NEWS FROM THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE
Gov. DeSantis signs 15 more bills as July 1 looms. Hereās the full list
Read full article: Gov. DeSantis signs 15 more bills as July 1 looms. Hereās the full listGov. Ron DeSantis signed another 15 bills on Thursday, including a measure to name two Florida roads after slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk and President Donald Trump.
Gov. DeSantis signs 14 more bills. Hereās the list of whatās new to Florida law
Read full article: Gov. DeSantis signs 14 more bills. Hereās the list of whatās new to Florida lawGov. Ron DeSantis signed another 14 bills into law that deal with everything from trust funds and property insurance to crime and how law enforcement interacts with those on the Autism Spectrum.
What are the e-bike & e-scooter rules in your city or county? Find out here
Read full article: What are the e-bike & e-scooter rules in your city or county? Find out hereWeāve compiled a county-by-county list of Northeast Florida jurisdictions where we found local ordinances/rules that specifically address e-bikes or restrict āmotorized vehiclesā in a way that may apply to e-bikes.
Jacksonville-area leaders voice concerns as Florida Legislature passes property tax cut proposal
Read full article: Jacksonville-area leaders voice concerns as Florida Legislature passes property tax cut proposalFrom Democratic Mayor Donna Deegan to Republican controlled Clay County, leaders across the Jacksonville area are voicing concerns about local budget reductions that could result from a major property tax cut plan devised by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Florida lawmakers tweak Gov. Ron DeSantisā property tax cut proposal ahead of floor votes
Read full article: Florida lawmakers tweak Gov. Ron DeSantisā property tax cut proposal ahead of floor votesAfter hours of debate, a major property tax cut plan devised by Gov. Ron DeSantis was changed by lawmakers Monday ahead of scheduled floor votes Tuesday.
Florida lawmakers approve $114.5B budget after special session to get it done
Read full article: Florida lawmakers approve $114.5B budget after special session to get it doneHouse and Senate leaders reached a final deal on the state budget late Sunday night, the last step in an extended process that required a special session to complete for the second year in a row.
Florida lawmakers (finally) complete budget deals, set for vote Friday
Read full article: Florida lawmakers (finally) complete budget deals, set for vote FridayHouse and Senate leaders reached a final deal on the state budget late Sunday night, the last step in an extended process that required a special session to complete for the second year in a row.
āLong overdueā: Parents sound off on new bill that puts more money in Florida coachesā pockets
Read full article: āLong overdueā: Parents sound off on new bill that puts more money in Florida coachesā pocketsJacksonville parents said their kidsā coaches showed up every day for the love of the game, not the paycheck. Now, a new Florida law aims to make that paycheck a little more worth it.
DeSantis signs bill that will raise Florida coachesā pay after years of News4JAX reporting on low wages
Read full article: DeSantis signs bill that will raise Florida coachesā pay after years of News4JAX reporting on low wagesAfter years of News4JAX reporting on Florida coaching pay issues, Gov. Ron DeSantis gave high school coaches across the state hope for a better financial future.
Florida budget talks progress as lawmakers head home, vote expected after Memorial Day
Read full article: Florida budget talks progress as lawmakers head home, vote expected after Memorial DayState lawmakers completed their first week of a special session on the fiscal year 2026-2027 spending plan. Staff and the two budget chiefs will pick up unresolved issues through the weekend.
Politics & Power: Supreme Court guts Voting Rights Act, reshaping redistricting battles ahead of midterms
Read full article: Politics & Power: Supreme Court guts Voting Rights Act, reshaping redistricting battles ahead of midtermsA 60-year-old civil rights law, effectively gutted. Now, Republicans across the South are racing to redraw congressional maps ā and Florida just became the first state to act, passing new lines that could flip four seats. Democrats are promising to fight back. Sean Freeder, a political scientist and analyst, joins News4JAX anchor Bruce Hamilton to discuss the pushback and the legal fights ahead.
Florida state rep. says Angie Nixonās bullhorn protest during redistricting vote left her with possible ear damage
Read full article: Florida state rep. says Angie Nixonās bullhorn protest during redistricting vote left her with possible ear damageA Florida state representative who was in the House chambers when local state representative Angie Nixon used a bullhorn to protest a redistricting vote said she is now dealing with possible ear damage.
