Monday's Afternoon Update
Florida Gov. Scott signs bill to combat opioids crisis
Gov. Rick Scott has signed legislation limiting most painkiller prescriptions to a three-day supply in response to the opioid crisis killing at least 16 Floridians every day. Scott signed the bill - a top priority of the Republican governor and Legislature - on Monday in Manatee County. The new prescription limits - which allow doctors to prescribe up to seven days in cases of acute pain - take effect July 1. See Gov. Scott's announcement here, read the legislation (HB 21 Controlled Substances) here, and find more at the AP.
Florida among storm-prone states easing up on building codes despite growing risks
The shift toward less rigorous codes is driven by several factors, experts say: Rising anti-regulatory sentiment among state officials, and the desire to avoid anything that might hurt home sales and the tax revenue that goes with them. More from Bloomberg and Insurance Business.
See also:
» FPL looks to cities, counties to regulate tree trimming for next storm season
Spring break pushing Florida's gas prices higher
Florida gas prices ended their brief retreat, rising 3 cents over the week as demand spiked and supplies tightened. Prices at the pump had declined slightly for several weeks, but analysts expected them to rebound due to several factors. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
What do South Florida tech companies need to know about tax reform?
Tech companies in South Florida can benefit from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”), as long as they proactively plan for the new tax changes. Otherwise, opportunities to maximize tax savings could quickly morph into more expensive tax bills. More from the Miami Herald.
Debate swirls over possible oil drilling, exploration off Florida’s coast
Whether or not drilling in federal waters off Florida’s shores is on the table or off remains murky, but chances are growing that Floridians will get to vote this fall on an amendment to the state’s constitution to ban drilling in the state’s offshore waters. More from the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Event
National SBDC Day March 21
The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network will celebrate the second annual SBDC Day on Wednesday, March 21, 2018. SBDC Day is a national movement to help raise awareness about the service offering and impact of America’s SBDCs – the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) largest business assistance program.
» More from Florida SBDC.
Business Profile
Loftipop
Rachel O’Neill was sitting in her living room one day last week, a coffee mug in her hand and her favorite cooking show on television. This is how she works. And she works hard. How hard? It wasn’t just one coffee mug she was holding, but hundreds of them during the course of the day. She was securing the mugs in bubble-wrap and placing them in boxes to be shipped off to customers around the world.
» Read more from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.