Florida's Latest News

Petition seeks to let voters cut insurance premiums, prevent policy cancellations

Florida voters could soon gain the power to lower insurance premiums. 

A citizens group, the Florida Constitutional Amendment Network, is pushing to add property insurance protections to our 2026 ballots.

"Those who have called this place home for decades, are just tired," Chris Wills, Chair of the Florida Constitutional Amendment Network, said. "They cannot sustain these massive rate increases year after year." 

The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to protect policyholders from seeing all insurance policies, from home to auto, canceled or raised. 

Essentially, if a policyholder adheres to the terms of their contract, then their policy may not be canceled. Moreover, if they adhere to their terms and don't file any claims within a year, their policy may not be raised. It also calls for an annual 4% minimum deduction for those who've filed no claims. 

Florida sheriffs agree to cooperate with immigration enforcement laws

All 67 county sheriffs in Florida have agreed to fully cooperate with Customs and Border Protection to enforce immigration laws.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Department of Homeland Security Senior Counselor Keith Pearson spoke on the agreement Wednesday in a news conference at the Homestead Air Force Base.

The 287(g) agreement gives local and state law enforcement the ability to execute the same functions as Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Florida is now the only state where all counties are cooperating with this agreement.

"This is really the model for other states to follow," DeSantis said.

Over the next few weeks, ICE will be training local law enforcement as part of the agreement.

Things to know about Byron Donalds, Trump's pick to be Florida's next governor

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds announced that he’s running to be the next governor of Florida in 2026, positioning himself as a possible successor to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who will reach his term limit for the office after serving eight years.

The announcement comes after Donalds, a Naples Republican, got a critical endorsement from President Donald Trump, which may clear the Republican primary pool given Trump’s weight in Republican politics. If elected, Donalds would be the first Black governor of the state.

Here are three things to know about Donalds, who would be running in a state that’s moved to favor Republicans in recent years:

Donalds is a staunch Trump ally.

Donalds was one of Trump’s earliest and longest standing supporters, having spoken at one of his rallies in September 2016.

The congressman was among 147 Republicans who voted to object to the election results from key swing states in 2020 and repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that former President Joe Biden was not the legitimate U.S. president.

Blaise Ingoglia Files Amendment to Freeze Property Taxes Against Homes Affected by Natural Disasters

Sen. Blaise Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill) filed a proposed amendment on Tuesday that would authorize the legislature to freeze in place property taxes to homes affected by natural disasters.

The bill, SJR 1190, is designed to ease the burden on Floridians by lowering homeowners insurance premiums. This bill is implemented from SB 1192, which Blaise Ingoglia also filed on Tuesday.

"Today, I filed a proposed constitutional amendment to help lower homeowners insurance premiums across the state," Ingoglia said. "Most homes damaged in storms are older homes, built at sea level at old wind code standards."If you raise and harden your home it gets reassessed with much higher property taxes."

"My proposal: Let’s incentivize resiliency by freezing current property taxes for 20 years for those who elevate and harden their homes. Government shouldn’t be the beneficiary of home hardening. Homeowners and premium payers should," Ingolia added.

Specifically, SJR 1190 would limit property tax collection on a homestead property which includes mitigation of potential flood damage from natural disasters in the
determination of the property’s assessed value.

The bill added it would also limit the transfer of such value to a new homestead property.