Florida's Latest News

Children and Youth Cabinet addresses growing youth suicide trend, minority mental health care

After alarming trends in youth suicide, the state’s Children and Youth Cabinet met to discuss progress on preventative measures.

The number of youth suicides has been steadily increasing in Florida over the last 20 years, according to data from the Department of Health.

Cabinet members met Tuesday to discuss the progress of a workgroup the cabinet launched to address youth suicide and stigmas surrounding mental health in minority communities so that “all children in Florida grow up safe, healthy, educated and prepared to meet their full potential,” said Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) Secretary Simone Marstiller.

DeSantis blasts CDC for K-12 mask recommendation: 'It isn't based in science'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' office sharply rebuked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for urging that all children, regardless of vaccination status, be required to wear masks when school returns in the fall. 

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky on Tuesday cited an increase in COVID-19 cases from the delta variant for the changes, which also recommend some vaccinated individuals to resume wearing masks in certain situations to protect against COVID-19. 

"It isn't based in science. There is no indication that areas with mask mandates have performed any better than areas without mask mandates. In fact, this policy could actually backfire," DeSantis press secretary Christina Pushaw told Fox News.

Florida defense attorneys call for return to virtual court amid COVID-19 surge

As Florida grapples with a surge of COVID-19 cases, an association of the state’s criminal defense attorneys called on courts Tuesday to return to virtual hearings for non-essential legal proceedings.

The Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers is “extremely concerned” about the uptick in infections, said Jude Faccidomo, a Miami attorney and the organization’s president. The Sunshine State accounted for nearly a qaurter of all new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. in the past week, according to CNN.

“FACDL is concerned that if proactive steps are not taken now, more severe measures will be required in the future and will result in further significant adverse due-process implications,” Faccidomo said in a statement.

Manatee approves $100,000 for pregnancy support services on same day as pro-choice rally

Manatee County approved $100,000 in funding for pregnancy support services on Tuesday, the same day that pro-choice advocacy groups and the local Democratic Party rallied outside of the country administration building to oppose a local abortion ban proposal. 

The motion for funding was made by Commissioner James Satcher, who in June asked commissioners whether they would support an effort to establish a local ordinance to restrict abortion in Manatee County, and to provide additional funding to support pregnant women in need of prenatal care.  

No county commissioners voiced opposition to the effort to restrict abortion locally during that June meeting. Although he expressed support at first, Commissioner Reggie Bellamy, the only Democrat on the board, has since said he would not support restricting women’s rights.