Tag Archives: Florida

Shefali Luthra Originally published by The 19th Three states are poised to pass laws banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy — a limit not currently allowed under Roe v. Wade but one that could soon become legal if the landmark Supreme Court case is weakened or overturned, which is …

The Florida Senate on Tuesday gave initial approval to a controversial proposal that critics have dubbed the “don’t say gay” bill because it could curtail school discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity. The Republican-dominated Senate Education Committee approved the measure (SB 1834) in a 6-3 vote along party lines, …

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has proposed the Office of Election Crimes and Security, an election police force of sorts, to investigate election fraud. The state would be the first in the country to implement a police force to investigate voting irregularities. “To ensure that elections are conducted in accordance with the …

On Tuesday, lawmakers in Florida introduced two bills that would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, which is before most women even know they are pregnant. One bill, HB5, was filed in the House by Republican Erin Grall and another, SB 146, was filed in the Senate by Republican Kelli Stargel. …

In a press conference Thursday morning, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis admitted that state officials allowed around one million unused COVID-19 tests to sit in a warehouse and expire. The head of Florida’s Department of Emergency Management, Kevin Guthries, said, “We had between 800k and a million Abbott test kits in …

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis outlined plans Thursday to ask lawmakers to increase funding for the Florida National Guard, as he seeks to expand the number of armories and re-establish a civilian military force that would be directly under his control. For some reason, Ron Desantis now feels the need to …

Carrie Meek, the first Black person to represent Florida in Congress since Reconstruction and a fierce advocate for Black communities in the state, died Sunday, her family said. She was 95. Meek died at her home in Miami after a long illness, family spokesperson Adam Sharon said in a statement. …

A Florida man pled guilty Monday to a charge of wire fraud in connection to an alleged extortion scheme targeting the father of Congressman Matt Gaetz. Stephen M. Alford, 62, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud related to his attempt to illegally obtain …

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed four bills into law on Thursday restricting mask and Covid-19 vaccine mandates in an effort to combat federal rules handed down by President Joe Biden. Flanked by his newly appointed surgeon general and Republican legislators, DeSantis described the bills as a win for personal freedoms …

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced that he is suing the Biden Administration over its order requiring vaccinations against COVID-19 for federal employees and contractors by December 8. The lawsuit alleges that the president doesn’t have the authority to issue the rule and that it violates procurement law. DeSantis has …

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis this week called for a special legislative session next month to pass legislation to ban the COVID-19 vaccine mandates announced by the White House last month. Legislative leaders said they might use the session to pull away from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA), which …

A Florida school district announced last week that it is the first school district in the nation to receive a federal grant to replace funding that was withheld over its mask mandate. The U.S. Department of Education gave Alachua County Public Schools nearly $148,000 through its Project Safe grant program, …

A Florida State Representative filed a Texas-style abortion bill on Wednesday prohibiting abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected. The bill, filed by Florida GOP Rep. Webster Barnaby, is deemed the “Florida Heartbeat Act.” It states that once a heartbeat is detected, abortions will not be allowed unless the mother’s …

Florida’s new “anti-riot” law, which would allow harsh penalties for peaceful protesters, has been blocked by a federal judge. The bill, which Republican Governor Ron DeSantis heavily endorsed, was ruled to be unconstitutional on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Mark Walker. The 90-page judgment found the law to be “vague …

A Florida judge ruled against Gov. Ron DeSantis and allowed schools in the state to mandate masks. Second Circuit Judge John Cooper’s order is effective immediately and means the state must stop enforcing the banning of mask mandates. “It’s undisputed that in Florida, we are in the midst of a …