Statewide News

DeSantis said from his talks with Trump, the president is more concerned with vote-by-mail rules used in states without “adequate safeguards." (Graphic/VoteOsceola.gov)

DeSantis said from his talks with Trump, the president is more concerned with vote-by-mail rules used in states without “adequate safeguards." (Graphic/VoteOsceola.gov)

Florida OK on mail-in voting?

Jim Turner
Friday, September 5, 2025
News Service of Florida — Gov. Ron DeSantis this week dismissed concerns Florida’s voting process would be affected by President Donald Trump’s push to abolish mail-in voting before the 2026 midterm elections.DeSantis said from his talks with Trump, the president is more concerned with vote-by-mail...
Shoppers will be able to avoid paying sales taxes on gun purchases from Monday through the end of the year. (Photo/Mike Exline, News Service of Florida)

Shoppers will be able to avoid paying sales taxes on gun purchases from Monday through the end of the year. (Photo/Mike Exline, News Service of Florida)

Tax breaks for guns, ammo teed up by Legislature

Jim Turner
Thursday, September 4, 2025
News Service of Florida — Starting Monday and running through the end of the year, Florida will provide a sales-tax exemption on a variety of hunting equipment, the first time a state tax “holiday” includes guns and ammunition.The cost of a quality handgun starts around $400 and can easily exceed...
State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo on Wednesday vowed to end vaccine mandates in Florida, putting the state in the middle of a growing national debate. (Photo/Florida Department of Health)

State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo on Wednesday vowed to end vaccine mandates in Florida, putting the state in the middle of a growing national debate. (Photo/Florida Department of Health)

State could end vaccine mandates — "All of them"

Jim Turner
Wednesday, September 3, 2025
News Service of Florida — State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo on Wednesday vowed to end vaccine mandates in Florida, putting the state in the middle of a growing national debate.Ladapo said the Florida Department of Health will eliminate rules set by his predecessors and request that the...
Questions have swirled about whether newly appointed Lt. Gov. Jay Collins or Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis would also run for governor.

Questions have swirled about whether newly appointed Lt. Gov. Jay Collins or Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis would also run for governor.

Paul Renner enters race for Governor

Jim Turner
Wednesday, September 3, 2025
Former state House Speaker Paul Renner on Wednesday launched a 2026 campaign for governor, becoming the first high-profile candidate to take on Congressman Byron Donalds — who has the backing of President Donald Trump — in the Republican primary.Renner, who left the House in November after two...
The law (HB 3), which was one of the biggest issues of the 2024 legislative session, seeks to prevent children under age 16 from opening social-media accounts on certain platforms — though it would allow parents to give consent for 14- and 15-year-olds to have accounts. Children under 14 could not open accounts.

The law (HB 3), which was one of the biggest issues of the 2024 legislative session, seeks to prevent children under age 16 from opening social-media accounts on certain platforms — though it would allow parents to give consent for 14- and 15-year-olds to have accounts. Children under 14 could not open accounts.

Over two dozen states back Florida in social media fight

Jim Saunders
Monday, August 25, 2025
News Service of Florida — Pointing to a “significant interest in protecting children and youth from social media’s harms,” 27 states have backed Florida in an appeals-court battle about a law aimed at keeping kids off certain social-media platforms.Attorneys general from the states, including...
Gov. Ron DeSantis, and state and county legal and education leaders were in Sunbridge Tuesday to announce legal action against textbook publishers they say overcharged the School District of Osceola County. (Photos/https://www. clickorlando.com/news/politics/2025/08/19/florida-gov-ron-desantis-holdsnews- conference-at-st-cloud-school/)

Gov. Ron DeSantis, and state and county legal and education leaders were in Sunbridge Tuesday to announce legal action against textbook publishers they say overcharged the School District of Osceola County. (Photos/https://www. clickorlando.com/news/politics/2025/08/19/florida-gov-ron-desantis-holdsnews- conference-at-st-cloud-school/)

Governor, leaders: Publishers have overcharged Osceola for textbooks

Ken Jackson
Thursday, August 21, 2025
Gov. Ron DeSantis came to Osceola County on Tuesday, to let people know its school district’s been overcharged for textbooks, and he and state leadership won’t stand for it any longer.DeSantis, with Attorney General James Uthmeier, Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas and Osceola school...
Florida has executed 114 more killers since then, nine of them this year. Two more are set to die this month.

Florida has executed 114 more killers since then, nine of them this year. Two more are set to die this month.

CAPITOL COLUMN: Trying to avoid 'freakish and whimsical'

Bill Cotterell
Friday, August 15, 2025
Suppose the company you work for is doing something that’s very expensive, takes a lot of time and never delivers the result it was intended to produce.Oh, and one other thing: Do it wrong, and the consequences are ghastly—and irreparable.That’s where Florida finds itself with capital punishment.
Florida Supreme Court Justice Jamie Grosshans swears in Tampa Republican Jay Collins as lieutenant governor. (News Service of Florida Photo/Tom Urban)

Florida Supreme Court Justice Jamie Grosshans swears in Tampa Republican Jay Collins as lieutenant governor. (News Service of Florida Photo/Tom Urban)

DeSantis taps Sen. Jay Collins for Lieutenant Governor

Jim Turner
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
News Service of Florida — Gov. Ron DeSantis Tuesday appointed Sen. Jay Collins, a Tampa Republican and retired Army Green Beret, to the long-vacant position of lieutenant governor amid speculation that Collins could run for governor in 2026.DeSantis said he selected Collins, who served 23 years in...
U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz called for the agreement during a hearing in a lawsuit alleging, in part, that people held at the facility — dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” — are being prevented access to lawyers and are unable to contest their detention.

U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz called for the agreement during a hearing in a lawsuit alleging, in part, that people held at the facility — dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” — are being prevented access to lawyers and are unable to contest their detention.

Judge seeks 'clarity' on detention center

Dara Kam
Monday, July 28, 2025
News Service of Florida — A U.S. district judge on Monday pushed state and federal officials to provide a copy of an intergovernmental agreement showing “who’s running the show” at an Everglades immigrant-detention center, calling the situation “urgent” as at least 100 detainees have been deported...
A Florida Highway Patrol officer looks on as protesters gather to demand the closure of the immigrant detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz" at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, Florida, on July 22, 2025. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

A Florida Highway Patrol officer looks on as protesters gather to demand the closure of the immigrant detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz" at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, Florida, on July 22, 2025. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

Detainees being deported from 'Alligator Alcatraz'

Dara Kam
Friday, July 25, 2025
News Service of Florida -- About 100 undocumented immigrants have been deported from an airstrip adjoining the detention center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” and “the cadence” of outgoing flights is increasing, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday.Speaking to reporters outside the detention complex in the...
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