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Florida Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Restore Ocklawaha River’s Natural Waterway

On Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, Florida lawmakers Sen. Jason Brodeur (R, 10th District) and Rep. Wyman Duggan (R, 12th District) introduced the Northeast Florida Rivers, Springs and Community Investment Act in the state Senate and House.

If passed, SB 1066 and HB 981, respectively, would require the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to create a plan to breach Rodman Reservoir’s Kirkpatrick Dam in Putnam County, and engage in a multi-agency project to oversee the commercial, recreational and environmental aspects of allowing the Ocklawaha River to return to its natural waterway, connecting the Silver, Ocklawaha and St. John’s rivers and Silver Springs and impacting the 12 Florida counties along the watershed, including Alachua, Lake, Marion and Putnam counties in the 352.

The legislation represents the culmination of a long-term effort by environmentalists, civic leaders and business interests alike to restore the Ocklawaha. Proponents of the plan claim it will not only eliminate the dangers presented by Kirkpatrick Dam (which is categorized as a “high hazard” by the State of Florida due to the potential loss of life and property should it fail) and return a large portion of northeastern Florida wetlands to their natural state, but also provide widespread economic opportunities for job creation, increased environmental and recreational tourism, and business attraction and diversification.

“The Northeast Florida Rivers, Springs and Community Investment Act is our region’s Everglades restoration, reconnecting rivers, improving fishing and boating opportunities, and benefitting communities along the 217-mile riverway,” said Rep. Duggan in an announcement. “It’s time to let the Ocklawaha flow again.”

DeSantis backs congressional stock-trading ban, proposes Florida disclosure plan

States are largely barred from regulating members of Congress, such as trying to ban them from trading individual stocks.

But Gov. Ron DeSantis supports a ban and is pitching a new workaround he says would at least give Florida voters more transparency on their federal representatives' investments.

“You let people get elected to Congress having never shown any investment acumen ever in their life, and then all of a sudden they become Warren Buffett on steroids,” DeSantis said at a Tuesday press conference in Clearwater.

He proposes an election law change that would require candidates to check a box indicating whether they intend to trade individual stocks. When they run for reelection, they’d have to disclose whether or not they did.

“If they say yes, then that means they broke their word to you and honestly lied on those forms,” DeSantis said. “So that's what we're going to do. It's within our power to do that.”

Florida's legislative session begins next week.

The governor also endorsed a bill by Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna that bans members and their immediate family members from individual stock trading.

Darryl Rouson proposes mandatory electronic alerts in schools to curb student truancy

New legislation proposed by St. Petersburg Democratic Sen. Darryl Rouson would require Florida school districts to implement mandatory electronic alerts when students reach truancy thresholds.

SB 1190 would direct School Boards to implement electronic alert systems meant to notify school administrators, child study teams and parents when a student misses too many days from school.

State law already requires districts to monitor truancy and to intervene when students accumulate too many unexcused absences. Rouson’s bill would standardize early notification by making the alert system mandatory statewide, rather than leaving the approach up to local discretion.

Under current law, students are considered truant if they accrue five unexcused absences within a calendar month, or 10 unexcused absences within a 90-day period. The bill does not change those thresholds.

The measure also updates statutes governing truancy intervention and district school board responsibilities to reflect the new early alert requirement. Districts would still be required to provide formal written notice, referrals to child study teams, and potentially involve the Department of Juvenile Justice or law enforcement if a student remains chronically absent.

‘He will deliver’: Richard Lamondin scores endorsements from Kevin Chambliss, Ken Russell

Small-business owner Richard Lamondin just added two more notable South Florida backers in his effort to take Florida’s 27th Congressional District this Fall.

Homestead state Rep. Kevin Chambliss and former Miami Commissioner Ken Russell, both fellow Democrats from opposite sides of the district, say they’re backing Lamondin.

Both pointed to Lamondin’s focus on affordability and government accountability as key to earning their support.

Chambliss, a state lawmaker since 2020, said Lamondin understands the “real challenges” South Florida families face, from rising costs of living and pressure on small businesses to “the uncertainty our communities are feeling every day.”

“Over the last few months I’ve seen him show up, build relationships, and offer a vision that gives me hope for the future,” Chambliss said in a statement.

“I believe he will fight for a Miami where every family has a fair chance to get ahead, and he will deliver the federal investments South Dade residents deserve. Richard will be the kind of partner we need in Washington.”