Florida mental health providers join crush of opioid lawsuits

Seven state mental health agencies are joining a national legal action against some of the biggest drug manufacturers and distributors in the world to try to recover billions of tax dollars spent on the state’s opioid crisis. [Source: Tallahassee Democrat]

CRC panel revamps ethics proposal

A proposal that would have prohibited governmental agencies from using lobbyists to influence the annual appropriations process in the Legislature was rejected Tuesday by a Constitution Revision Commission panel. [Source: Florida Politics]

Duke Energy asks Florida for rate hike to pay for Crystal River-area power plant

With a new Citrus County power plant poised to start generating electricity in September, Duke Energy Florida on Monday asked state regulators to approve rate increases to pay for the project. The state Public Service Commission will decide whether to approve the increases. Duke said the project, in part, would help reduce carbon emissions. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Flood insurance rate hikes take effect; most to see small increases

Effective April 1, the average premium rose 8 percent for National Flood Insurance Program policies, from $866 per policy to $935. But the vast majority of homeowners will see increases of 5 percent or less. The increases aren’t tied to losses from any of the 2017 hurricanes, but required by two congressional fixes. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

Scott faces deadline on final batch of legislative session bills

Gov. Rick Scott has a little more than a week to act on the remaining 19 bills from the 2018 legislative session, including a water-related measure drawing fire from environmentalists. The proposal would allow chemically treated, recycled water to be pumped into the state’s underground aquifer. [Source: Daily Business Review]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Debates set for candidates running for Florida governor, U.S. Senate [Tampa Bay Times]
Leadership Florida and the Florida Press Association have announced dates for hour-long debates between the Democratic and Republican nominees to win the November election for Florida governor and U.S. Senate.

› Florida Poly delegates head to Brazil to bolster research partnerships [Tampa Bay Business Journal]
Florida Polytechnic University is sending a delegation of professors to Brazil this week to form alliances with the nation’s universities and high-tech companies.

› Shipt to deliver groceries from Florida Winn-Dixie stores [WTXL]
Shipt, a membership-based service, has announced that they will begin delivering from Winn-Dixie to Tallahassee residents. Beginning on April 3, 2018, Shipt will deliver from Winn-Dixie to several Florida metro areas to include Tallahassee.
» See also: Winn-Dixie will deliver your groceries via Shipt in Tampa Bay

› Business owners encouraged to prepare for hurricane season [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Hurricane season returns June 1. Before that date arrives, Manatee County economic development and emergency management officials want local businesses to make preparations.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Medical marijuana provider sues Department of Health over caps on dispensaries [Bradenton Herald]
Florida medical marijuana provider Trulieve is challenging a state law that caps how many dispensaries it can open and where, saying it unfairly restricts its constitutional right to open storefronts "without arbitrary and unreasonable limits."

› Blueberry season ripening in Central Florida [Orlando Sentinel]
Blueberries are going to be rolling into buckets soon! The crop is just starting its season. Central Florida hosts a number of blueberry farms where folks can pick their own fruit. Tie on your closed-toe shoes, grab a water bottle and slather on the sunscreen before heading out.

› Florida makes it easier to track convicted sex offenders [AP]
Florida is upgrading the website that allows people to find out the location of sexual offenders and sexual predators. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Monday released links to a revamped website that is easier for people to use.

› Cuban migrants arrive in Lower Matecumbe — the first reported Florida Keys landing of 2018 [Miami Herald]
Twelve Cubans on a makeshift vessel arrived on an ocean-side beach on Lower Matecumbe Key early Tuesday morning, marking the first reported Cuban migrant landing in the Keys this calendar year.