As they try to defend a congressional redistricting plan, the Florida House and Senate will be able to challenge part of a 2010 constitutional amendment that set rules for drawing maps, a Leon County circuit judge said Monday. The ruling by Judge J. Lee Marsh came in a lawsuit filed by a coalition of voting-rights…
A federal appeals court Monday sided with Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and kept in place rulings that blocked Biden administration immigration policies. A panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a request by the Biden administration for a stay of two rulings by Pensacola-based U.S. District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, who…
Gov. Ron DeSantis made his White House bid official Wednesday, announcing a 2024 presidential run in an online discussion with Elon Musk that ended months of speculation and set up a clash with former President Donald Trump. As he entered a growing Republican primary field, DeSantis, 44, pledged to be an “energetic executive” who “will…
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of Inspector General was asked to review the response of facility leaders at a certain VA health location when there had been allegations of sexual harassment of a mental health patient. Specifically, the patient claimed to have been harassed via social media by a food service worker and reported…
Editor’s note: This commentary is provided by the Medical Marijuana Education and Research Initiative (MMERI) of Florida A&M University Consider this hypothetical scenario: Two weeks ago, during a vacation in California, you lawfully purchased and consumed marijuana intended for adult use. But now you are back at work in Florida, where recreational cannabis remains illegal,…
Environmental groups are urging Gov. Ron DeSantis to veto legislation they contend will have a “chilling effect” on efforts to limit sprawl in Florida. DeSantis has until Wednesday to act upon a bill (SB 540) that in part allows “prevailing” parties to recover legal fees in comprehensive growth-management plan challenges at the state Division of…
Continuing an effort to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives from Florida’s higher-education system, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a measure aimed at prohibiting colleges and universities from spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The governor also signed a separate bill that will prevent colleges and universities from requiring “political loyalty” tests…
A federal judge late Monday refused to put on hold a ruling that blocked a new Biden administration immigration policy challenged by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody. Pensacola-based U.S. District Judge T. Kent Wetherell denied a motion by U.S. Department of Justice attorneys for a stay of a temporary restraining order that he issued Thursday…
Saying that social media does “more harm than good,” Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday signed education changes that include prohibiting students from using cell phones during class time and curtailing use of the social-media platform TikTok on school grounds. Also, DeSantis signed bills creating a “Teachers’ Bill of Rights” and imposing eight-year term limits on…
Black farmers who didn’t make the cut last year could have another opportunity to vie for medical-marijuana licenses, under a bill approved by lawmakers in the final days of the 2023 legislative session. The bill, which awaits a decision by Gov. Ron DeSantis, is part of years-long efforts aimed at giving Black farmers an entry…
