Florida's Latest News

Greg Steube, Jimmy Patronis, and Rick Scott Introduce Bills Reforming Flood Insurance

Representatives Greg Steube and Jimmy Patronis joined Senator Rick Scott in introducing two bicameral bills, the Flood Insurance Transparency Act of 2025 and the Removing Barriers to Private Flood Insurance Act.

The first bill, the Flood Insurance Transparency Act, reforms the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) by requiring the program to publicly disclose its methods to calculate premiums and flood elevations in underwriting.

More specifically, the data released would include a property's "loss ratio," policy history, and "multiple-loss properties" that have not undergone mitigation measures.

Meanwhile, the Removing Barriers to Private Flood Insurance Act eliminates the NFIP's "Write Your Own (WYO) non-compete clause," which currently prevents private insurers from diversifying their products.

Voters head to the polls for the primary in the special election for Florida Senate District 11

Democrat Ash Marwah is the only contender on his side of the aisle, so the Democratic primary election was cancelled, leaving Brice and Massullo as the only candidates on the ballot.

The general election will take place on December 9. The deadline to register for that election is November 10, and the deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot is November 27.

The district was changed by state officials, with the new lines on the Florida Gulf Coast taking effect for the 2022 election. In that election, Ingoglia dominated over Green Party challenger Brian More, earning 75% of the vote, compared to Moore’s 25%

His lead shrank slightly in the 2024 election. He earned 69% of the vote compared to Democratic challenger Marilyn Holleran’s 30.7% return.

Massullo most recently served in the Florida House, representing District 34. He first took office after he won the 2016 election. He advanced through the primary and was the only candidate on the ballot.

Ashley Moody recognizes Oldsmar for the measures taken to deal with hurricanes

U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody paid homage to the Gulf Coast community of Oldsmar for developing a layered approach to providing support to residents during hurricanes.

Moody appeared in Oldsmar recently to present a special congressional recognition for the city’s efforts to enhance efficient evacuations during the deadly storms. Oldsmar is on the northern reaches of the Tampa Bay area and was slammed by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024 in late September and early October, respectively.

In the aftermath of those storms, Oldsmar developed two hurricane-related programs. The “Pledge to Evacuate” campaign is a municipal effort that “encourages individuals and families to take proactive steps by committing to a well-prepared evacuation plan.”

“By taking the Pledge to Evacuate, (residents) are not just making a promise to themselves and their family, but also to your community,” the city’s website reads. The effort pushes residents to have a plan in place and follow it when a storm approaches.

Byron Donalds wins backing from 15 Florida sheriffs

A group of 15 sheriffs endorsed U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds in his campaign for Florida governor on Sept. 29, providing backing from top law enforcement officials as the GOP primary is poised to get more crowded.

The sheriffs who are supporting Donalds include Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk, Duval County Sheriff T.K. Waters, Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek, St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Toro, and Wakulla County Sheriff Jared Miller.

“As Governor, I will be 100% committed to law and order and keeping Florida the safest state in the nation,” Donalds said in a statement. “I will stand in lockstep with our sheriffs and law enforcement as we work to protect Florida from criminal illegal aliens, keep drugs off our streets, and implement strong public safety laws to protect our families.”