Florida's Latest News

Is a device tracking you without your consent? Florida bill would make that a felony

Stalking victims would be armed with stronger protections if proposed changes to a Florida law outlawing unauthorized use of wireless tracking devices are enacted.

It’s currently illegal to install any kind of tracking device, including surveillance software on phones, without the consent of the person being tracked.

But the prohibition is only a second-degree misdemeanor, and law enforcement officers have told victims that they have little power to investigate complaints, State Rep. Michele Rayner, a Democrat representing parts of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties told the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee at a recent hearing. Rayner said she was a victim of tracking and wished the proposed law was in place at the time. Rayner said she has friends “who have been victims of having things installed on their phones without them knowing.”

Law enforcement officers told her that their hands were tied, she said. That’s because a second-degree misdemeanor charge doesn’t give police authority to obtain a search warrant that could help them prove who purchased the device, who downloaded the monitoring software, and who is using the device to track victims.

DeSantis approves $25M for Florida Jewish day school security

DeSantis gives go ahead to funding designed to combat antisemitism at Florida Jewish day schools. More than a hundred Jewish day schools across Florida will soon be getting some financial help for improving security measures on their campuses.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday he’s approved $25 million to increase security and safety precautions for the schools. There are 134 Jewish day schools in the Sunshine State that are slated to get their share of the funding.

The money is being allocated by the Florida Department of Education and was approved in the 2023 Special Legislative Session.

“During a time of increased antisemitism around the world, Florida will continue to protect the Jewish community,” DeSantis said in a prepared news release. “Today’s funding will give Florida’s Jewish Day Schools the tools they need to continue to keep their students safe.”

Florida’s Medicaid dilemma: navigating contract negotiations amidst healthcare giants’ legal storm

Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) is engaged in the process of re-procuring Medicaid managed care contracts, a routine procedure that occurs every six years and is essential for the continued operation of the state’s Medicaid program. With decisions expected by mid-February, however, this year’s process is transpiring under heightened scrutiny due to controversies surrounding some of the major healthcare providers vying for lucrative contracts.

The re-procurement process, which involves contracts worth billions of dollars, determines which healthcare providers will manage Medicaid services for the state. This process is not only about selecting providers but also about ensuring the integrity and efficiency of the Medicaid system, which serves millions of Floridians.

“Accountability and oversight will be key to this process, especially since our state seems to be mired in Medicaid issues,” wrote Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Julio Fuentes in an op-ed for the Palm Beach Post.

Amidst negotiations, the Florida House of Representatives is attempting to address accountability issues in Medicaid managed care with a proposal of its own, HB 783. The legislation, if adopted, would mandate regular performance reporting by Medicaid managed care plans to AHCA, aiming to increase operational transparency and accountability.

Florida bill aims to overturn strict immigration laws

Wednesday, Democratic lawmakers from Orlando will promote a proposal called the 'Welcoming Florida Act. The bill (SB 1598), proposed by state Sen. Victor Torres, is aimed at overturning some of the strict immigration laws put into place last legislative session.

The bill would repeal provisions relating to patient status data collected by hospitals and eliminate the requirement that an employer terminate a person after learning they have no legal status in the state. It would also protect people from the unauthorized practice of immigration law.

Julia Aguayo De Hassler, founder of the group, ‘Libertad, Club Hispano Republicano of Pasco County,’ says these types of bills don’t help to strengthen the immigration system in the state.

 “It is important to realize there is a difference between the people that have been here for years and those people that this administration have let come by the thousands without properly being vetted,” she said. Those in favor of this bill say it would be a step in the right direction for the immigrant community and combat current legislation that criminalizes those who are transporting people living in the country illegally.