Florida's Latest News

DeSantis announces $30M for environmental restoration in South Florida

Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced the state will fund nearly $30 million for environmental restoration projects in South Florida.

Twenty million dollars will go toward the  Biscayne Bay water quality improvement projects, bringing the state’s total investment in the bay to $100 million since 2021.

DeSantis announced the new funding at a press conference on Tuesday at Florida International University’s Biscayne Bay campus.

“ These grants will support a total of eight projects, including six new projects and supplemental funding for two existing and expanding projects," DeSantis said.

The money is earmarked to convert septic tanks to sewer, upgrade wastewater systems and improve stormwater infrastructure in municipalities across Miami-Dade County, including Cutler Bay, Miami Beach, Miami Shores, North Miami Beach and Homestead.

DeSantis said that $9.5 million will also go toward Florida's Coral Reef Restoration and Recovery Initiative.

"The reef has experienced an outbreak of stony coral tissue loss disease, it's progressed rapidly to affect the entire reef ecosystem," DeSantis said.

House advances bill making humans review insurance claims, OKs amendment that worries industry stakeholders

As Gov. Ron DeSantis readies the state for a so-called artificial intelligence “bill of rights,” legislation that could help Floridians in fights with insurers is moving closer to the House floor.

Rep. Hillary Cassel’s measure (HB 527) would mandate that “qualified human professionals” must review insurance claims rather than allowing companies to shunt the task onto AI tools like “algorithms, artificial intelligence systems and machine learning systems” without manual oversight.

In the case of denied claims, a human being would be accountable for the decision if the bill becomes law, signing off on it and denoting how AI tools were used to arrive at the decision, if at all.

Cassel, the current Vice Chair of the House Insurance and Banking Committee, told her colleagues that the bill “addresses a growing challenge in our insurance markets” with a “clear and reasonable safeguard” against algorithm-driven decisions.

An amendment adopted in committee expands the bill by including workers’ comp and HMOs, and inserted controversy for stakeholders.

School Board approves major Head Start early education expansion

At its Dec. 9 business meeting, the Leon County School Board approved a plan to bring more Head Start classrooms into local elementary schools to increase its early childhood education offerings, especially in underserved communities.

In a major move affecting early childhood education, the board approved lease agreements paving the way for expansion of the Capital Area Action Agency Head Start program across several elementary campuses.

The plan calls for Head Start classrooms to open beginning January 2026 at Hartsfield, Pineview, two on the Wesson campus and Sabal Palm. By August 2026, Apalachee, Astoria, Oak Ridge, Sealey and Springwood are slated to receive classrooms.

"That Kindergarten readiness issue will soon be an issue of the past because of the involvement and intentionality and purposeful investment we have made as a district," School Board Member Darryl Jones said of the board's approval.

LCS Early Learning Director Brooke Brunner framed the expansion as a strategic investment: Head Start will supply screening data, handle meals and staffing, and integrate families and staff into school events, while the district provides classroom space and gives enrollment priority to Head Start children as they matriculate into kindergarten at the public schools.

Florida lawmakers prepare to discuss AI policy ahead of legislative session

President Donald Trump intends to issue an executive order that would block states from crafting their own AI regulations, arguing that a single national framework is necessary to keep the United States competitive.

“There must be only one rulebook if we are going to continue to lead in A-I,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, meanwhile, is urging lawmakers to march ahead, pressing for what he calls an AI Bill of Rights that would tighten protections for Floridians.

“We will never ever be able to shed ourselves of our responsibility to think for ourselves,” DeSantis said. “We cannot turn it over to machines and think it’s all going to work out great in the end.”

DeSantis’ proposal would add new guardrails around AI, including parental controls for minors, limits on commercial use of a person’s name, image and likeness, and clear notices when consumers are interacting with AI chatbots.

The plan also goes after energy-hungry data centers by barring utilities from raising rates to support them and blocking taxpayer subsidies for their construction. The proposal will need to Florida House and Senate’s support.

“He’s got concerns about how it impacts Floridians on a personal and individual basis,” said Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Bartow. “And making sure those liberties are protected.”