ORLANDO, Fla. – The year is nearly at a close, though 2025 certainly had its fair share of major headlines.
While stories about features, weather and crime were among the biggest headlines of the year, many of the top stories shared a common theme: politics.
As such, News 6 is taking a look at the biggest politics-related stories that grabbed viewers’ attention this year.
NEW LAWS
Hands down, the most popular articles in 2025 dealt with all the new laws that came out of the Florida Legislature this year.
The bulk of Florida’s latest laws went into effect back in July, including legislation tackling topics like dangerous dogs and new education rules.
[BELOW: What to know about Florida’s latest law about dangerous dogs]
However, another batch of nearly 30 laws kicked off in October, including a license plate law that generated some confusion.
That said, there are still a few more laws left from this year that are slated to go into effect on New Year’s Day.
NO MORE DECALS?
Speaking of new laws, one Florida official put himself in the limelight this year to propose a new measure in the Legislature: getting rid of the state’s physical yellow registration decals.
Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez urged state officials to drop the requirement, saying that it’s “no longer needed.”
“It fades, peels, gets stolen, and costs our residents money every year,” he said. “Eliminating the physical decal is a common-sense step forward for our state, one that saves money, reduces fraud, and embraces the technology we already have.”
Since then, two state lawmakers have filed bills aiming to do just that.
If they pass into law during next year’s Legislative session, the measures are set to take effect on July 1, 2026.
TEACHER SCANDAL
Earlier this year, News 6 learned about a Satellite High School teacher who came under fire for reportedly calling a transgender student by her “preferred name.”
Brevard Public Schools said that the teacher — identified as Melissa Calhoun — wouldn’t have her contract renewed for the next school year after a concerned parent reported the situation.
According to the reports, Calhoun admitted to using the student’s preferred nickname despite not having parental consent, which is required under state law.
That law (HB 1069) was passed in 2023, and it requires Florida teachers to recognize students based on their biological sex, leading the State Board of Education to implement a rule requiring written parental consent for teachers to use names that are different from a student’s legal name.
Per the district, Calhoun was aware of the law, though she told a district investigator that she didn’t have any political or malicious intent in using the child’s preferred name.
CROSSWALK BATTLE
A rainbow crosswalk outside the former Pulse Nightclub was painted black and white this past summer after a directive was issued by the Trump administration to remove distracting road art.
In July, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent letters to governors across the U.S. to urge that roadway markings and political messages not directly related to safety be taken down.
[BELOW: Crosswalk art removed near Pulse Nightclub site in Orlando]
While this crosswalk wasn’t the only one targeted in the traffic crackdown, it drew plenty of attention from activists who protested the state’s actions.
This kicked off a cycle of protestors trying to recolor the crosswalk with chalk, which state official inevitably washed off.
But despite a sign warning people to not “deface” the crosswalk with chalk, protestors have continued to do so, even leading to a few arrests as a result.
PROPERTY TAXES
This year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been particularly vocal about tackling the issue of property taxes, comparing them to a kind of rent that homeowners are forced to pay.
As such, DeSantis has called on legislators to introduce an amendment that would cut these taxes nationwide. So far, a handful of proposals have been moving through the Legislature.
[BELOW: Gov. Ron DeSantis reveals his plan to replace property taxes in Florida]
Because property taxes are a local issue, such an amendment would have to be approved by at least 60% of Florida voters next year to take effect.
However, DeSantis has been insistent that he will not simply support property tax reform for seniors alone — he wants it for everyone.
NO MORE SALES TAXES
As part of the state’s budget this year, lawmakers decided to permanently get rid of sales taxes for a select list of items.
This list includes goods that can come in handy during hurricane season, such as batteries, smoke detectors, portable generators and waterproof tarps.
[BELOW: Florida gets permanent tax exemptions on these big items]
There are also products that many Florida residents use for outdoor activities, including bike helmets, life jackets, sunscreen and bug spray.
You can find the full list here.
LICENSE PLATE LAW
Among the many pieces of legislation passed this year was a new law taking aim at license plate frames.
The law (HB 253) says that changing a plate’s color, mutilating it, or applying anything to the plate that can obscure its alphanumeric tag now counts as a second-degree misdemeanor.
[BELOW: Here’s what to know about Florida’s newest ‘license plate’ law]
However, the law sparked some confusion among both drivers and law enforcement over whether these rules restricted certain types of license plate frames.
Fortunately, state officials issued a memo to clarify the rules, stating that so long as the alphanumeric plate identifier and decal in the top right-hand corner remain unobscured, the license plate frame should be OK.