Could a recess mandate for Florida students disappear? It may under new education proposal
In 2017, Florida lawmakers signed an education bill that carried several mandates including one that said students in kindergarten through fifth grade were entitled to 20 consecutive minutes of free-play recess every day.
Pride Month lights on Acosta Bridge; State Sen. Travis Hutson; 100 Black Men of Jacksonville President Ronnie King
On this edition of โThis Week in Jacksonville,โ Equality Floridaโs Jimmy Midyette discusses the impact of changing the lights on the Acosta Bridge from rainbow for Pride Month to blue and then back to rainbow again. State Sen. Travis Hutson weighs in on the governor signing the largest state budget in Floridaโs history. Some of the vetoes included killing requests to fund the Hotel Ponce de Leon Preservation and Restoration ($250,000) and a program called St. Johnโs Schools Classroom to Careers/Flagships. And 100 Black Men of Jacksonville President Ronnie King reacts to a bill that would have given $1 million to a project called Coding in Color being vetoed.
Health care in Florida; Sen. Rick Scott; Stateโs legislative session
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ On this edition of โThis Week in Jacksonville,โ state Rep. Angie Nixon and Dr. Nancy Staats, both of whom have called for Florida to expand Medicaid, talk about how it could help people in need of health care and the money that would be involved in making it happen. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, of Florida, calls for states to send back federal relief money if they arenโt spending it on COVID-19 expenses. And state Sen. Travis Hutson talks about his energy bills and how he feels about proposed changes to the Bright Futures scholarship program.
Florida Senate approves bill to ease craft distillery restrictions
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ In a unanimous vote, the Florida Senate has given a thumbs up to a bill that would ease restrictions on craft distilleries in the state. Republican Sen. Travis Hutson is the sponsor of Senate Bill 46, which he says levels the playing field. โSenate Bill 46 attempts to put our craft distilleries on the same playing field nationally as other states,โ Hutson was quoted by Florida Politics as having told the Senate Rules Committee. As noted in the bill, the term โcraft distilleryโ now refers to a licensed distillery in Florida which distills or blends 250,000 gallons or less of spirits per calendar years on its premises. Additionally, effective July 1, 2026, a minimum of 60% of a craft distilleryโs total finished branded product has to be distilled in Florida.
Florida lawmakers look to preempt energy regulation
Climate activists believe that banning new gas stations will speed up the move to electric cars, but state lawmakers are having no part of it. โWhatโs currently in place, you canโt change,โ said state Sen. Travis Hutson, R-St. Augustine. The first says they wouldnโt be able to ban energy choices outside your home, like gas stations. If we donโt, getting to 1% renewable energy will be 100% impossible,โ said Dave Cullen, with the Sierra Club. State Sen. Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, split her vote on the bills but said she doesnโt really like either.
House, Senate panels to take up fireworks measures
Senate Community Affairs on Monday and the House Business and Professions Subcommittee on Wednesday are slated to take up nearly identical measures (SB 140, HB 65) by Sen. Travis Hutson, R-St. Augustine, and Rep. Ana Maria Rodriguez, R-Doral. The proposals for the 2020 legislative session, which begins Jan. 14, would allow individuals to pledge to use the fireworks "solely and exclusively" during one of three designated holidays. RELATED: Proposals take aim at state's ban on fireworksBoth measures would allow the use of fireworks on Memorial Day and Independence Day. The Senate proposal also designates a third holiday on New Year's Eve, while the House version allows for the fireworks on New Year's Day. But fireworks companies -- including TNT Fireworks, Phantom Fireworks and Sky King Fireworks -- have strenuously opposed any changes to the law, warning of more injuries to consumers if the market is less restricted.
Proposals take aim at state's ban on fireworks
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Floridians could add more sparkle to the Fourth of July and two other holidays, under the latest attempt to water down the states prohibition against fireworks. The push to make the sale of fireworks legal on Independence Day, Memorial Day and New Years Eve is being spearheaded by Sen. Travis Hutson, a St. Augustine Republican, and Rep. Ana Maria Rodriguez, R-Doral. State lawmakers over the years have tried and failed to amend the statute regulating the use and sale of fireworks, from repealing the ban altogether to proposing changes to the legal waiver. In the past, fireworks companies -- including TNT Fireworks, Phantom Fireworks and Sky King Fireworks -- have strenuously opposed any changes to the law, warning of more injuries to consumers if the market is less restricted. Despite numerous failed attempts to repeal the prohibition, some lawmakers continue to poke fun at Floridas fireworks ban.