Florida's Latest News

Gov. DeSantis to sign elections bill this morning before West Palm Beach rally

Gov. Ron DeSantis will sign this year’s controversial elections bill Thursday during an exclusive signing ceremony ahead of a rally in support of the Governor.

The event, hosted at the Hilton at Palm Beach International Airport, will take place one week after the Republican-led Legislature passed the elections bill (SB 90). That measure, which will take effect upon the Governor’s signature, incorporates much of DeSantis’ plan to erect what one lawmaker called “guardrails” around mail-in ballots and election administration law.

Doors will open for the event at 7:00 a.m. and the ceremony will begin sometime after 7:45 a.m.

The event is billed as a rally for “The Best Governor in the USA.” The rally is expected to center around the bill signing.

Universities to return to ‘pre-COVID operations’

Florida’s state universities are expected to return to pre-coronavirus operations during the upcoming school year, including at athletic and social events, top system officials said Wednesday.

An early evening news release signed by Syd Kitson, chairman of the university system’s Board of Governors, and Marshall Criser, chancellor of the system, said the 12 public universities “expect to increase classroom occupancy to pre-COVID capacity by the 2021-22 academic year and return to pre-COVID operations. Further, we anticipate returning to full in-person participation in athletic and social activities on our campuses, including fan participation in stadiums and arenas.”

The announcement did not provide further details. After the coronavirus pandemic hit Florida in March 2020, university campuses shut down and students were required to take online courses. Campuses reopened this school year, though universities used a variety of measures to try to prevent COVID-19 from spreading.

Florida lawmakers unveil plan for special session on $2.5B gambling deal with Seminole Tribe

House and Senate leaders Wednesday set the stage for a special legislative session to consider a gambling deal that Gov. Ron DeSantis worked out with the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, and Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, issued a formal joint proclamation to bring lawmakers back to Tallahassee during the week of May 17. The 30-year gambling “compact,” announced April 23, includes allowing sports betting in the state.

“As you are aware, on April 23, 2021, Gov. DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe of Florida executed a historic new 30-year gaming compact that restores the state’s relationship with the tribe, preserves and offers new opportunities for Florida’s legacy pari-mutuel industry and provides substantial new revenues for the state of Florida,” Simpson said in a memo to senators Wednesday.

Gov. DeSantis: Decreasing vaccine demand ‘going to be a consistent issue going forward’

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday talked about the declining number of Floridians getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

“I think this is going to be a consistent issue going forward,” DeSantis said when asked at a news conference in Temple Terrace about decreasing vaccine demand. “We are doing public service announcements. We are working with folks in going communities to present the facts on it, but ultimately I think almost all the high-risk people who wanted the vaccine have gotten it.”

This comes after an 11-day pause last month on COVID-19 vaccinations using Johnson & Johnson's single-dose shot.