Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez has appointed Duval County Sheriff T.K. Waters to serve on the State Immigration Enforcement Council, citing his lengthy career as a law enforcement officer and “robust community outreach and engagement.”

After a special session late last month spiraled into a clash between Republican legislative leaders and Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida lawmakers will meet in another special session this week to pass a package of bills targeting illegal immigration — with DeSantis’ support.

In Florida, it’s still DeSantis vs.

Florida lawmakers gaveled in the special session Gov. DeSantis asked for on Monday, then quickly gaveled out of it and started their own, News4JAX sister station WKMG reported.

State senators are off to a quick start filing bills as they gear up for the 2025 legislative session, which begins March 4.

Democratic committee members filed the amendments after a 6 p.m. Monday deadline that carried out the COVID-19 protocols issued last month by Sprowls. House rules, though, do not put time constraints on amendments that are filed by members of the committees considering legislation. Driskell has asked that the issue be reviewed by House Rules Chairman Paul Renner, R- Palm Coast, in consultation with the Rules Committee’s ranking minority member, Rep. Joseph Geller, D-Aventura. AdMoreover, Driskell noted that three amendments by bill sponsor Lawrence McClure, R-Dover, also were filed past the 6 p.m. deadline. Ad“Because this was the last committee stop is why you saw the fireworks you did today.

A study out of the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences says it’s never too early to expose kids to two languages. That’s what Naja Ferjan Ramirez, a research scientist at University of Washington, found in her study. She measured brain waves from eleven-month-olds and found they’re already learning the language or languages they’ve been hearing. “At the time that they’re getting ready to say their first words, they’re already primed to do that,” explained Ferjan Ramirez. Ferjan Ramirez said the infant brain is capable of learning two languages simultaneously.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – More than two dozen loyal Republicans gathered in the Senate chamber of the Florida Capitol on Monday afternoon and cast the state’s 29 votes in the Electoral College for President Donald Trump. The 29 electors -- many of them current or former elected or party officials -- were submitted to Gov. Ron DeSantis on Aug. 31 and earned a seat in the chamber when Trump won the most votes in Florida in the Nov. 3 election. Had Joe Biden carried the state, a slate of 29 prominent Democrats selected as that party’s electors would be voting Monday instead and, based on the certified popular vote, Biden will win 306 electoral votes to 232 votes for Trump. That fact made Monday a bittersweet day for Dr. Roy Hinman, of St. Augustine, who case one of Florida’s 29 votes for Trump.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Continuing a flurry of activity before the end of the month, the Legislature on Wednesday sent a dozen bills to Gov. Ron DeSantis, including proposals that would toughen human-trafficking laws and create a new expressway agency in Miami-Dade County. The expressway bill (HB 385), sponsored by Rep. Bryan Avila, R-Miami Springs, and Rep. Daniel Perez, R-Miami, would eliminate the Miami-Dade County Expressway Authority and replace it with the newly created Greater Miami Expressway Agency. Judge John Cooper left open the possibility of revisiting the issue if DeSantis signs the measure. DeSantis has received and acted on numerous bills this week, including signing 15 measures Tuesday.