Florida's Latest News

Appeals court strikes down Florida law blocking concealed carry under age 21

An appeals court has struck down a Florida law forbidding law-abiding adults from carrying a concealed gun until they turn 21, a prohibition that’s been on the books since 1987.

The ruling from the Fourth District Court of Appeal came as little surprise given that Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, the state official charged with defending the law, openly opposed the prohibition and asked the appeals court to strike it down.

The ruling came after conflicting decisions in Broward courtrooms last year, one upholding the law and the other striking it down. The defendant in the case that upheld the law was Jaylen Eubanks, 20, who was arrested by Coral Springs Police in 2024 for possessing a concealed weapon.

His lawyer, Thomas Cottone, argued that Eubanks, 19 at the time of the incident, was an adult entitled to the same concealed-carry protection as every adult over age 21. Broward Circuit Judge Lorena Mastrarrigo ruled against him.

Six months later, Cottone made the same argument before Broward Circuit Judge Frank Ledee in the case of Joel Andrew Walkes, also 19 at the time he was accused of carrying a concealed weapon by Plantation police. Walkes was arrested in March 2025 when a Plantation police officer, responding to a report of a disabled vehicle, spotted the bulge in Walkes’ waistband. Walkes, who had no criminal record, admitted he had a gun. Ledee ruled in Walkes’ favor, setting up the conflict the appeals court just resolved.

Ashley Moody, Rick Scott guide nearly $1B to Florida military installations

U.S. Sens. Ashley Moody and Rick Scott have landed nearly $1 billion in federal funding that will be distributed to several military installations in Florida.

They both announced that the funding will be provided through the Senate National Defense Authorization Act approved this year. The money directed to Florida amounts to $935 million.

The funding is part of a spending package to support military personnel, installations and defense industrial bases in Florida. Moody said the funding is earmarked for projects throughout the Sunshine State.

“Supporting our armed forces is not just my job — as a mom in a military family, it is personal to me. These wins are not just allocated dollars; they are a down payment on the future of our military in Florida, aimed at strengthening the state’s installations and defense industrial base,” Moody said in a news release Wednesday.

DeSantis signs bill to push more commercial policies out of Citizens

Condos and commercial buildings covered by state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. could be more easily transferred to lightly regulated surplus lines companies under a bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis late Tuesday.

The bill (SB 1028) was initially opposed by Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky, who wanted tighter oversight powers over the surplus lines carriers that would be taking policies out of Citizens.

Surplus lines insurers are companies largely exempt from state regulations, and their rates and policies aren’t reviewed by the Office of Insurance Regulation. 

Lawmakers changed the bill to give OIR more power to vet companies that would apply to take policies out of Citizens through a “clearinghouse,” and Yaworsky dropped his opposition. 

The bill eventually passed 33-1 in the Senate and 88-19 in the House.

Under the law, Citizens is directed to set up a clearinghouse to move its condo and commercial policies into the private market. If a company makes an offer that is within 15 percent more than the Citizens rate, the policy must be moved to the private carrier.

USF trustees pick Mike Griffin as chairperson

University of South Florida trustees voted on Wednesday to name Mike Griffin the board’s chairperson.

Griffin, a USF alumnus, was first appointed to the board in 2019. He is also the co-head of the Florida region for Savills, a global real estate company.

Will Weatherford, the outgoing chairperson who announced in April that he was stepping down, said he doesn’t know anyone more committed to the university than Griffin.

He is a mature, steadfast and thoughtful leader, Weatherford said.

“The guy just personifies excellence as it relates to the University of South Florida and everything else in his life,” Weatherford said.

The board also named Oscar Horton as the board’s vice chairperson. Horton is the president and CEO of Sun State International, a commercial transportation company. He was appointed to the board in 2018.

Griffin and Horton’s terms will end on June 30, 2027.