Florida's Latest News

Florida posts June job gains after May decline

Florida’s private sector added 12,000 jobs in June, according to newly released employment data.

The U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee released employment numbers this week showing Florida in a course correction for its job growth. The 12,000 new jobs added to the private sector in June stands in contrast to the 3,300 net private payroll jobs the state lost in May.

The state added 11,100 net payroll jobs in June, after losing 4,100 net payroll jobs the previous month, the report shows.

That trend was consistent with most states during June. Payroll jobs rose in 34 states and fell in 17 states. The largest job percent increases were seen in Alaska and New Hampshire with the largest decline happening in West Virginia.

Florida’s unemployment rate fell slightly to 4.7% but remains above the national average of 4.2%.

Florida-based company promises guaranteed hurricane evacuation flights

A Florida-based company is selling the state's residents guaranteed evacuation flights to Atlanta in the event of a hurricane — for over a thousand dollars per interested household member.

PriorityEvac, headquartered in West Palm Beach, offers Floridians an annual subscription that promises a spot on an evacuation flight from one of six Florida airports to Atlanta, including Miami International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Palm Beach International Airport.

For the 2026 "coverage season," memberships cost $1,250, per person, per year — evacuation is promised for "two activated storms" each hurricane season. In 2026, the Atlantic hurricane season will run from June 1 to November 30.

To qualify for a membership and guarantee your flight out, you must live in a coverage county, meet special considerations (medical needs, mobility, pets, young kids, etc.) and share your household composition, according to the company's website. 

Donalds, Diaz-Balart Weigh in on SAVE America Act Provisions in Budget Reconciliation Package

Representatives Byron Donalds (R-FL), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), and Lois Frankel (D-FL) weighed in on the inclusion of provisions from the SAVE America Act, one of the Republican Party's top priorities under President Donald Trump, that was inserted in the budget reconciliation package that passed by the House of Representatives

Budget reconciliation allows for the majority party (in this case, Republicans) to pass fiscal policy in the Senate with a simple majority rather than the required 60, sidelining Democrats, but the reconciliation package will be subject to scrutiny.

The package contains $73 billion for the continuation of strikes on Iran, $12 billion for agricultural aid, and the remaining $ 10 billion for the implementation of the SAVE America Act.

Opposition among Republicans was rooted primarily among budget hawks wanting to cut spending elsewhere, although some, along with Democrats, came from concerns about the conflict with Iran.

Kat Cammack Celebrates Inclusion of 10 Amendments to 2027 NDAA

Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL) is celebrating the inclusion of 10 amendments she introduced into the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed the House.

The ten amendments introduced by Rep. Cammack deal with countering China and its malign influence, emerging technology, and other issues.

For instance, the China-centric amendments include reducing the amount of Chinese-sourced materials used in munitions, microelectronics, and energy storage systems, in addition to audits on the participation of entities owned, controlled by, affiliated with, or influenced by the Chinese Communist Party in Department of War contracts and supply chains.

Another amendment seeks to reduce reliance on Chinese-sourced medical supplies in the military.

More broadly, the Department of War would be required to develop a strategy for identifying, assessing, and countering foreign malign influence activities in the cognitive warfare domain, including disinformation, propaganda, psychological operations, and other influence activities conducted by foreign adversaries.