Trump urged GOP-led states to redraw US House districts. Now other states also are gerrymandering
Read full article: Trump urged GOP-led states to redraw US House districts. Now other states also are gerrymanderingPresident Donald Trump has called for Republican states to redraw their U.S. House districts ahead of next year's elections.
Florida House pitches property tax proposals for 2026 ballot. Read the bills
Read full article: Florida House pitches property tax proposals for 2026 ballot. Read the billsThe Florida House on Thursday rolled out a series of proposed constitutional amendments to cut property taxes, while looking to shield funding for schools and law enforcement. One bill would get rid of most homesteaded residential property taxes.
Where states stand in the battle for partisan advantage in redrawing US House maps
Read full article: Where states stand in the battle for partisan advantage in redrawing US House mapsMissouri has become the third state to embrace a mid-decade redesign of its U.S. House districts in a quest for partisan advantage.
Florida school supply tax holiday here to stay, hurricane supply holiday goes away in new tax bill
Read full article: Florida school supply tax holiday here to stay, hurricane supply holiday goes away in new tax billAfter months of contentious debate, some in public, Florida lawmakers passed a budget Monday that included $1.3 billion in state and local tax cuts, but nothing as radical as leaders were proposing.
Florida lawmakers want to pump up rainy day fund with constitutional amendment
Read full article: Florida lawmakers want to pump up rainy day fund with constitutional amendmentFlorida lawmakers Thursday started moving forward with a proposed constitutional amendment that supporters say would bulk up financial reserves to help the state weather potential problems such as economic recessions.
‘Rural renaissance’ plan, Florida sales tax cut sidelined amid budget battle
Read full article: ‘Rural renaissance’ plan, Florida sales tax cut sidelined amid budget battleWhen lawmakers begin budget conference talks Tuesday, a couple of priorities of Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, and House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, likely will already be off the table, including a plan to bolster rural areas and cut the overall sales tax rate.
Agreement sets stage for budget talks among state lawmakers
Read full article: Agreement sets stage for budget talks among state lawmakersNearly a month after leaving the Capitol without passing a budget, House and Senate leaders said Friday night they had reached an agreement that will clear the way for lawmakers to begin hammering out details of a spending plan Tuesday.
Florida lawmakers told to stay home next week as budget talks drag on
Read full article: Florida lawmakers told to stay home next week as budget talks drag onFlorida lawmakers are no closer to releasing a budget proposal, and on Friday, state House leaders told representatives that they shouldn’t expect to be in Tallahassee next week.
Key Florida budget details unresolved
Read full article: Key Florida budget details unresolvedLegislative leaders have not reached agreement on key initial budget details, as lawmakers prepare to return to the Capitol to hammer out a spending plan for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, which will begin July 1.
Florida lawmakers to take next week off before returning to budget battle
Read full article: Florida lawmakers to take next week off before returning to budget battleThe 60-day legislative session was scheduled to end Friday, but lawmakers have blown past a budget deadline to make that happen. House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, and Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, also advised their members Thursday that lawmakers won’t be in Tallahassee next week.
Hope Florida: A timeline of how a DeSantis-backed state charity was accused of wrongdoing
Read full article: Hope Florida: A timeline of how a DeSantis-backed state charity was accused of wrongdoingScrutiny of a welfare program that is the signature initiative of Florida first lady Casey DeSantis is threatening to undermine a potential run to succeed her husband as governor, as well as his own presidential ambitions.
As Florida budget negotiations head into overtime, Gov. DeSantis warns about House tax changes
Read full article: As Florida budget negotiations head into overtime, Gov. DeSantis warns about House tax changesLawmakers in Tallahassee will not be able to get a budget passed before the regularly planned end of the annual legislative session, with House and Senate leaders remaining at loggerheads over tax cuts. Gov. Ron DeSantis told News 6 he was concerned about one particular proposed tax change.
Following FSU shooting, students call on lawmakers to block effort to lower gun-buying law
Read full article: Following FSU shooting, students call on lawmakers to block effort to lower gun-buying lawStudent survivors of last week’s deadly shooting at Florida State University are urging legislators to block an effort to reverse a law passed in the wake of the 2018 Parkland shooting that raised the state’s gun-buying age from 18 to 21.
Students from 2 Florida shootings demand the governor reject a law to lower the gun purchasing age
Read full article: Students from 2 Florida shootings demand the governor reject a law to lower the gun purchasing ageStudents who experienced a shooting at both Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018 and Florida State University days ago have sent a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis demanding he reject a law that would lower the firearm purchase age back to 18 years old.
