Florida's Latest News

Paul Renner assembles Majority Office team, names committee leadership

In less than two weeks on the job, House Speaker Paul Renner continues to build out his leadership depth chart.

The Palm Coast Republican on Friday announced committee and additional Republican leadership for the coming year. The announcement comes after Renner selected his main committee leadership and before he finalizes committee rosters.

“I am excited to announce and congratulate our new Chairs, Vice Chairs, Committee Whips and Majority Conference leadership,” Renner said in a news release. “Our historic majority has produced a talented and deep bench of lawmakers who are ready to serve and take action. Together, we will deliver on our promise to secure Florida’s future and leave our state better off than we found it.”

Tool rule could lay path toward longer South Atlantic red snapper seasons

Under the banner of a little going a long way, hopes are a proposed rule requiring reef fishers to maintain a barotrauma tool on board could reduce the incredible numbers of dead discards throughout the South Atlantic region, something that is of particular effect on the recreational red snapper fishery.

The rule, proposed by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) staff at the recent meetings in Panama City, would apply to Florida state waters. Barotrauma mitigation tools are already required in federal waters.

Generally the rule addresses descending devices and venting tools. Between the two types, staff feel it makes sense to let fishers in state waters decide which works better for them.

Rising inflation slows some builders’ reach for the sky

Inflation is draining some of the air out of South Florida’s building boom as high costs of borrowing, construction materials, labor and potentially, insurance rates, are contributing to delays in some projects, according to industry professionals.

Skyrocketing insurance costs have caused a “chill” among developers in Florida, some of whom have delayed their projects in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties, the Wall Street Journal reported last week.

“I do feel that’s a concern,” said J.C. de Ona, division president for Southeast Florida at Centennial Bank, which is a major lender to developers in the region. ”It’s almost something that has been pushed aside. But it is going to become more in the forefront.”

Housing challenges linger after Hurricane Ian

Temporary housing remains an issue for thousands of residents displaced by Hurricane Ian, a deadly Category 4 storm which slammed into Southwest Florida just over two months ago.

State and federal disaster officials on Friday said construction of temporary housing, delayed by the on-going removal of more than 30 million cubic yards of storm debris strewn across the region, could continue into the summer.

“I understand the frustration,” FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Thomas McCool told reporters during a conference call on Friday. “Once we move the debris, you have the infrastructure and you might have to put in water and septic and power.

"So, those issues are being worked out. … And then we have local zoning. Not challenges, but each community may have a different standard that we have to follow.”