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Monday's Daily Pulse

What you need to know about Florida today

| 1/22/2018

Florida braces for long government shutdown

As a dysfunctional Washington stumbled past the midnight deadline and into a shutdown of the federal government, state officials scrambled to prepare for its impacts across Florida. Gov. Scott's office declined to say what kind of contingency plans it has ready to implement in a shutdown. The last federal government shutdown, in early October 2013, had serious effects on routine government services. While monthly Social Security checks won't be interrupted, a trip to the Everglades should probably be postponed. [Source: Times/Herald]

Lawmakers to grapple with state budget and other issues

Florida legislators are heading into the third week of their 60-day session where they are ready to start grappling with a state budget that will exceed $80 billion. While passing the budget is the only obligation the Florida Legislature has each year, there are dozens of other bills being considered. [Source: AP]

Official: Plan to exclude Florida from drilling isn’t final

The Trump administration’s promise to exempt Florida from an offshore drilling plan is not a formal action, an Interior Department official said Friday in a statement that Democrats said contradicted a high-profile announcement by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. [Source: AP]

Record number of inmates died in Florida prisons last year. And they died younger than past years.

More inmates died in Florida prisons last year than in any other year on record, leaving the state scrambling to identify causes and find solutions. The tally, 428 inmate deaths in 2017, was released late Friday by the Florida Department of Corrections and showed a 20 percent increase over previous years. [Source: Miami Herald]

Orlando pursues Apple expansion, on heels of Amazon snub

The Orlando Economic Partnership will pursue Apple regarding the consumer tech icon’s plans to expand in the U.S. and add a new corporate campus, officials confirmed Friday. Interest in Apple follows rejection of Orlando’s proposal for Amazon’s second headquarters. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

In September, Florida Trend will present the state's most influential business leaders across major industries. Do you know someone who should be included? To recommend an influential Florida business leader, please go to » FloridaTrend500.com

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Florida voters: Dump the Electoral College, let popular vote decide presidency [Press Release]
Two-thirds of Florida voters believe the Electoral College should be scrapped and that presidents should be chosen based on the popular vote, a new poll suggests. Also read more at the Fort Myers News-Press.

› Florida considers ending fee to freeze credit as Equifax leads gripes [Palm Beach Post]
Florida officials including two Cabinet officers want to whack a $10 fee to freeze your credit report after hacked credit reporting agency Equifax emerged as the state’s most complained-about company in 2017 in beefs to the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Florida Trend Exclusive
› Sixt success: Fort Lauderdale lands Sixt headquarters [Florida Trend]

Hertz drew a lot of attention in 2013 with its announcement that it would bring its global headquarters to Estero along with 700 jobs. Fort Lauderdale hopes for an even bigger, long-term splash with the opening of the 300-employee U. S. headquarters of German rental car giant Sixt.

› Orange County Convention Center looks ahead for busy 2018 [Orlando Sentinel]
Odds are in your favor you might get lucky and get seated next to a business traveler instead of a crying baby if you have an upcoming airline flight. That’s because in early 2018, a large number of conventiongoers will travel to and from Orlando during what’s expected to be a busy season.

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