Florida Legislature OKs budget, tax breaks and goes home
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Legislature adjourned Friday after approving a $117.4 billion budget, $1.5 billion in tax breaks, a second year of commuter toll discounts and a flurry of other bills....
View Article‘Republicans need to grow a spine:’ Florida Legislature disappoints some...
TALLAHASSEE — Despite Republicans holding a supermajority, the Florida Legislature disappointed some conservatives and left them wanting more this year. GOP lawmakers didn’t approve controversial...
View ArticleIn latest shakeup, Martin Garcia out as Disney oversight board chairman
Martin Garcia is stepping down as chairman of Florida’s Disney World oversight board, creating another leadership shakeup at the district playing a starring role in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ nationally...
View ArticleSecuring public records in Florida can take cash, patience and lawyers
The South Florida Sun Sentinel and Orlando Sentinel recognize Sunshine Week March 10-16. This article is shared with news outlets across the state through the Florida Society of News Editors. FSNE...
View ArticleFlorida ethics overhaul will leave corruption unchecked, watchdog groups warn
A bill approved by the Florida Legislature could undermine the state’s ethics laws and allow corruption to go unchallenged by making it “almost impossible” for the public to file a complaint,...
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Disney, Florida settle lawsuits over tourism district
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ allies and Disney settled lawsuits on Wednesday over who controls Disney World’s governing district, with both sides signaling they’re ready to end a two-year feud. The Central...
View ArticleAre Disney and DeSantis making up? Both look ready to work together
Gov. Ron DeSantis and Disney are moving into a new chapter of a dramatic political story that captured the nation’s attention, one that could see better relations between the two. Lawsuits have been...
View ArticleLet Florida voters decide if recreational marijuana should be legal, state...
Florida could become yet another state to legalize recreational marijuana after the state Supreme Court determined Monday that the question should go before the voters in November. If approved with 60%...
View ArticleEx-DeSantis aide had $6.5K a month contract with state attorney Bain’s office
A former top aide to Gov. Ron DeSantis landed a $6,500-a-month public relations deal with the Orange-Osceola state attorney’s office to handle communications work in the wake of Monique Worrell’s...
View ArticleQ&A: How would legal recreational marijuana work in Florida?
Floridians will soon decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana. Amendment 3 will need the support of at least 60% of voters in the election on Nov. 5 to pass. Supporters argue that Floridians...
View ArticleFlorida ethics panel waives fines imposed on an ethics commissioner
The Florida Commission on Ethics waived $1,500 in fines levied against one of its members on Friday, finding that unusual circumstances led to a required form not being filed correctly. Ethics...
View ArticleDeSantis clears some ethics cases after 2 years, but others still languish
Gov. Ron DeSantis cleared part of a backlog of ethics orders punishing the misdeeds of Florida politicians that piled up over two years of inaction, but some high-profile cases are still languishing....
View ArticleOrlando woman faces 12 years in prison for carrying ammo into Turks and Caicos
An Orlando woman faces up to 12 years in prison over accusations she took ammunition into the Turks and Caicos Islands, the latest American arrested under a strict gun control law that is drawing...
View ArticleFlorida secretary of state, lawmakers go on island mission to free Orlando...
Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd and several U.S. lawmakers tried but failed this week to get Turks and Caicos Islands authorities to free an Orlando woman and four other Americans facing 12 years...
View Article‘A huge kiss and make up:’ Disney World, Florida leaders plot major expansion
The Walt Disney Co. is gearing up to spend billions of dollars in Central Florida as part of a new development plan, ramping up speculation that the company could be eyeing a major Disney World...
View ArticleElections chief Gilzean got $20K-a-month consulting deal with Disney district
Florida’s Disney World oversight district is paying Orange County Elections Supervisor Glen Gilzean $20,000 a month through December as part of a consulting agreement quietly inked when he stepped down...
View ArticleWith development plan approved, Disney drops federal lawsuit against Florida
The Walt Disney Co. is ending its last major court fight with Gov. Ron DeSantis and his allies now that a new development agreement is in place, closing what may be the final chapter in a two-year...
View Article‘Partisan politics should have no role’: State Attorney Bain touts...
Orange-Osceola State Attorney Andrew Bain is drawing fire for a political evolution that took him from a registered Democrat to an appointee of Gov. Ron DeSantis — and now has him running as an...
View ArticleCampaign launches to defeat Florida abortion rights amendment
Anti-abortion groups launched a campaign Monday to oppose a ballot initiative that would protect abortion rights in Florida, calling the proposal “extreme” and “deceptive.” The effort is getting...
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GOP, Sen. Scott struggle to navigate politics of IVF
It’s an election-year battle that has U.S. Sen. Rick Scott touting himself in new ads as a “grandpa” who supports in vitro fertilization and Democrats traveling the state with a 20-foot-tall inflatable...
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