Florida's Latest News

Florida's growth is fueling a new migration pattern in the state

Florida's economy has grown rapidly in recent years. The Florida Chamber says the state now has the world's 14th-largest economy and is the second-fastest growing state in the country.

But that growth has also driven up housing and other costs, changing where people are choosing to live.

Florida has spent years attracting new residents and businesses.
Mark Wilson, president and CEO of the Florida Chamber, says the state's economy has reached a scale few states, or even countries, can match.

"We have about a 1.8 trillion-dollar economy in Florida. That's bigger than Saudi Arabia. We just passed Mexico, so that's a pretty good thing for people in Florida to see as a comparison," he said. "It happened by design. We're making the right decisions, and we're attracting a lot of wealth to Florida. We're attracting a lot of companies."

‘Thank you for having my back’: Ashley Moody sings praises of Florida Sheriffs

U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody called herself Florida’s “top cop” when she served as Attorney General, and her symbiosis with law enforcement continues in Washington.

Speaking at the Florida Sheriffs’ Association Summer Conference, the Plant City Republican praised the men and women who constitute the thin blue line between civil society and anarchy.

“Whatever your story has been, your experiences, you bring it with you every day to work. I do that,” Moody said.

“As the wife of a law enforcement officer, as someone who has worked with law enforcement my entire career, I show up and do that. That is why my very first bill I filed was to help law enforcement officers get homes in the communities that they serve and love. So my first bill as a United States Senator, and I have since then sponsored so many and will continue to fight for the strength of our law enforcement officers, their families and our Departments.”

Democratic Sheriff Morris Young backs Byron Donalds for Governor

Morris Young, the long-serving Democratic Sheriff of Gadsden County, is again crossing party lines to support Byron Donalds in the race for Governor.

“Keeping our communities safe has never been about party; it’s about leadership,” Young said.

Young is also backing Republican U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody this cycle and was a prominent member of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ task force to reopen the state after COVID restrictions. Young said he’s “endorsing Byron Donalds because I believe he will stand with Florida’s law enforcement officers and the people we serve.”

Other Sheriffs agree. At least 39 of the state’s 67 Sheriffs are on board.

Young’s motivation moves beyond law and order, though, as he cites the Congressman from Naples’ understanding of the unique challenges faced by Florida’s rural areas.

Florida approves $564K for school‑safety drone program; state spending tops $1M

Florida lawmakers have approved another $564,500 for a school safety drone program that its backers say could change how active shooter incidents are handled, bringing the state’s investment to more than $1.1 million over two years.

The funding, included in Florida’s new 2026-27 budget, adds to $557,000 approved last year for the Campus Guardian Angel program. The Department of Education has not said whether the new money will expand the program to additional districts or strengthen its presence in the counties already using it.

At a demonstration in downtown Jacksonville for the Florida Association of School Resource Officers, Campus Guardian Angel CEO Justin Marston showed how the system would work. Drones, he said, are intended to respond quickly to distract, confront and incapacitate an active shooter.

“So our goals are to respond in five seconds, to be on the shooter in 15 seconds, and to degrade or incapacitate in 60 seconds,” Marston said, adding that “most shootings are over in 120 seconds.”