April 29, 2024
News Service of Florida
Two laws, lower workers' comp rates to take effect
A pair of bills signed this year by Gov. Ron DeSantis, involving vehicle rentals and notaries public, will become law Saturday.
Meanwhile, also starting Saturday, Florida employers will see an...
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Published on 12/27/2021
Court refuses to hear case against Florida over ‘medically fragile' children
Nearly a decade after concerns emerged about “medically fragile” children being placed in nursing homes, a federal appeals court will not reconsider a decision that allowed the U.S. Department of...
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Published on 12/27/2021
University system eyes $800 million facilities plan
A report from the state university system suggests $800 million in facilities money that could be sought during the 2022 legislative session should be divvied up to cover roughly half...
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Published on 12/23/2021
Florida, Texas see largest population increases
Florida trailed only Texas in population increases from 2020 to 2021, while the nation had the slowest growth rate in its history, according to information released Tuesday by the U.S....
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Published on 12/22/2021
Gambling Appeal in Florida Case Dropped
Two pari-mutuels have dropped an appeal of a Florida federal judge's decision to dismiss a challenge to a gambling agreement that gave the Seminole Tribe control of sports betting throughout the state.
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Published on 12/22/2021
10 big legal issues to watch in 2022
From elections to vaccines, state and federal courts are weighing major Florida lawsuits. Here are 10 big legal issues to watch in 2022:
— ELECTIONS: With high-profile elections looming in...
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Published on 12/21/2021
Omicron will slow international tourism in Florida, state economists predict
State economists anticipate the new omicron variant of the coronavirus will slow, at least temporarily, Florida’s resurging pace of tourism — particularly a return of international visitors.
Saying the world...
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Published on 12/20/2021
Conservation Groups Target EPA Over Manatee Deaths
Three conservation groups moved Monday toward filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection over water-quality problems that have led to a record number of manatee deaths this year in...
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Published on 12/20/2021
Citizens Property seeks 11% hike in home insurance rates
With thousands of new policies a week pouring into Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state-backed insurer’s board on Wednesday approved seeking 11 percent across-the-board rate increases next year.
The Citizens...
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Published on 12/19/2021
Florida's jobless rate dips to 4.5 percent
Unemployment continues to slowly improve in Florida as the state gets closer to regaining the number of jobs lost when the COVID-19 pandemic caused business closures and layoffs last year....
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Published on 12/19/2021
Long-term solutions sought for Florida's starving manatees
Wildlife officials said Wednesday an infusion of projects to improve water quality is a good start, as they seek to avoid a recurrence of large numbers of manatee deaths due...
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Published on 12/16/2021
Walgreens must disclose Florida opioid profits, judge says
After more than two years of squabbling over production of records in a lawsuit filed by the state, a judge ordered Walgreens to hand over documentation about the company’s profits...
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Published on 12/16/2021
DeSantis' budget proposal would mean more money for public schools, and less for universities
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday released a proposed education budget for next year that includes record spending for public schools but a cut in university funding.
DeSantis is requesting that...
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Published on 12/15/2021
State college enrollment continues to shrink
Florida college officials are trying to figure out what’s behind a continuing drop in state college enrollment, which analysts project could decline by more than 9 percent over the next...
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Published on 12/15/2021
Space agency eyes manufacturing jobs
Florida’s aerospace agency pushed forward with negotiations Tuesday to bring 2,100 spacecraft manufacturing jobs to Brevard County over the next three years.
The Space Florida Board of Directors approved a...
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Published on 12/14/2021
Port Idea Floated for Putnam County
Florida lawmakers could take initial steps toward establishing a port along the St. Johns River in inland Putnam County.
Rep. Bobby Payne, R-Palatka, filed a proposal (HB 907) on Monday...
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Published on 12/14/2021
Rate Hikes Eyed for Citizens Insurance Customers
The Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Board of Governors this week will consider a proposal that could lead to average rate increases of 7.3 percent for homeowners.
The proposal also could...
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Published on 12/14/2021
FanDuel antes up again for gambling initiative
The online gambling company FanDuel in November contributed another $4.38 million to an effort to pass a constitutional amendment that would broadly allow sports betting in Florida.
FanDuel made the...
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Published on 12/13/2021
Citizens Insurance tops 741,000 policies
The state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. continued to grow in November, adding more than 15,000 policies, according to newly released data.
Citizens had 741,420 policies as of Nov. 30, up...
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Published on 12/13/2021
DeSantis wants Florida to accept cryptocurrency for state fees
Gov. Ron DeSantis is using his budget proposal to state legislators to try to make Florida more friendly to cryptocurrency.
DeSantis’ $99.7 billion proposal released Thursday includes $700,000 for cryptocurrency...
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Published on 12/10/2021
More money sought for struggling citrus industry
As a forecast was lowered for Florida’s orange production, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday proposed increasing state funding for the struggling citrus industry by 5 percent.
DeSantis included $29.2 million...
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Published on 12/9/2021
Florida backs efforts to draw FIFA World Cup
Florida’s business-recruitment agency Wednesday put $10 million into the pitch to help Orlando and Miami become host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament.
The Enterprise Florida Board...
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Published on 12/9/2021
Enterprise Florida begins search for new leader
Enterprise Florida, the state’s business-recruitment agency, is undertaking a 90-day national search for a new president, a position typically appointed by the governor.
The Enterprise Florida Board of Directors on...
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Published on 12/8/2021
Major citrus company says production down, prices up
The major Florida citrus company and landowner Alico, Inc. saw harvested boxes of fruit decrease during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 but got a boost from higher prices...
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Published on 12/7/2021
A case involving Florida's ban on greyhound racing is under appeal
The owner of a Pinellas County greyhound kennel has gone to an appeals court after a circuit judge dismissed a lawsuit stemming from a 2018 constitutional amendment that banned dog...
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Published on 12/7/2021
