Florida's Latest News

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will endorse Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president, AP sources say

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds plans to endorse Ron DeSantis for president, giving the Florida governor’s 2024 campaign a boost as he struggles to show progress against Donald Trump in the Republican primary, two people familiar with the matter said Sunday.

DeSantis has pinned his chances of emerging as an alternative to Trump alternative squarely on Iowa. Reynolds is well-liked within the GOP and will break with long-standing Iowa tradition to endorse DeSantis. Iowa’s governor typically stays neutral before the caucuses that kick off the Republicans’ nomination calendar in January.

The people familiar with the matter spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity before a Monday rally in Des Moines where Reynolds is expected to announce her endorsement. The Des Moines Register and NBC News first reported the anticipated endorsement.

Florida court consolidation idea rejected by committee amid criticism move was power grab

Amid overwhelming opposition to consolidation, a committee appointed by the Florida Supreme Court on Friday unanimously recommended against shrinking the number of judicial circuits in the state.

Chief Justice Carlos Muniz in July issued an order establishing the committee to explore whether any of the state’s 20 judicial circuits should be consolidated, an idea pushed by House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast.

Muniz gave the committee until Dec. 1 to issue a report. State attorneys, public defenders, judges, sheriffs, other elected officials, attorneys and members of the public from the Florida Keys to the Panhandle vehemently argued against a potential decrease in the number of circuits.

After Friday’s unanimous vote, 4th District Court of Appeal Judge Jonathan Gerber, who chairs the committee, said the months-long effort wasn’t in vain.

Florida lawmakers will address rising property insurance costs during a special session

The Florida Legislature will take up rising property insurance during a special session that starts Monday.

High premiums, on top of what already is an affordability crisis across the state, continues to drive up the cost of living and make homeownership more expensive and difficult to achieve.

State Rep. John Snyder is a Republican representing parts of Martin and Palm Beach counties. He spoke about insurance and the upcoming session Friday with Tom Hudson on The Florida Roundup.

He said he wants to continue to hold insurance companies accountable without placing too many regulations and drive carriers out.

“We need to create the regulatory environment where companies are coming in to compete for the business of property insurance, and giving consumers options to choose from,” Snyder said.

'Their silence is killing people': Residents want health warnings about sugar-cane fires

More than 30 people gathered Wednesday outside Palm Beach County’s Department of Health headquarters calling on officials to warn Glades residents of the harmful effects of sugarcane fire pollution during the eight months of the industry’s harvesting season.

Holding signs calling the department’s silence on the pollution “deafening,” some in the crowd came from the most-affected areas in towns bordering the cane fields, where ash settles on their homes and cars, and smoke burns their throats, chokes the most vulnerable residents and drives them indoors.

Palm Beach County health officials routinely issue alerts on events that can affect residents' well-being, including offering in a department social-media post to test the sea water lapping the shores of beachfront property owners to make sure it doesn't contain fecal bacteria.