Florida's Latest News

DeSantis names new member to Eastern Florida board

Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 29 announced the appointment of Michael DeMorat and the reappointments of Bruce Deardoff and Dr. Edgar Figueroa to the Eastern Florida State College District Board of Trustees.

All three appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate. Under Florida law, the governor makes appointments to college boards in staggered four-year terms.

All five members of the Board have now been appointed by Gov. DeSantis after Dr. Kristine Zonka was appointed last year along with chairman Ronald Howse, who was originally appointed in 2015 by Gov. Rick Scott.

DeMorat, who joins the board as a new member, serves as Chief Deputy of the Brevard County Sheriff's Office. He has been a member of the FBI National Academy Associates, the Space Coast Early Intervention Center Board of Directors, and the Serene Harbor Domestic Violence Shelter Board of Directors. He holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from the University of South Florida.

Ron DeSantis backs ‘strong conservative voice’ Chris Nocco for SD 21

Gov. Ron DeSantis is throwing his weight behind Chris Nocco, the current Pasco County Sheriff, running in Senate District 21 to replace outgoing Senate budget leader Ed Hooper.

In a post on X, DeSantis said he was proud to back Nocco.

“He has done a great job as Pasco Sheriff, stands fully behind our property tax elimination efforts, and will be a strong conservative voice in the State Legislature,” DeSantis wrote.

Nocco jumped into the race last month after Hooper announced he was retiring from politics two years before his term ended.

Nocco has been enjoying a flurry of support since jumping into the race, including nods last week from U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, and the Sun Coast, West Central Florida and Tampa Police Benevolent Associations.

North Florida Land Trust coordinates sizable land protection agreement in Bradford County

The North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) is at the center of yet another land conservation deal that will protect hundreds of acres of environmentally sensitive property.

Nearly 861 acres of land will now be protected in Bradford County thanks to the latest agreement the NFLT brokered. The tract will fall within the Ocala-to-Osceola Wildlife Corridor (O2O) and the Camp Blanding Army Compatible Use Buffer Zone. The O2O now encompasses about 1.6 million acres of protected private and public land running from the Osceola National Forest south into Central Florida.

The property cost $5.42 million for the acquisition. NFLT officials say it was funded by the U.S. Army National Guard and the Department of Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program. The Florida Defense Support Commission also provided financial support.

The stretch of land was owned by Rayonier Forest Resources and was utilized for timber harvest. The property is adjacent to the NFLT’s Triangle Preserve and Suwannee River Management Santa Fe Swamp Conservation Area.

The land newly designated as conservation property will support wildlife protection, water quality and climate resilience in Northeast Florida.

Lawmakers tweak DeSantis' property tax cut ahead of floor votes

After hours of debate, a major property tax cut plan devised by Gov. Ron DeSantis was changed by lawmakers Monday ahead of scheduled floor votes Tuesday.

Democrats warned the measure could “bankrupt” local governments, and GOP members of the House State Affairs Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee amended the bill (HJR 3F/SJR 4F) to carve out the effect on school districts.

Before the bills were changed, local governments were projected to lose $8.4 billion in revenue per year, with firefighters warning of up to 25 percent cuts.

Under the measure, the current $50,000 property tax exemption would increase to $150,000 in 2027 and to $250,000 in 2028, but it wouldn’t apply to school districts levies.

If the full Legislature approves, it will appear on the November ballot for voters to consider, and it will require 60 percent support from the electorate to take effect.