefully oppose hydraulic fracturing in a resolution, citing water and environmental protection.
Bathroom Use By Transgenders Scuttles Bill Designed to End LGBT Discrimination
The anti-discrimination bill is backed by big business such as Disnet and AT&T but opposed by social conservatives such as Florida Family Policy Council.
Florida’s Black Cowboys: An Exhibit Tours All Flagler Schools, Bucking Stereotypes
The Florida Black Cowboys exhibit, produced by the Agriculture Museum, opens a window on a little-known part of Florida and American history. The exhibit will appear at every Flagler County school.
Chief Justice Jorge Labarga Will Serve Second Successive Term, a First Since 1865
Chief justices preside over the Supreme Court and, more broadly, head the state’s judicial branch. In the broader role, Labarga has focused on taking steps to try to expand access to legal services for low-income people, creating a commission to work on the issue.
Measure Forbidding Local Governments From Using Red-Light Cameras Advances
Sen. Jeff Brandes’ measure would repeal a law known as the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act of 2010 and, as a result, prevent local governments from using the cameras for traffic enforcement.
Family of Corey Jones, Killed by Cop, Calls For Regulation of Police Body Cameras
A musician, Corey Jones was fatally shot by a plainclothes Palm Beach Gardens officer when his car broke down on Interstate 95 in the early morning after a gig. The officer, who was driving an unmarked van, has since been fired.
Florida Supreme Court Halts Executions Indefinitely; 389 Death Row Inmates In Limbo
The U.S. Supreme Court invalidated Florida’s death-penalty sentencing scheme on Jan. 12, forcing the state to rewrite its law but also putting in question whether the new law must apply to all 489 death row inmates.
In “Fair Sentencing” Push, an Attempt to Reconsider Florida’s Get-Tough-On-Crime Laws
Fair Sentencing seeks to change laws of the 1990s, such as 10-20-Life, mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses and habitual-offender laws, as other states have done.
Florida’s “Pastor Protection Act” Seen as Defense of Clergy or Latest Bias Against LGBT
The proposal, which was approved this week by a Senate committee, would prevent clergy members from being forced to perform marriage ceremonies contrary to their beliefs.
The Future Is Here: Florida Wants Welfare For the Rich While Punishing the Poor
Four years ago Chris Timmons, now a columnist and fellow at a Florida think tank, lost his job and needed food stamps. “It did not make me feel like a moocher,” he writes. Yet Florida makes welfare recipients feel just that.
Open-Carry Allowance and Ban on Backyard Shooting Among Gun Bills Heading for a Vote
Openly carried guns would have to be in a holster, case or bag, recreational shooting in certain residential areas would be banned, and the burden of proof in stand your ground cases would shift to defendants.
Conklin Will Lead Suicide Awareness Town Hall Sunday: #FlaglersuicideASK4HELP
In the wake of two recent and related suicides in Palm Coast, the town hall will feature Barbara Coxwell, whose son took his life in 2013. The Legislature is considering bills related to increased suicide awareness.
Florida Lawmakers Urged to Require Unanimous Verdicts in Death Penalty Cases
Florida is the only state in the nation where a simple jury majority is enough for a death penalty recommendation, one of several problems at odds with a new U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Florida’s capital punishment system.
FPL Reports Profits of $1.65 Billion for 2015 But Still Seeks 15% Rate Increase by 2019
Despite the good news to FPL shareholders, FPL has asked for an $8.50-a-month rate increase in 2017, rising to $14-a-month by 2019. The Florida Public Service Commission must approve the rate increases after public hearings.
Senate Looks to Boost Education Funding Beyond Scott Request, But Tax Burden Looms
The Senate is proposing spending $7,249 a student, against Scott’s $7,220, but the increase relies on rising local property taxes, which are part of the state funding formula.
Unfounded Threat Briefly Lifts Flagler Schools’ Status to Yellow, Increasing Cop Presence
An unfounded threat reported third-hand to Flagler school officials this morning and mirroring a threat in Florida’s Panhandle prompted the district to raise its security status to yellow before reverting back to normal.
Failed Condo Project in Ft. Lauderdale Lands Donald Trump in Florida Appeals Court
Investors have battled in court for years to get back hundreds of thousands of dollars in deposits from Donald Trump and associates. The 4th District Court of Appeal will hear arguments Tuesday in two lawsuits related to what was pitched as a swanky, Trump-branded hotel/condominium.
Term Limits for Supreme Court and Appellate Judges? Measure Moving Closer to Ballot
Under the proposal, members of the Supreme Court and district courts of appeal would be limited to two full six-year terms. Judges currently have to retire in the election cycle after they turn 70 years old.
Lawyers for Condemned Florida Man Call for Halt To Execution in Light of “Tectonic Shift”
Lawyers for Cary Michael Lambrix, who has been on Death Row for more than three decades, have asked the Florida Supreme Court to halt his execution in light of a U.S. Supreme Court decision declaring Florida’s court process unconstitutional in such cases.
Flagler’s Unemployment Rate Falls to New Post-Recession Low of 5.5%, Florida at 5%
Flagler County’s rate is vastly improved since even a year ago, when it stood at 6.9 percent. There were 487,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 9.7 million.
City School Districts? Lawmaker Mulling Proposed Constitutional Amendment
The measure (HJR 539) would mark a dramatic change in how school districts are organized in Florida. The Constitution requires all districts to be made up of whole counties, though a handful of public schools are stand-alone.
Opposing Open Carry, Sheriffs Instead Propose Immunity for Accidental Display of Guns
The Florida Sheriffs Association, which has opposed the open-carry measure, outlined proposed steps that would provide immunity to people who inadvertently or accidentally display firearms.
Trump Surges to “Crushing” Lead in Florida While Clinton Begins to Strengthen Again
The latest FAU poll has Trump surging to a 47.6 percent lead, with Ted Cruz, more than 30 points behind and Rubio and Bush hobbling in at 11.1 and 9.1 percent. Ben Carson has all but vanished at just over 3 percent.
Florida Lawmakers Drilling the Way for Fracking Even as Need Is Questioned
The assault on Florida’s environment continues as a Senate committee last week approved a bill that would make it easier for companies to use fracking technology to drill for oil and gas in the state.