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Episode 80: Lobby and Politics with Nick Iarossi

Nick Iarossi, longtime lobbyist and owner of Capital City Consulting, chats with Dara this week about his work with Gov. Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign, and more. Spoiler alert: Iowa was cold!

Top-tier lobbyist Nick Iarossi, who also played an instrumental role in Gov. Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign, shares insights into GOP politics and chats about how lobbying in Florida has morphed over the past two decades.

The owner of Capitol City Consulting discusses what's happening now on the Fourth Floor in the run-up to the end of session. Plus, 2024 election predictions!

DeSantis vetoes social media ban for kids, agrees to narrower bill

Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a ban on social media for kids under 16 on Friday, voicing support instead for a new, toned-down version to be taken up Monday in the final week of the legislative session.

Instead of blocking all kids under 16, new legislation introduced Friday would allow 14- and 15-year-olds to access social media with a parent’s consent. Kids 13 and under would still be banned. And adults and kids would no longer have to prove their age — through a facial scan or turning over an ID — to use social media, likely avoiding a constitutional hurdle.

Shortly after issuing his veto, DeSantis posted on social media that he did so “because the Legislature is about to produce a different, superior bill.”

“Protecting children from harms associated with social media is important, as is supporting parents’ rights and maintaining the ability of adults to engage in anonymous speech,” DeSantis added on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Florida school principals could be penalized under proposed book rule

Florida school principals could face state penalties if they are determined to have illegally prevented students from looking at library books in their schools, under a new rule under consideration by the state Department of Education.

Randy Kosec, chief of the department’s Office of Professional Practices, introduced the proposed rule on Friday during a lightly attended 20-minute online workshop. It reads that “a school principal shall not prevent, direct anyone to prevent, or allow anyone to prevent students from accessing educational materials without legal cause to do so.”

The activity came two weeks after Gov. Ron DeSantis called for reforms to the book challenge process, which he said had been abused by “bad actors.” Florida has received national attention for a surge in the number of books that schools have pulled from their shelves. The state led all others in that category last year, according to PEN America.

DeSantis supported several pieces of legislation that made the challenge process easier. He touted the efforts to remove books with sexual content as a way to protect children and preserve parental rights.

As Florida advances camping ban, Orlando’s homeless ask, ‘Where are we supposed to go?’

As Florida officials move to ban people from sleeping on public property, Peter Roberts wonders where he’ll be forced to go. Now he spends daytime hours at the Christian Service Center in Orlando, where he gets meals, toiletries and other services.

But at night when it closes, Roberts, who has been homeless for nearly two years, said sleeping on the sidewalk is his only option in a community lacking sufficient affordable housing and where limited shelter beds are almost always full. His disability check isn’t enough to cover rent for a place of his own, he said.

“It seems like we’re being punished now,” he said when told of the impending ban. “I’ve got to lay down somewhere – I’ve got to sleep.”

Florida Republicans have prioritized legislation this year forcing cities and counties to ban public sleeping, which also authorizes residents, business owners and the state attorney general to bring civil action against governments that turn a blind eye.