Big issues to watch in Florida’s 2023 legislative session

The Florida legislative session kicks off today with opening ceremonies, beginning a months-long process of writing, reviewing, amending, and trying to pass a veritable stampede of legislation for the state. Lawmakers from across the aisle are bringing their ideas of what Florida needs to the forefront and the Senate and House floors, hoping to gain their colleagues support and provide changes and relief for state residents. Heading in, more than 1,000 bills have already been filed, focused on education, tax relief, immigration, criminal justice reform, and more. [Source: WFLA]

Florida’s $4 billion bet on the Everglades: Is it enough?

Massive and massively expensive, it’s been touted as the “crown jewel” of Everglades restoration, the key to unlocking every other project that will come after it. The $4 billion Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir — about half the size of the city of Hollywood and twice as deep as Lake Okeechobee — finally got underway last week with the ceremonial flinging of shovelfuls of dirt and celebration from federal agencies, state water managers and many environmental groups. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Then and now: How DeSantis’ State of the State speeches have changed

For the first State of the State address of his second term on Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis is kicking off the Florida legislative session in a much different position than he was four years ago. When DeSantis took office in 2019, he had defeated his Democratic opponent Andrew Gillum by a razor-thin margin – less than one percent – and was a little-known political figure nationally with an uncertain future. DeSantis appears before the Republican-led Legislature in Tallahassee in a changed environment. [Source: WUSF]

Jack in the Box wants Florida. See the list of cities the burger place is thinking about

Fast-food chains love Florida. The latest to target the Sunshine State is Jack in the Box. The California-based restaurant company announced that it plans to open franchises in several Florida cities. Jack in the Box is best known for its burgers. But in 1993, the company was at the center of a deadly E. coli outbreak in the 1990s. The company’s menu also includes chicken and breakfast. [Source: Miami Herald]

Industry panel: Expect fewer amenities in new residential developments

At the Lay of the Land Florida Conference in Lakeland in late February, industry insiders, policy makers, investors and property owners gathered for two days to talk about what they’re seeing. This year’s event was held in the shadows of high interest rates, a slowdown in economic activity and uncertainty whether there’s a recession in the country’s future. Those gathered talked conservation and deals and got economic updates. [Source: Business Observer]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf to host its 1st Orlando tournament [Orlando Business Journal]
LIV Golf soon will host a tournament in the Orlando area for the first time, but the upstart golf league has drawn some controversy due to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund backing it. The new tour, which had its first season last year, will host a tournament at the Orange County National Golf Club and Lodge from March 31-April 2. LIV Golf launched as a competitor to the PGA Tour and includes a format with both individual and team competition and 48 players.

› ‘A lot of dead fish’: Beach visitors in Southwest Florida deal with red tide conditions [Yahoo News]
If you’re planning a beach trip to Southwest Florida this week, make sure you check the conditions first. Beach communities in Southwest Florida are dealing with red tide. Dead fish have been seen on Naples Beach and the toxins make breathing difficult. Beach visitors said they were not expecting to see so many dead fish along the shore. “A lot of dead fish, a lot of dead fish,” one beachgoer said.

› Department of Defense scrubs hypersonic missile test at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station [Florida Today]
A Department of Defense missile test set to fly from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station over the weekend was scrubbed, but not before it generated buzz around the Space Coast. The Army and Navy were planning on launching a hypersonic missile from the Cape on Sunday, but pre-launch checks forced teams to stand down from the attempt, the Office of the Secretary of Defense said.

› Pinellas lawmaker proposes more limits on vacation rental regulations [Tampa Bay Times]
Residents of many Pinellas County beach communities have spent the past decade demanding that their elected officials do something to stem the spread, or at least soften the impact, of vacation rentals in their neighborhoods. Those officials have to walk a fine line — not just with constituents on both sides of the conflict, but with state law, which preempts them from creating new rental bans or limits on frequency or duration of stays.

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› Space Coast launch schedule: Upcoming missions from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral [Orlando Sentinel]
The Space Coast saw a record number of launches from the two facilities with 57 in 2022. Space Launch Delta 45 commander Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy said in January that there could be between 86 and 92 potential launches in 2023. Here is the latest information on upcoming launches from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

› Is Sugar Factory still coming to Jacksonville? [Florida Times-Union]
More than 16 months in the works, Sugar Factory American Brasserie has an opening date for its new restaurant at the Markets at Town Center. Then again, it’s had several opening dates. And each time, those opening dates — a half dozen or more — have been pushed back a week or more. That could finally (maybe) change this week.

› Miami-Dade County: See how much real estate prices increased last week [Miami Herald]
The median price per square foot for a home in Miami-Dade County increased in the last week to $361. Prior to this, the median price per square foot of a home sold in Miami-Dade County was $325. In the past week, a 3,961-square-foot home on Southwest 123rd Terrace in Miami sold for $1,433,400. 

› Excitement builds for arrival of beloved Boston restaurant chain [Business Observer]
Kelly’s Roast Beef, a favorite of the Boston area, has grabbed a toehold in Florida with the opening of a restaurant at Sarasota’s University Town Center. RAVentures Hospitality, the local franchisee, aims to open nine more over the next two years.