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Tallahassee school zone speed enforcement results in fines of $2.2M

The city's school zone speed enforcement camera initiative is in full swing and laying down the law.

Over the course of 2025, the program's 37 cameras doled out nearly 22,000 notices of violations. This means the cameras have the potential to bring in almost $2.2 million in fines with the city taking home roughly $845,000.

So far, Tallahassee has seen $562,497 of that, as only 14,423 violations from 2025 have been paid, according to data obtained from the Tallahassee Police Department in a records request.

"As the program grows, I know we'll see an increase in numbers, but I'm hoping that once the word spreads and driving patterns change, people will slow down and those numbers will start to decrease," TPD Lt. Zachary Lyne said.

Last year was the first year the cameras were up and running. The program started slow with two roadways that had cameras live by the end of March that issued 3,179 notices of violation just within the first month.

Senate approves Shevrin Jones bill for autism ‘blue envelope’ program, more police training

Legislation to create a statewide “blue envelope” program and mandate more training to improve how police communicate with people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) just cleared the Senate with uniform support and ample praise.

Senators voted 38-0 for the bill (SB 418) by Miami Gardens Democratic Sen. Shevrin Jones, who said it addresses a pressing community need.

“I have heard concerns from families about interactions between individuals with ASD and law enforcement. I know our offices are doing their best, and this bill provides additional tools to support them in those moments,” he said.

“SB 418 will strengthen officer preparedness, reduce misunderstandings and give families greater peace of mind as their loved ones live a more independent life.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are an estimated 5.4 million adults with ASD in the United States, which translates to roughly 2.2% of the overall population.

Daniel Perez leads House on ‘historic’ vote to eliminate most homestead property taxes

The House has approved a resolution proposing a constitutional amendment that would eliminate most property taxes on homesteaded properties.

The move would send the question to voters in 2026, marking what House leaders described as one of the most aggressive tax reform proposals in state history.

In an 80-30 vote, Representatives passed HJR 203 after adopting one floor amendment and rejecting several others. The measure would exempt homestead property from all ad valorem taxes other than School District levies beginning January 2027, and would prohibit local governments from reducing total funding for law enforcement, firefighters and other first responders below their 2025-26 or 2026-27 funding level — whichever amount is higher.

House Speaker Daniel Perez framed the vote as a defining moment in the 2026 Session, calling it “the most aggressive legislation ever passed by a legislative chamber on property taxes in the history of the United States.” He also criticized the Senate for slow-playing property tax talks, stating the House has yet to see a formal proposal from the chamber, which has so far resisted the changes the House just approved.

St. Petersburg to buy railroad tracks for new recreational trail

The St. Petersburg City Council gave the green light Thursday to buy a 0.86-mile spur of railroad tracks to create a recreational trail connecting the Historic Gas Plant District, home to Tropicana Field, to Fifth Avenue North.

The council voted unanimously to support buying the line from CSX Transportation Inc. for $7 million with help from the track’s neighbors, Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill and Ellison Development. The city will pay $1.2 million toward the purchase and costs related to the sale.

The council’s vote marks a big step in a yearslong process fraught with litigation to create a recreational trail that would connect to the Pinellas Trail. The city imagined taking over the tracks as far back as 2003.

The city began working toward acquiring the abandoned rail line in 2019. Around that time, CSX filed to convert the tracks into a trail, which functioned as an easement on privately owned property. But when the federal government OK’d CSX’s request, it took the land through eminent domain and property owners were not notified.