Social media, utility rates, marijuana & more: 10 legal issues to watch in Florida in 2026
From Alligator Alcatraz to guns, social media to recreational marijuana, and utility rates and immigration, legal battles about those and myriad other Florida issues remain unresolved heading into 2026. Here are 10 big legal issues to watch in the coming year. [Source: News Service of Florida]
Florida Trend Exclusive
Womb with a view
Women’s care has been a priority for HCA Mercy Hospital since it was founded 75 years ago this month by Miami’s Archdiocese and staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph, says CEO Allyssa Tobitt. That emphasis was reinforced last spring with the opening of a $42.8-million expansion to the hospital’s Women’s Services center. Miami’s growth, combined with the recent closing of labor and delivery units elsewhere in the community, have increased demand, Tobitt says. [Source: Florida Trend]
The year ahead in Florida sports betting: Seminoles retain sole control
Legalizing sports betting in Florida opened the industry’s doors to one of the largest markets in America. However, the state’s unique setup has controversially separated it from many other top gaming states. Heading into 2026, the Florida sports betting market is still under a gaming monopoly controlled by the Seminole Tribe, which is in a partnership with Hard Rock Bet. [Source: Covers.com]
Does Florida's minimum wage go up again in 2026? Here's when, how much
This year, minimum wage workers in Florida got an extra buck an hour in their paychecks. In 2026, it will go up again, but that may be it for a while. Thanks to the "Fair Wage" constitutional amendment voters narrowly passed in 2020, minimum wage in the state will increase by $1 every year until it reaches $15 an hour in 2026. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
SoftBank to buy Boca Raton-based DigitalBridge in $4 billion deal to bolster AI infrastructure push
A Japanese investment holding company has agreed to buy a publicly traded South Florida private equity firm for $4 billion. Tokyo-based SoftBank Group Corp. said Monday it would acquire Boca Raton-based DigitalBridge Group Inc. Closing would be subject to regulatory approval and is expected in the second half of 2026. SoftBank said taking over DigitalBridge would boost its ability to create the infrastructure needed to support artificial intelligence-powered technologies. More from Reuters and the South Florida Business Journal
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Seminole lays out future for its camps, libraries, golf course
From expanding summer camps and libraries to building a new indoor sports facility and adding more upgrades to the county’s golf course, Seminole officials are sketching a vision for developing the county’s parks and recreational programs in the coming decade. While Seminole does not have the famed theme parks of neighboring Orange County, commissioners say their county attracts visitors with its venues for amateur athletic tournaments, network of trails and other leisure amenities.
› Mayor Jane Castor highlights economic growth, public works as Tampa heads into 2026
As 2025 comes to a close, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor says the city is entering the new year with momentum built on economic growth, major infrastructure investments and continued recovery from last year’s hurricanes. Castor outlined the city’s progress in her year-end remarks, pointing to national recognition for Tampa’s economy and a slate of public works projects completed or launched over the past year. Tampa ranked second among mid-sized U.S. cities for economic growth, with the local economy expanding 43% and paychecks rising 38%.
› How property tax elimination could affect Naples market
As Florida House Joint Resolution 201 — which calls for the elimination of non-school property taxes for homesteads — continues moving through the Florida House of Representatives, officials at the City of Naples and Collier County are closely watching. So are local real estate agents. Although property taxes are the primary source of revenue for nearly half of the state’s counties, “charges for services” compose the largest percentage of revenue for Collier, according to county tax reports.
› GRU bill increase coming as utility raises fuel adjustment rate
Gainesville Regional Utilities customers may begin to see a small increase in their bills starting in January. On Dec. 29, GRU announced it would increase its electric fuel adjustment charge from 35 mills to 40 mills. GRU CEO Ed Bielarski said the "pass-through charge" fluctuates depending on the price of natural gas, especially during the colder winter months. GRU spokesperson David Warm said the utility's fuel adjustment has not changed since April 2024.
More stories ...
› With intervention, flamingos can expand in Florida, UCF research says
University of Central Florida researchers using genetic information say that, with intervention, depleted flamingo populations in Florida can recover. A study led by biology graduate student Jessica Folsom used genomic data in determining the flamingo population and its genetics in Florida and proposes strategies to restore the population. Researchers found that flamingos in Florida and around the Caribbean display few genetic differences, including those held in captivity.
› Queue Gallery is rebelling against Miami’s art world conventions
Queue Gallery is a bit off the beaten path in more ways than one. It’s in downtown Miami, close to the New World School of the Arts but far from art scene hotspots like Allapattah and the Design District. It’s not the typical place for a fine art gallery. The gallery’s ideas are even more unconventional.
› Jacksonville financial leaders forecast slower but steady expansion as interest rates ease
As 2026 approaches, Northeast Florida’s financial leaders aren’t betting on another record-breaking year, but they see plenty of room for growth. From Jacksonville’s logistics corridor to its quiet rural tracts eyed for data centers, the region’s financial leaders see opportunity as interest rates ease and technology redefines the economy. Equally, they also see a need for adaptability.
› ‘No-brainer’: St. Cloud’s new drone program joins nationwide trend as city, population grows
When a mental health call came in to St. Cloud police last fall of a man digging into the street with a fixed-blade knife, officers weren’t the only ones to respond. A drone, deployed and piloted from the real-time intelligence center inside police headquarters, beat the units to the scene and watched as the man put the knife in his pocket, information immediately relayed to the officers as they pulled up. The drone, part of St. Cloud’s “drone-as-first-responder” initiative, or DFR, is the first of its kind for Central Florida.