April 24, 2024
News Service of Florida
Florida's Medicaid agency sets stage to deny transgender treatments
The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration issued a report Thursday that could set the stage for the Medicaid program to deny coverage for treatments such as puberty-blocking medication and...
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Published on 6/6/2022
Rating agency says pressures continue for Florida insurers
The financial-rating agency AM Best said Friday that changes passed during a special legislative session last month “are unlikely to alleviate immediate financial pressures” on Florida property insurers.
A three-page...
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Published on 6/5/2022
Florida Supreme Court ruling keeps DeSantis' redistricting plan in place
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday declined to jump into a congressional redistricting fight, leaving in place a lower-court decision that would clear the way for using a controversial plan...
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Published on 6/2/2022
State gets another bump in tax revenues
Florida tax collections continue to top expectations, but the impacts of inflation could be showing in how people spend money.
General-revenue collections in April topped projections by 23 percent, or...
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Published on 6/2/2022
Deal reached on manatee habitat protections
Environmental groups and federal wildlife officials have reached a deal to upgrade habitat protections for manatees, which suffered a record number of deaths last year in Florida waters.
The agreement,...
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Published on 6/1/2022
A lawsuit over a Florida university's response to the pandemic can go forward
An appeals court Wednesday refused to dismiss a potential class-action lawsuit against the University of South Florida over fees that were collected from students for on-campus services that were not...
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Published on 6/1/2022
Hospital districts push back on opioid settlements
Two public hospital districts are firing back against Attorney General Ashley Moody in a dispute about settlements with pharmaceutical-industry companies over the opioid epidemic, accusing her of overstepping her authority....
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Published on 6/1/2022
Contractors sue over Florida's new property insurance law
Less than a week after Florida lawmakers rushed to make property-insurance changes, a contractors group Tuesday filed a constitutional challenge that targets a new restriction on attorney fees in lawsuits...
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Published on 6/1/2022
Tampa tops nation in housing price increases
After nearly three years of Phoenix leading the nation in the most-rapid growth in housing prices, it has been topped by the Tampa area, an analysis released Tuesday showed.
The...
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Published on 5/31/2022
Florida Supreme Court poised to hear gun law case
With mass shootings refueling a national debate about gun laws, the Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments next week in a dispute about a 2011 state law that threatens stiff...
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Published on 5/31/2022
Feds sign off on extended Florida postpartum care through Medicaid
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday approved a plan that will extend care through Florida’s Medicaid program for women after they have babies.
The plan will...
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Published on 5/29/2022
States Back Florida in ‘Sanctuary Cities' Fight
Republican attorneys general from 17 states backed Florida this week in a legal battle about a 2019 law that banned so-called sanctuary cities in Florida.
The attorneys general filed a...
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Published on 5/29/2022
Appeals Court Blasts Redistricting Injunction
An appeals court Friday said a circuit judge issued a “patently unlawful” temporary injunction against a congressional redistricting plan pushed through the Legislature by Gov. Ron DeSantis, giving another sign...
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Published on 5/29/2022
Property Insurance Changes Going to DeSantis
Supporters said the plan will stabilize the property-insurance market. Critics said it doesn’t do enough to help homeowners.
But with hurricane season starting next week, Florida House members overwhelmingly gave...
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Published on 5/26/2022
Small Districts Could be Cut Out of Textbook Deals
Some of Florida’s most financially strapped small school districts could have paid thousands of dollars more for textbooks than their larger counterparts, and local officials are asking state leaders to...
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Published on 5/25/2022
Lawmakers tee up property insurance changes
Florida lawmakers are poised Wednesday to give final approval to a series of changes aimed at shoring up the property-insurance market as homeowners lose coverage and face steep rate increases....
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Published on 5/25/2022
Busy Hurricane Season Forecast
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasters on Tuesday predicted a seventh consecutive above-average Atlantic hurricane season.
With the six-month season starting June 1, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center forecast 14 to...
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Published on 5/24/2022
Workers' comp insurers challenge dispensing policy
Several workers’ compensation insurance companies are challenging a state policy that they say improperly requires carriers to authorize physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners to dispense medication to injured workers....
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Published on 5/24/2022
Fast Track Rejected in Redistricting Fight
An appeals court Tuesday rejected a request by voting-rights groups to fast-track a congressional redistricting fight to the Florida Supreme Court.
The decision by the 1st District Court of Appeal...
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Published on 5/24/2022
Redistricting wrangling goes to Florida Supreme Court
Voting-rights groups went to the state Supreme Court on Monday as they try to keep alive the possibility of blocking a congressional redistricting plan that would make it harder to...
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Published on 5/24/2022
Hurricane Tax ‘Holiday' Adds Pet Supplies
TALLAHASSEE --- With a sales-tax "holiday" starting this weekend, Floridians can save a few dollars on pet supplies as they stockpile other needs for the upcoming hurricane season.
The state’s...
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Published on 5/24/2022
Floridians could flock to shelters if hurricanes loom
An increased demand for shelter space is expected if hurricanes threaten Florida’s coastline in the upcoming storm season.
With COVID-19 protocols lifted, and people pinching pennies as inflation has hit...
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Published on 5/23/2022
DeSantis signs bill on student mental health and approves $100 million for cancer research
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed several bills into law this week, including a measure that will require school districts to inform parents of additional mental-health resources if students are receiving services....
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Published on 5/23/2022
Florida neurological injury fund fights ruling of appeals court panel
A Florida program that pays for care of children who suffer neurological injuries at birth is asking a full federal appeals court to take up a lawsuit about whether the...
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Published on 5/23/2022
PSC Hopefuls Can Apply for Seats
With the terms of Commissioner Gary Clark and Commissioner Gabriella Passidomo slated to expire in January, a state panel is accepting applications for two seats on the Florida Public Service...
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Published on 5/22/2022
