Tag Archives: Florida

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday held an education-related bill signing ceremony on the campus of New College of Florida in Sarasota. Among the bills, DeSantis signed SB 266 which will prevent Florida colleges and universities from spending any state or federal funding on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The bill …

Jared Strong, Iowa Capital Dispatch Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wooed Iowa Republicans on Saturday by drawing parallels between the two states, especially in regard to newly passed legislation that restricts what can be taught in schools and that prohibits gender-affirming surgeries for minors. “The survival of our American experiment requires …

Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix Gov. Ron DeSantis signed what both he and his critics agree is the strongest anti-illegal immigration bill passed by any state legislature in the country on Wednesday. Speaking in Jacksonville behind a podium with a sign reading, “Biden’s Border Crisis,” the governor blasted the president for …

Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a raft of education bills into law Tuesday, including one that makes it harder for teachers’ unions to collect dues and to qualify to represent a bargaining unit. The governor took the occasion of a bill-signing ceremony at a Miami charter school …

Mel Leonoe Barclay Originally published by The 19th A coalition of abortion rights advocates in Florida is set to push a ballot measure that would enshrine abortion protections into the state’s constitution, with the launch of a public campaign to get the issue on the Florida 2024 ballot expected next …

Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix Wasting no time in firing back at The Walt Disney Co. in their continuing feud, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Friday purporting to void the entertainment giant’s development agreement with the Reedy Creek Improvement District when that special district was still under Disney’s control. The original …

Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix The legal fight between Gov. Ron DeSantis and The Walt Disney Co. broadened Monday when a board hand-picked by the governor voted to countersue the company over its development plans. The move came less than a week after Disney filed a First-Amendment lawsuit accusing the government …

Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams Voting rights defenders on Friday condemned the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature’s passage of a bill that critics said will make it harder to register Black and Latino voters while easing the way for Gov. Ron DeSantis to seek the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. The Florida House of …

Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix The Walt Disney Co. asked a federal court Wednesday to block Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “targeted campaign of government retaliation” against the company, alleging violations of multiple constitutional rights because it spoke out against the governor’s position on LGBTQ rights. “A targeted campaign of government retaliation — …

Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix An expansion of the Florida State Guard, created last year to supplement the Florida National Guard, which suffers from low capacity and is subject to being nationalized and sent away to foreign conflicts, would include a “specialized unit” with power to arrest civilians if deployed by …

Orion Rummler Originally published by The 19th Florida’s Department of Education voted Wednesday to expand the state’s law banning classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity, extending the restrictions through 12th grade. The expansion makes real a warning that LGBTQ+ advocates had repeated since the inception of the original …

Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix Gov. Ron DeSantis has quietly signed Florida’s new six-week abortion ban into law, continuing his trend of approving controversial new laws outside the limelight. Aides issued a news release at 11:26 p.m. Thursday that he’d signed SB 300, the so-called Heartbeat Protection Act, mere hours after …

Danielle J. Brown, Florida Phoenix In less than a year, Florida has moved from a 15-week abortion ban to the passage of one of the most restrictive bans in the nation — a 6-week abortion ban. The state House approved the legislation after at least six hours of questions, amendments, …

Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix A Florida House Republican member Monday referred to members of the transgender community as “mutants” and “demons” in a two-minute speech in a House Committee meeting. Volusia County Republican Webster Barnaby was addressing the House Commerce Committee following a debate about a measure that would criminalize …

Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix With little fanfare, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Monday making Florida the 26th state in the nation to allow residents to legally carry concealed weapons without having to obtain a permit through the state. The signature came in DeSantis’ office, where he was surrounded by GOP …