Florida's Latest News

DeSantis names two, reappoints third to state board of education

Governor Ron DeSantis has named two more members to the Florida Board of Education and reappointed a third.

The board has recently taken actions that have concerned critics, including in November when members voted to adopt the Phoenix Declaration for Florida's K-12 schools. The declaration is a set of guiding principles written by the conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation.

DeSantis appointed Erika Fritz-Ochs and Luis Fuste to the board for the first time, and reappointed Dr. Grazie Christie.

Fritz-Ochs is a former teacher who now works for the University of Florida. She has been a consultant for the Florida Department of Education, and an educational training specialist for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Fuste is a lawyer who has served on the Board of Trustees at Doral College and sits on the Florida Commission on Ethics.

While current and reappointed member Dr. Christie, a radiologist who has been on the board since 2022, is a member of Americans United for Life, a pro-life organization.

These appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

Florida lawmakers prepare to tackle property taxes, state budget in 2026 legislative session

Florida lawmakers are set to converge on Tallahassee next Tuesday, where they will begin to tackle issues like Gov. Ron DeSantis' proposed $117 billion budget, a reduction in statewide property taxes, and a possible redistricting push, among other things. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to deliver his annual State of the State address shortly after 11 a.m. Tuesday, during which he will outline his agenda for the upcoming legislative session.

Similar to the president's State of the Union address, the governor is tasked each year with providing a message at the start of the regular legislative session. This message should include information about the condition of the state, any proposals to reorganize the executive branch, and to recommend measures in the public interest, according to Article IV, Section 1, Subsection e in the Florida Constitution.

DeSantis has a history of using the speech to outline the successes of his administration in the state of Florida. 

Lawmakers and the governor have each released key details about their proposals. 

Fiona McFarland proposal prepares Florida for life without the penny

Sarasota Republican Rep. Fiona McFarland is pushing legislation that would require Florida retailers to round cash transactions to the nearest nickel now that the penny is no longer in production.

HB 951 would amend state tax and consumer protection law to create a uniform rounding system for cash purchases when exact change cannot be made using 1-cent coins.

The proposal does not eliminate the penny or require businesses to stop accepting it but establishes rules for rounding now that the penny is no longer being minted.

Under the bill, cash transactions ending in 1 or 2 cents would be rounded down to zero, while amounts ending in 3 or 4 cents would round up to 5 cents. Transactions ending in 6 or 7 cents would round down to 5 cents, and those ending in 8 or 9 cents would round up to the next 10 cents. 

Electronic transactions, including credit and debit card purchases, would not be affected. For mixed-tender purchases, rounding would only apply to the cash portion of the transaction.

The bill specifies that sales tax must be calculated before rounding, meaning the amount of tax owed would not increase or decrease because of the adjustment.

James Buchanan proposes mandatory online payment options for local governments

Legislation filed by Sarasota County Republican Rep. James Buchanan aims to bring local governments into the 21st century by requiring the acceptance of electronic and online payments.

HB 967 would mandate that municipalities, counties and special districts provide digital payment options for financial obligations owed to them. Current law allows local governments to accept electronic payments — such as credit cards, debit cards and electronic funds transfers — but does not require it. 

The bill would also require local governments to establish a method for accepting payments online, expanding beyond in-person or phone-based electronic transactions. Governments would still be allowed to impose surcharges on electronic payments to cover service fees.

The requirement applies to payments for taxes, license fees, fines, civil penalties, court-ordered payments and court costs and other revenues.

HB 967, filed Monday, maintains existing provisions requiring local governments to verify electronic payments, and specifies that local governments would not incur liability as a result of those verifications or subsequent actions.