Florida legislators ānot quite thereā on budget talks
Read full article: Florida legislators ānot quite thereā on budget talksHouse and Senate leaders still donāt have a deal on topline budget numbers, although offers continue to be exchanged between the chambers, one top negotiator said Friday.
Gov. DeSantis signs sweeping 2026 Florida Farm Bill covering everything from farm equipment to punishing bad contractors
Read full article: Gov. DeSantis signs sweeping 2026 Florida Farm Bill covering everything from farm equipment to punishing bad contractorsGov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed the wide-ranging 2026 Florida Farm Bill, which lawmakers say benefits the stateās farmers, ranchers, anglers and rural communities.
Property taxes, guns, education & more: Hereās what happened to 10 key issues in the 2026 Florida legislative session
Read full article: Property taxes, guns, education & more: Hereās what happened to 10 key issues in the 2026 Florida legislative sessionFlorida lawmakers put forward just under 2,000 bills and resolutions as they entered the 2026 legislative session. They returned home on Friday, having agreed to about 235 measures that await action from Gov. Ron DeSantis. Here is what became of 10 key issues.
Bill seeking to grow Cecil Airport into aerospace hub passes Florida Senate, heads to DeSantisā desk
Read full article: Bill seeking to grow Cecil Airport into aerospace hub passes Florida Senate, heads to DeSantisā deskThe Florida Senate unanimously approved legislation March 11 that amends the Jacksonville Aviation Authority charter, articulating the authorityās responsibility to attract business at Cecil Airport and to grow the former U.S. Navy base as an aerospace hub, as reported by our news partners at the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Politics & Power: Floridaās mid-decade redistricting fight could reshape US House balance in 2026
Read full article: Politics & Power: Floridaās mid-decade redistricting fight could reshape US House balance in 2026Floridaās political map is back on the chopping block. Gov. Ron DeSantis pushes midādecade redistricting that could hand Republicans up to five new House seats and sideline Democrats for years. Whatās at stake for 2026 ā and for American democracy? Dr. Sam Wang from Princeton University, an expert on election law and gerrymandering, joins us to discuss on Politics & Power.
House, Senate still at odds over Floridaās budget with just days left in regular session
Read full article: House, Senate still at odds over Floridaās budget with just days left in regular sessionWith a week left in the scheduled regular session, House and Senate leaders arenāt yet into formal budget negotiations.
Florida Senate passes bill requiring 50% of eligible union members to participate in votes to be recertified
Read full article: Florida Senate passes bill requiring 50% of eligible union members to participate in votes to be recertifiedUnions representing teachers and other public sector workers ā but not first responders ā would be put under new rules for recertification in a bill passed by the Senate on Friday.
Florida teachers raise alarm over bill requiring unions to show support from 50% of employees to remain certified
Read full article: Florida teachers raise alarm over bill requiring unions to show support from 50% of employees to remain certifiedTeachers and union leaders in Northeast Florida are warning that Senate Bill 1296, which is advancing through the Florida Legislature, could jeopardize collective-bargaining rights for public employees.
Justice 4 All: How proposed legislation could impact homeowners with pools
Read full article: Justice 4 All: How proposed legislation could impact homeowners with poolsIn Wednesdayās Justice 4 All segment on The Morning Show, local attorney Millicent Daniels joined us to answer your questions as we continue our Keep Them Safe series for parents.
Why the YMCA backs proposed legislation to widen swim voucher ages, create new water rules for rental properties
Read full article: Why the YMCA backs proposed legislation to widen swim voucher ages, create new water rules for rental propertiesThe Florida Department of Health lists drowning as the leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 1-4, and state lawmakers in Tallahassee are considering two bills aimed at reducing those deaths.
Florida bill aims to keep kids buckled in booster seats longer; parents and safety advocates on board
Read full article: Florida bill aims to keep kids buckled in booster seats longer; parents and safety advocates on boardFlorida lawmakers have proposed a bill that could set tougher safety requirements for parents and drivers when driving with young children, including raising the age for children to be in booster seats from 5 to 8.
