Florida's Latest News

Budget conference: Session headed to overtime as negotiators blow past deadline

Like the latest James Bond film, Florida lawmakers have “no time to (Sine) Die.” At least not quite yet.

Despite assurances the budget would be ready for the final day of the 2022 Session, legislators will likely return Saturday for a Day 61 — a strong indication that the Sine Die hanky will drop a little later than hoped.

Senate President Wilton Simpson and House Speaker Chris Sprowls sent a memo to lawmakers Tuesday evening indicating budget negotiators will miss the midnight deadline to prepare a budget for Sine Die on Friday.

Led by budget chiefs Sen. Kelli Stargel and Rep. Jay Trumbull, the Budget Conference plans to meet Wednesday morning.

Remaining issues to hammer out: Education, agriculture, and $3.5 billion in federal COVID-19 relief dollars.

Lawmakers near final vote on illegal immigration crackdown

The House is primed to pass legislation to further crack down on illegal immigration, a priority for Gov. Ron DeSantis. However, critics say the bill is a political move that would harm the wrong immigrants.

After the Senate approved the bill (SB 1808) along party lines late Thursday, the House considered the bill Tuesday evening with plans to vote on it Wednesday. With the bill’s anticipated passage, lawmakers will hand the Republican Governor another major win from his 2022 Session agenda.

The measure, carried by Fernandina Beach Republican Sen. Aaron Bean, would prevent transportation companies from doing business with Florida if the companies participate in programs transporting to the state people who are in the country illegally.

DeSantis announced the proposal in December after criticizing President Joe Biden’s immigration policies, including bringing flights to Jacksonville to relocate people he claims were in the country illegally. DeSantis and Bean, whose district includes part of Duval County, have said Florida is aware of 78 early morning flights organized by the federal government carrying immigrants to Jacksonville.

Budget conference: Local fire stations set to receive millions for vital infrastructure projects

The Legislature has agreed on funding the renovation and construction of several local fire stations across the state, including $4 million in appropriations for House Speaker Chris Sprowls’ home district in Tampa Bay.

The funding, agreed to in the latest bump offer from the Senate, sets aside more than $10 million spread among local stations, addressing the need for infrastructure improvements across the localities.

St. Pete Beach Fire Station 22 is set to receive $2 million to complete a full demolition and reconstruction of the station, which serves St. Pete Beach’s historic Pass-a-Grille beach district and surrounding locations, according to appropriation requests. The facility is described as an “aging, end-of-life facility,” which will be replaced by a “modern structure equipped with the proper tools to meet calls for service expectations in a highly-trafficked, densely populated tourist destination.”

Bill helping cover vet costs for retired law enforcement dog clears Legislature

A bill allowing the owners of retired law enforcement dogs to recoup some of their pet’s vet costs passed its final chamber of the Legislature Tuesday.

SB 226, which passed the Senate last week, was approved by the House 117-0. The legislation allows former handlers or adopters of retired law enforcement dogs that served for five years or more to get up to $1,500 annually for veterinary costs.

The bill provides $300,000 in recurring funding from the general fund to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to finance the program.

The bill defines a retired law enforcement dog as one previously in the service of, or employed by, a Florida law enforcement agency for the purpose of aiding in the detection of criminal activity, enforcement of laws, or apprehension of offenders that has been certified in obedience and apprehension work. The bill requires FDLE to contract with a nonprofit corporation selected through a competitive grant award process to manage the grant program.