Florida's Latest News

Gov. DeSantis signs social media ban for children under 14

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a revamped version of a bill that would ban children under 14 from having social media accounts, one of the country’s most restrictive social media bans for minors.

DeSantis had vetoed an earlier version of the bill that targeted social media users under 16 and would have banned them regardless of parent consent.

Lawmakers worked with DeSantis to craft legislation that he would approve, which now focuses on children under 14 and keeps parents in the equation.

The bill, in part, would prevent children under 14 from opening accounts. Parents can give consent for 14- and 15-year-olds to have accounts. The bill is widely expected to face legal challenges from the tech industry which would be tasked with verifying the ages of their users.

State leaders say so far, they’ve evacuated more than 60 people, and they estimate there are still 500-some Floridians stuck in Haiti.

State leaders say so far, they’ve evacuated more than 60 people, and they estimate there are still 500-some Floridians stuck in Haiti.

10 adults and four children were on the flight that landed Monday. All of them are from South Beach in Miami-Dade County. They are staying in hotels overnight before heading back home.

Kevin Guthrie, the executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, says crews continue to push through challenges to evacuate American citizens.

“Those contractors that are on the ground are doing the best that they can,” said Guthrie. “They are not necessarily familiar with the streets of Haiti, in Port-au-Prince, so logistical challenges, transportation challenges, are all issues that we’re going to face as we move on. Toe more and more we get into PoP proper, the harder that’s going to be.”

Abortion access, marijuana ballot measures face make-or-break court rulings in Florida

Two separate ballot measures that would safeguard abortion access in Florida and legalize recreational marijuana are approaching a make-or-break deadline with the state’s Supreme Court. 

Justices have until April 1 to decide if the ballot summaries for these proposed constitutional amendments comply with state law, effectively meaning they are not misleading to voters.

If justices green-light them for November’s statewide ballot, the marijuana measure (Amendment 3) and abortion proposal (Amendment 4) could add extra spice to this presidential-election year. Florida is seen as less of a battleground since polls show Florida likely to be won easily by Republican former President Donald Trump. But for now, from the amendment campaigns, there’s a lot of anxious waiting and watching. 

Since arguments on the abortion proposal took place last month, and the marijuana measure way back in November, backers of the ballot measures have been left refreshing email and checking court filings for a thumbs-up or thumbs-down from the justices.

Trump calls on Republicans to challenge DeSantis’ lone Florida supporter in Congress

Former President Donald Trump wants a Republican to mount a primary challenge to Rep. Laurel Lee, the lone member of Florida’s congressional delegation to endorse Gov. Ron DeSantis in his unsuccessful bid for president.

Lee, who won a crowded GOP primary two years ago in a safe red district, served as Florida’s top election official under DeSantis and resisted calls by a faction of vocal Republicans and Trump supporters to do a complete audit of the 2020 election in the state.

DeSantis at the time also rejected calls for an audit of the results that showed that Trump defeated now-President Joe Biden by three percentage points in the state.

Trump late Sunday night posted on his social media platform that he wants someone to run in the central Florida district against Lee. “Any great MAGA Republicans looking to run against Laurel Lee in Florida’s 15th Congressional District? IF SO, PLEASE STEP FORWARD!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.