(The Center Square) — Gov. Ron DeSantis signed all of the bills passed this week during the Florida Legislature’s special session.
The special session was called in response to several pressing issues, including communities in need of relief from recent Hurricane Idalia, increasing access to education funding for disabled children and violence that has erupted in the Middle East.
(The Center Square) — Roughly six months after visiting with British leaders in London, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced this week Florida is expanding its business partnerships with the United Kingdom.
The governor announced on Tuesday that he and the UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Kemi Badenoch, MP, signed a memorandum of understanding to increase trade and bilateral investment, strengthen business ties and grow academic partnerships.
(The Center Square) – A bill introduced in the Florida Senate would create a sales tax holiday for people who pay for purchases with digital currency.
State Sen. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, sponsor of Senate Bill 352, believes it will help introduce residents to the benefits of digital currency. Customers who pay with virtual currencies would not have be charged sales taxes at businesses such as gas stations and restaurants.
The holiday would start June 1, 2025 and go through July 31, 2025.
(The Center Square) — According to the latest figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Florida has a seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate of 2.8% and ranks 14th overall, sharing a spot with Kansas and Hawaii.
Of the five largest states by population — California, Texas, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania — Florida has the lowest unemployment rate. At the same time, New York, Texas and California all sit above the national average of 3.8%.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the Great Outdoors Initiative to encourage Floridians to go outdoors and explore Florida’s natural resources, including our award-winning state parks, vast recreation areas, and world-renowned waterways.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Bass Pro Shops invite you to the TrophyCatch program’s annual Hall of Fame Ceremony. This event recognizes anglers who documented and submitted catches of bass 13 pounds or heavier that were approved during the popular citizen-science program’s 11th season, which ran from Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023.
(The Center Square) – Within two days of announcing Florida would arrange transportation for Americans stranded in Israel and bring them to Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis welcomed home nearly 300 Sunday night.
(The Center Square) — A Florida lawmaker has filed a new bill intended to protect election ballots from tampering.
Senate Bill 190 is sponsored by Sen. Ileana Garcia, R-Miami, and it would require a law enforcement officer to transport ballot boxes or transfer containers from an election supervisor to a precinct. This includes all ballots, ballot stubs, memoranda and papers.
(The Center Square) – After Hamas attacked Israel, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the state would be advancing greater sanctions against Iran. He also declared a state of emergency and issued an executive order to activate the national and state guard and other agencies to help bring Americans home who are stranded in Israel.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) School Fishing Club Program funding recipients have been selected for the 2023-24 school year. After undergoing a comprehensive review, 50 schools were awarded the Florida R3 Fishing Grant.
