April 29, 2024
News Service of Florida
State to face class action on juvenile solitary confinement
A federal judge has cleared the way for a class-action lawsuit against the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice about the use of solitary confinement for minors, including children with disabilities....
Read more »
Published on 10/27/2021
New area code sought for South Florida
With the state’s population continuing to grow and cell phones and other technology requiring new numbers, South Florida could get another area code.
State regulators next week will hold a...
Read more »
Published on 10/26/2021
Proposal seeks mentoring for teachers
Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park, on Monday filed a bill for the 2022 legislative session that seeks to create a training and mentoring program for teachers.
The proposal (SB 618)...
Read more »
Published on 10/26/2021
Online ordering of medical marijuana is restored by Florida judge
Leafly and similar sites will be able to resume contracting with Florida medical-marijuana operators to allow patients to order products online, under a ruling issued Monday by an administrative law...
Read more »
Published on 10/26/2021
Florida gas prices at highest level since 2014
Florida gasoline prices went up 13 cents during the past week and are the highest they have been since October 2014, according to the AAA auto club.
AAA said the...
Read more »
Published on 10/25/2021
Exemption backed for names of lottery winners
A proposal to avoid the “nightmare” some people experience after winning big in the state lottery started to move forward Wednesday in the Florida House.
The Government Operations Subcommittee voted...
Read more »
Published on 10/21/2021
Jobless claims tick up in Florida
Unemployment claims in Florida increased slightly last week but remained similar to levels before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 6,671 first-time unemployment claims were...
Read more »
Published on 10/21/2021
Drug import plan could save $150 million
Florida could save up to $150 million in the first year that a prescription-drug importation program from Canada is fully in place, Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Simone Marstiller...
Read more »
Published on 10/21/2021
Rule change allows football at state colleges
Football programs could come to Florida’s state college system after top education officials Wednesday repealed a rule that has prohibited colleges from having teams --- but it’s likely schools will...
Read more »
Published on 10/21/2021
Citrus industry seeks to maintain funding, eyes research
Despite a predicted drop in citrus production across Florida, orange juice sales are tracking up and the industry wants lawmakers to maintain current amounts of state marketing and research funding...
Read more »
Published on 10/20/2021
Higher natural gas costs could hit electric bills
Florida utilities are warning that volatile natural-gas prices could translate to higher-than-expected electric bills in 2022.
Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy Florida and Tampa Electric Co. have notified state...
Read more »
Published on 10/20/2021
McRorie Stepping Down as FSU Provost
As another sign of changes after Richard McCullough took over as president, Florida State University Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Sally McRorie announced Tuesday she will step...
Read more »
Published on 10/20/2021
Judge refuses to toss out mask rule challenge
An administrative law judge Wednesday rejected a request by the Florida Department of Health to dismiss a challenge by six school boards to a rule that seeks to prevent student...
Read more »
Published on 10/20/2021
Investments give Florida's pension fund a boost
Florida’s pension system got a financial boost during the past fiscal year, as it had a 29.46 percent investment return, according to a report posted online Monday by state economists....
Read more »
Published on 10/19/2021
Fried Suspends More Licenses of Jan. 6 Participants
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried announced Tuesday that six additional people have had concealed-weapons licenses suspended because they were involved in the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol.
“The...
Read more »
Published on 10/19/2021
Judge tosses lawsuit challenging Seminole gambling deal
Dealing a win to Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe, a federal judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit challenging a gambling agreement that allows the tribe to have control...
Read more »
Published on 10/19/2021
New law boosts Florida's unemployment fund
Florida’s unemployment trust fund has gained back about a half-billion dollars since a new law began requiring out-of-state online retailers in July to collect sales taxes on purchases made by...
Read more »
Published on 10/18/2021
DeSantis awards more 'job growth' money
Gov. Ron DeSantis continued to dole out money from the state’s Job Growth Grant Fund on Monday. DeSantis awarded $6 million to Hernando County for manufacturing, education, health-care and aviation...
Read more »
Published on 10/18/2021
Vacation rental issue re-emerges in legislature
Florida lawmakers appear poised to again debate the regulation of the vacation-rental industry.
Rep. Jason Fischer, R-Jacksonville, on Monday filed a bill (HB 325) that is the latest version in...
Read more »
Published on 10/18/2021
Medical marijuana is exploding in Florida, and regulators are asking for financial help
As Florida’s legal pot industry is poised to mushroom, health regulators are asking lawmakers for nearly $13 million to more than double the number of workers in the office that...
Read more »
Published on 10/18/2021
State looks to education to address health care worker shortages
Lawmakers are mulling ways to help bolster education and training programs for nurses and other health care professionals to address an ongoing staffing crisis in hospitals and long-term care facilities....
Read more »
Published on 10/18/2021
Delaney to become permanent Flagler president
Former University of North Florida President and Jacksonville Mayor John Delaney is set to become the permanent president of Flagler College, after serving as interim president since July. The private...
Read more »
Published on 10/14/2021
State school boards blast request for federal security aid
TALLAHASSEE --- The organization that represents Florida school boards has “great concern” for the safety of board members and school officials after recent reports of threats, but is rejecting its...
Read more »
Published on 10/14/2021
Education eyed to address health care worker shortages
Lawmakers are mulling ways to help bolster education and training programs for nurses and other health care professionals to address an ongoing staffing crisis in hospitals and long-term care facilities....
Read more »
Published on 10/13/2021
Challenge to air ambulance billing law rejected
A federal judge has rejected a challenge to a 2020 state law that limits amounts that air-ambulance services can charge for transporting patients. U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor on Tuesday...
Read more »
Published on 10/13/2021