Florida Senate committee passes bill to expand vaccine exemptions for young students despite some Republican opposition
Read full article: Florida Senate committee passes bill to expand vaccine exemptions for young students despite some Republican oppositionA bill that would expand vaccine exemptions for K-12 schools passed its second committee hurdle in the Senate on Tuesday, but only after some Republican members expressed concern over the proposal.
Politics & Power: Floridaās high-stakes property tax gamble
Read full article: Politics & Power: Floridaās high-stakes property tax gambleThe coming year will reveal how much risk Floridians are willing to accept for lower property taxes, whether they support replacing lost revenue with higher consumption or targeted taxes, and how they want to balance local autonomy with state oversight.
Florida e-bike injuries rising: Local attorney says heās seeing cases daily as lawmakers push new safety bill
Read full article: Florida e-bike injuries rising: Local attorney says heās seeing cases daily as lawmakers push new safety billLegislation moving through the Florida Capitol would create new guardrails for electric bike riders, a move that comes as Wolfson Childrenās Hospital reported 19 cases in January alone involving children injured while riding e-bikes.
Florida lawmakers advance bill seeking to make October 14 āCharlie Kirk Day of Remembranceā
Read full article: Florida lawmakers advance bill seeking to make October 14 āCharlie Kirk Day of RemembranceāRepublicans on a Florida House committee advanced a measure Tuesday to honor murdered conservative activist Charlie Kirk, over objections that such a tribute would come as an insult to Black people, women and others.
Florida state senator Tom Leek discusses AI bill of rights, Black History Museum plans
Read full article: Florida state senator Tom Leek discusses AI bill of rights, Black History Museum plansFlorida State Senator Tom Leek, representing St. Johns, Flagler, Putnam counties and parts of Volusia, shared insights from the ongoing legislative session in Tallahassee. Leek highlighted progress on Senate Bill 482, known as the AI Bill of Rights, which aims to protect vulnerable populations.
Proposal that could lead to about 10,000 fewer food stamp recipients in Florida receives support from state House
Read full article: Proposal that could lead to about 10,000 fewer food stamp recipients in Florida receives support from state HouseA Florida House panel Thursday backed a wide-ranging plan that seeks to trim health-care regulations and carry out federal changes in programs such as food stamps and Medicaid.
Florida House committee passes bill that seeks to lower prescription drug prices
Read full article: Florida House committee passes bill that seeks to lower prescription drug pricesThe House Budget Committee on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a proposal aimed at lowering prescription drug prices in Florida amid arguments by critics that it would be unworkable and could lead to drug shortages.
Local measles cases highlight tension over mandates, exemptions as state senator seeks expansion for vaccine opt outs
Read full article: Local measles cases highlight tension over mandates, exemptions as state senator seeks expansion for vaccine opt outsState Sen. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, wants to expand Floridaās vaccine exemptions to allow parents to request āconscience-basedā exemptions to school vaccine mandates.
Florida House advances tax cut proposal that seeks to phase out non-school homestead property tax
Read full article: Florida House advances tax cut proposal that seeks to phase out non-school homestead property taxAs the Florida Senate continues to ponder an approach to lowering property taxes, House committees on Thursday advanced two tax-cut proposals that could go before voters.
Florida Legislature to consider bill that would lower the minimum age to buy a firearm. Hereās whatās in the proposal
Read full article: Florida Legislature to consider bill that would lower the minimum age to buy a firearm. Hereās whatās in the proposalFloridaās 2026 legislative session kicks off Tuesday, and there are many bills and proposals on the agenda. However, one recurring proposal is the push to lower the age of buying a gun in Florida.
Kids absent from school too much? Florida lawmakers file bills to stop that
Read full article: Kids absent from school too much? Florida lawmakers file bills to stop thatFlorida lawmakers return to Tallahassee on Tuesday to begin this yearās legislative session. Among the many bills on the docket are several focused on school attendance.
New proposal lets Florida homeowners abolish their HOAs. Hereās how it would work
Read full article: New proposal lets Florida homeowners abolish their HOAs. Hereās how it would workA bill filed last week in Florida aims to dissolve HOAs across the state ā but thatās only if it even makes any headway.
