Florida's Latest News

Michael Owen endorses Byron Donalds for Governor

State Rep. Michael Owen is the newest Florida lawmaker to support U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds in his run for Governor.

“I know Congressman Donalds will lead with a Florida First mindset and work day and night to address our challenges head-on and seize the countless opportunities ahead of us,” Owen said in a statement released Monday.

Owen described Donalds as a leader who can make “government leaner and more efficient for Florida taxpayers.”

Owen, a Republican from Apollo Beach, represents parts of Hillsborough and Manatee counties and was first elected in 2024.

Owen adds his name to a growing list of national and state Republicans supporting Donalds, such as President Donald Trump, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, and many members of Congress and the Florida Legislature.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, who cannot run again due to term limits, has not endorsed anyone in the race, including Lt. Gov. Jay Collins.

Low mortgage rates leave more than 113,000 Florida homeowners stuck in their houses, survey finds

A survey found that about one in three Florida homeowners want to sell their homes but won't because giving up their pandemic-era mortgage interest rate simply costs too much. This equates to more than 113,000 homeowners in the state.

"Low mortgage rates were once seen as a major win for homeowners, but for some, they have become a quiet constraint," said a spokesperson for Calgary Home, which conducted the survey.

"The survey shows that the mortgage lock-in effect is not just about housing supply or monthly payments. It is also affecting life decisions, from retirement plans and family choices to career moves and where people feel able to live."

The survey by Calgary Homes, a real estate platform, polled over 3,000 homeowners and found that 32% of Florida homeowners who want to sell their homes are unwilling to do so because they don't want to give up the lower mortgage rate they previously secured.

At the state level, that figure correlates to an estimated 113,730 homes caught in what is being called "mortgage-rate limbo."

Temple Terrace looks into fixing levels of 'forever chemicals' in its water system

Too many "forever chemicals" are in Temple Terrace's water supply, so the city is trying to figure out a plan.

A report shows nearly five times the recommended level of PFAS in city water. And the city could spend more than $70 million to reequip its water treatment system.

In the meantime, City Manager Carlos Baia told city council members last week he's reaching out to Hillsborough County and Tampa to consider hooking up to their systems.

"We have gotten a verbal no from the city of Tampa staff. We don't have it yet in writing," he said. "The county's looking at their provider of water, Tampa Bay Water, to get confirmation that they could, in fact, act as a reseller and actually increase their allocation of water and then resell the water to the city."

City officials will look at their options during a workshop in August.

Scoop: White House and Hill relaunch effort to block state AI laws

The White House is negotiating a federal preemption of some state AI laws in exchange for its support of key tech policy priorities from the Hill, Axios has learned.

States are increasingly passing stronger AI laws, and the Trump administration is feeling the heat to get something done.

The talks are aiming to pair one of the tech industry's top priorities — overriding state AI laws — with legislation aimed at protecting kids online and combating deepfakes.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) is leading the negotiations, per a spokesperson, which include the Kids Online Safety Act and other tech-related measures.

Senator Blackburn is spearheading the negotiation with the White House to finalize legislative text of an AI preemption package that includes protections for kids, creators, and communities through the Senate version of KOSA, the NO FAKES Act, and age verification requirements," a Blackburn spokesperson said.

That bill would preempt state AI laws for three years, formally establish the Center for AI Standards and Innovation and require certain developers to address risks prior to releasing models.