Florida's Latest News

Florida Senate leader Simpson under fire for prison closure proposal

 A Senate criminal justice budget meeting Wednesday night devolved into chaos, with prominent members revolting over the potential closure of four Florida prisons and Senate President Wilton Simpson facing accusations of heavy-handedness.

The fight broke out over the Senate’s proposed $5.6 billion Department of Corrections budget and a possible $140 million budget cut that would result in the closure of four state prisons. But it also highlights the arcane customs of the upper chamber.

It’s not uncommon early in the budget process for members to disagree about spending plans, but that angst rarely spills out publicly. It’s also rare for lawmakers to criticize a presiding officer, who generally plays a big role in writing any proposed budget but who usually gives credit to budget chairs. That, however, was not the case Wednesday when state Sens. Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg) and Jason Pizzo (D-Miami) directly hammered Senate President Wilton Simpson.

DeSantis says contact tracing didn’t work. So why is Florida paying for this app?

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ newest target in his ongoing clashes with public health experts is one of the bedrocks of their profession: contact tracing.

It “has just not worked,” DeSantis flatly told reporters last week in Palm Harbor.

A day later, DeSantis convened a panel of his go-to scientists, who took turns picking apart the disease control tool.

Despite these criticisms, DeSantis’ administration continues to pay a hefty sum for a New York company to supply the state with a contact tracing mobile application. The developer of the app, Twenty Labs, has received $4 million from Florida so far, according to the state’s online contracts database. The latest installment of $200,000 was paid on March 12 — a few days before DeSantis said contact tracing was an ineffective strategy.

Florida to receive largest vaccine supply yet as Pfizer, J&J production kicks up

Florida is set to receive next week its largest supply of COVID-19 vaccine yet with nearly 700,000 of either the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or the initial shots of the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna options.

A major jump in both the J&J and Pfizer supplies is credited for the increase while the Moderna supply remains the same as it has for the last several weeks.

The data released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday showed the J&J shipment earmarked for March 29 is 122,900, up from 24,100 this week. The J&J supply, which began with more than 175,000 doses when the vaccine was first given emergency use approval, has been limited the last couple of weeks.

Bill to bolster education plans for students with disabilities ready for House floor

Legislation designed to help students with disabilities plot out their continuing education after they graduate high school has passed its final committee on the way to the House floor.

Rep. Allison Tant‘s bill (HB 173) passed the House Education and Employment Committee unanimously.

The Democrat’s bill would revise how the state develops individual education plans (IEPs) by reaching out to parents about those plans when the student turns 12 or reaches seventh grade. Currently, IEP teams contact parents when students turn 14.