Florida House Speaker Perez compares higher ed searches to ‘Spoil System’
Read full article: Florida House Speaker Perez compares higher ed searches to ‘Spoil System’Appearing before leaders of the state university system, House Speaker Daniel Perez on Wednesday defended a bill that would repeal a law shielding information about school presidential candidates from public disclosure.
Florida could soon have its sales tax slashed. Here’s how low it may go
Read full article: Florida could soon have its sales tax slashed. Here’s how low it may goSpeaker Perez said that if the proposal is successful, it will make Florida the only state in the country's history to permanently reduce its sales tax.
Florida House bill would block Citizens from insuring condos if condo groups don’t get milestone inspections done
Read full article: Florida House bill would block Citizens from insuring condos if condo groups don’t get milestone inspections doneA House panel on Tuesday unanimously signed off on a proposal that would make further changes to condominium safety laws requiring inspections of older buildings and adequate reserves for repairs.
Florida Legislature opens annual session with eye on spending, property insurance
Read full article: Florida Legislature opens annual session with eye on spending, property insuranceWith House Speaker Daniel Perez pointing to an “age of disruption,” Florida Republican legislative leaders opened the 2025 session on Tuesday by voicing support for digging into government spending.
Florida lawmakers to take another special session crack at immigration
Read full article: Florida lawmakers to take another special session crack at immigrationThe Florida Legislature is going back to Tallahassee starting Tuesday to make changes to recently-passed — and contentious — legislation to crack down on undocumented immigrants.
Florida budget vetoes eyed amid broader dispute
Read full article: Florida budget vetoes eyed amid broader disputeSpecial Florida House panels are teed up next week to scrutinize Gov. Ron DeSantis’ line-item budget vetoes, setting up possible overrides amid a dispute between the governor and Republican legislative leaders over immigration-enforcement plans.
‘Step in the wrong direction:’ Students hold mock graduation in protest of Florida immigration bill
Read full article: ‘Step in the wrong direction:’ Students hold mock graduation in protest of Florida immigration billThe Republican-controlled Florida Legislature passed a bill Tuesday night aimed at curbing illegal immigration, sending the package to the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has derided the proposal for days.
Florida lawmakers pass sweeping immigration bill to help with Trump crackdown
Read full article: Florida lawmakers pass sweeping immigration bill to help with Trump crackdownFlorida lawmakers have passed a sweeping immigration bill, setting aside half a billion dollars in public funds to help carry out President Donald Trump’s crackdown on people in the country illegally.
Florida Legislature will tackle immigration bill in special session — but not the way DeSantis wanted
Read full article: Florida Legislature will tackle immigration bill in special session — but not the way DeSantis wantedThe Florida Legislature will hold a session this week after all, and tackle only one issue, immigration, with a bill of their own creation. That bill puts immigration collaboration and enforcement in the hands of Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, taking much of the power from Gov. DeSantis.
WATCH LIVE: DeSantis declares state of emergency as Florida braces for cold temps, snow, ice
Read full article: WATCH LIVE: DeSantis declares state of emergency as Florida braces for cold temps, snow, iceGov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency as the Panhandle and other parts of North Florida get hit with frigid weather and face the possibility of snow and ice.
Florida legislative leaders call DeSantis special session on immigration ‘premature’
Read full article: Florida legislative leaders call DeSantis special session on immigration ‘premature’The Florida Senate president and House speaker rebuffed a call for a special session by Gov. DeSantis on immigration, hurricane recovery and more, calling it premature.
New Florida Legislature leaders take control in Tallahassee, no plans for condo special session
Read full article: New Florida Legislature leaders take control in Tallahassee, no plans for condo special sessionFiscal belt-tightening is coming in Tallahassee, according to Florida’s new legislative leaders who took their oaths of office Tuesday.
Florida House, Senate unveil new leaders, committees ahead of next session
Read full article: Florida House, Senate unveil new leaders, committees ahead of next sessionIncoming House Speaker Daniel Perez on Thursday rolled out changes to House committees, while saying lawmakers have “spent taxpayer funds excessively and indiscriminately in the last few years.”
‘Should not be happening:’ Picture of Melbourne firefighter giving Nazi salute under investigation
Read full article: ‘Should not be happening:’ Picture of Melbourne firefighter giving Nazi salute under investigationAn attorney representing a Jewish firefighter showed a picture of his client’s colleague wearing a mustache and displaying a salute synonymous with Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany while wearing a Melbourne Fire Department polo during work.