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Who is Casey DeSantis? First lady knows ‘what’s best for Ron’

“I was facing the battle for my life. He was the dad who took care of my children when I couldn’t. He was there to pick me off of the ground when I literally could not stand. He was there to fight for me when I didn’t have the strength to fight for myself,” she said.

While it was meant to show voters the human, caring side of Ron DeSantis the candidate, husband and father, it said even more about Florida first lady Casey DeSantis as both a political and life partner of the governor.

“The most powerful thing she’s done is the video she cut about the governor’s role during her battle with cancer,” said Nick Iarossi, a legislative lobbyist, campaign adviser and part of the small group of confidantes to the couple. “There is definitely a strong bond and partnership and they don’t trust anybody as much as each other,” Iarossi said. “They are each other’s person. They have a very strong faith and are very resolute people.”

“I’ve never seen a first lady like her,” Iarossi said. “She combines all the qualities she has – superior communications skills as an on-air broadcast journalist, a mother’s warmth, a great sense of style and grace, and also a call to service.” She has a few staff people that help her out, but she draws mostly on people in the private sector, Iarossi said.

“She’s not making policy decisions, just finding areas that are neglected and in need, and finding ways to address these problems without involving the government by using nonprofits and faith-based organizations,” Iarossi said. She took it upon herself to activate the Florida Disaster Fund after Hurricane Ian and be the fundraising face for that nonprofit, raising nearly $60 million to date using her connections, making TV appearances and working the phones, Iarossi said.

She’s also helped secure $100 million in cancer research funding in the current budget and launched the Hope for Healing Florida initiative in 2019, which helps Floridians find mental health and substance abuse resources.

Toll reduction bill zooms through Senate committee

Some drivers could see a 50% credit on tolls in the 2023 calendar year — funded by Florida’s budget surplus — under a priority proposal of Gov. Ron DeSantis that is on a fast highway to the finish line during this week’s Special Session.

On Monday, the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee voted unanimously to approve SB 6A, which authorizes the Florida Turnpike Enterprise to set up a toll relief program for drivers that notch 35 transactions a month on their SunPass transponders.

The bill cleared the committee, while the House Appropriations Committee will consider its version of the proposed legislation (HB 5A) in committee on Tuesday.

Senate Fiscal Policy Committee member Sen. Lori Berman voted for the bill but asked Sen. Nick DiCegile why the state wasn’t lowering the tolls for everyone, given the $500 million general revenue investment needed to make it a reality.

Florida legislators work on property insurance but warn there aren't quick, easy fixes

Could Floridians see lower property insurance rates? Probably. Eventually.

That was the testimony by Florida’s insurance regulator, who gave a tepid endorsement on Monday to Republican lawmakers’ latest plan to address Florida’s insurance crisis, the fourth in as many years.

“I think that this will go a long way into mitigating the rate increases,” Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier told a Senate committee. He said he was “optimistic,” but cautioned: “This will take some time.” How much time — and how much homeowners could save — were among the key questions that lawmakers were unable to answer Monday as they met in Tallahassee for a special session called by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Florida on a 31-day streak of declining gas prices

Florida gas prices declined 12 cents per gallon last week. The state average is now on a 31-day streak of declines, falling a total of 41 cents per gallon.

On Sunday, the average for gasoline in Florida was $3.16 per gallon. That's 11 cents per gallon more than a year ago.

"Economic recession concerns have kept downward pressure on the global fuel market, causing crude oil prices to plummet, dragging gas prices down with them," said Mark Jenkins, Public Relations Manager for AAA - The Auto Club Group.

"The price of crude plunged 29% in the past month; 11% of that happened last week. This should pave the way for additional discounts at the pump this week. Unless fundamentals change, the state average could easily sink below $3 a gallon before Christmas Day."