Florida's Latest News

Gov. DeSantis rolls out DOGE Task Force, eyes workforce cuts and AI-aided audits

Gov. Ron DeSantis is promoting a state version of the Elon Musk-led spending slash in Washington that will reach into all areas of state administration and local governments.

“We were DOGE before DOGE was cool,” DeSantis said in Tampa. He praised the Department of Governmental Efficiency in Washington while noting that Florida has already been on a similar track in terms of reining in government to make sure state administration is as “lean and efficient as possible.”

But there’s still a long way to go, DeSantis noted.

To that end, he’s creating a state “DOGE Task Force” that will sunset later this year.

Time is of the essence, per the Executive Order (EO-25-44): ” The EO DOGE Team shall report any legislative recommendations to the Governor, the Chief Financial Officer, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives no later than September 30, 2025.”

Gov. DeSantis announces new agreements to fight illegal immigration

Gov. Ron DeSantis says several state agencies have reached an agreement to help the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with illegal immigration enforcement.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida State Guard and law enforcement under the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services signed the deal to help Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deport and detain undocumented people, according to the Governor’s Office.

DeSantis announced a similar agreement with the Florida Highway Patrol earlier this month.

Those state agencies will get expanded power to interrogate people suspected of being in Florida illegally and help ICE deport incarcerated people who are undocumented, DeSantis said.

“If state and locals aren’t part of the solution, then the problem is going to persist. So, Florida is leading the way,” DeSantis said.

Wilton Simpson praises proposal to protect farmers and hunters from drones in 2025 Florida Farm Bill

Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson is celebrating provisions in the 2025 Florida Farm Bill aimed at protecting Florida farmers and hunters from what his office describes as “drone harassment.”

The measure would prohibit the use of drones on agriculture lands unless the property owner provides approval. It would also prohibit drones on or near private property, state hunting lands or shooting ranges if the intent of the drone use was to harass.

“Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and hunters are facing increasing harassment from drones — whether it’s interfering with farm operations, harassing livestock, or disrupting lawful hunting and shooting activities,” Simpson said. “The Florida Farm Bill takes a strong stand to protect the rights of those who feed our families and manage our natural resources from coordinated and intentional harassment.”

Added Rep. Danny Alvarez: “Our farmers and hunters are the backbone of Florida’s heritage, and they deserve to be protected from those who would use drones to intimidate and disrupt them. I’m glad to see Commissioner Simpson lead forward and fight back against those who would try to cause them harm.”

Florida airport could resemble ‘The Jetsons’ with flying cars

Like something you’d see in the utopian future of TV’s “The Jetsons,” Orlando International Airport is trying to realize a long-desired dream of bringing flying cars to the region.

The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority on Wednesday took steps toward that future by seeking partners to develop and operate a flying car landing pad — called a vertiport — at the airport. The invitation is expected to publish in March with a 2028 target for a finished product.

The airport expects to put the vertiport on land in the East Airfield region on the northeast side or land on the south side near the train station, according to a news release.

Airport spokesperson Angela Starke said by email that inviting partners will help the airport gather information such as costs to build the vertiport. At present the aviation authority has no budget for the project.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, a member of the aviation authority, said the city is a global leader in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) — the technology behind flying cars — and having the hub at the airport makes sense.

“We envision the airport to be a multimodal hub of the future,” Dyer said. “That means expanding the SunRail to the airport, Brightline from there to Tampa and making sure we have readied the airport as a vertihub of the future.”