TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed four bills: CS/HB 133 – Professional Licensing Requirements for Barbers and Cosmetologists; CS/CS/HB 473 – Cybersecurity Incident Liability; CS/CS/SB 165 – Sampling of Beach Waters and Public Bathing Spaces; and SB 1078 – Public Records.
Florida TaxWatch released its review of the Broward County School District's Safety, Music & Art, Athletics, Renovations, and Technology (SMART) program in its report "Monitoring and Oversight of General Obligation Bonds to Improve Broward County Schools: SMART Program Quarterly Report for Q3 2023-24." The report was presented to the Broward County Bond Oversight Committee and includes updates on the SMART program’s progress and recommendations to support ongoing efforts.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Governor Ron DeSantis announced the allocation of funds for infrastructure improvements through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund (JGGF). The cities of Umatilla and Plant City received awards aimed at supporting the manufacturing industry and enhancing access to commercial and industrial sites. These JGGF awards are projected to create or retain nearly 4,000 jobs.
Tallahassee, Fla., June 24, 2024 – Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr., announced June’s chosen books for the Commissioner’s Book of the Month. This monthly reading challenge aims to promote literacy and reading engagement in preK-12 schools. Each month, Commissioner Diaz highlights five recommended books—one per selected grade range.
Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are now available to businesses and residents in Florida following a Presidential disaster declaration for severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that occurred on May 10.
Tallahassee, Fla. — Florida provided an update on the measles outbreak in southeast Florida today. Since January 2024, sixteen states have reported measles cases, including California, New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Washington, Indiana, and Arizona. The measles cases in Florida have received disproportionate attention for political reasons.
FloridaCommerce announced that the West Palm Beach metro area recorded the fastest over-the-year job growth rate among all metro areas in the state in education and health services, with a 6.0 percent increase in May 2024. The labor force in the West Palm Metro area grew by 1,114 in May 2024, reflecting a 0.1 percent year-over-year increase. Additionally, the region added 8,600 new private sector jobs over the year, marking a 1.4 percent rise. The unemployment rate in West Palm Beach was 2.9 percent in May 2024, up from 2.7 percent in May 2023.
Last month, closed sales of existing single-family homes statewide in Florida totaled 26,252, marking a slight year-over-year decline of 0.5%. Existing condo-townhouse sales amounted to 10,415, reflecting an 8.6% drop compared to May 2023. Closed sales can occur from 30 to over 90 days after sales contracts are written.
PENSACOLA, Fla. — FloridaCommerce announced today that the Pensacola metro area saw a 1.6 percent increase in private sector employment, adding 2,800 jobs over the year in May 2024. The labor force in the Pensacola area grew by 0.2 percent, equivalent to an additional 574 individuals. The unemployment rate for the region was reported at 3.0 percent in May 2024, up from 2.8 percent in May 2023.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved Leon County for Individual Assistance following the severe weather and tornadoes in May 2024. Homeowners and renters who experienced losses can now apply for FEMA Individual Assistance, which may include financial aid for temporary lodging, basic home repairs, and other disaster-related expenses.
After setting back-to-back record cargo growth at Florida’s seaports, additional economic data continues to show the significant role ports are playing as a major economic engine. Last month, new economic impact studies from JAXPORT and PortMiami revealed that the two seaports now produce $31 billion and $61 billion respectively in economic output, significantly higher than their respective 2019 and 2016 studies. Now, Port Everglades has released its latest report showing $26.5 billion in economic activity and 10,778 direct local jobs – a 12 percent increase for the 2023...
Port Everglades continues to be a significant contributor to the economy locally, regionally, and statewide based on a recently released annual economic impact report. Most notable is the 12 percent increase in direct local jobs, which has a positive cascading effect for the people and businesses who benefit from the money earned and spent by the workers.
Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and the Florida Forest Service announced that applications are now being accepted for the 2024 Southern Pine Beetle Assistance and Prevention Program for non-industrial, private forest landowners. The program runs through July 26 and includes 44 northern Florida counties – the southern pine beetle's known range.
More than 90 high school students explored cruise and cargo operations at Port Everglades during National Maritime Month. The marine industry is vital to U.S. commerce, responsible for 2.3 million jobs annually, according to the Marine Economy Satellite Account.
The Great Lakes Towing Company (GLT), known for its specialized marine services, is introducing a Jones Act compliant breakbulk service from Fernandina Beach, FL to San Juan, Puerto Rico. GLT acquired the 5,800 M/T cargo deadweight capacity, fully enclosed warehouse barge "Crimson Clover" from Crimson Shipping and established a new operating company named Great Lakes East, LLC (GLE). GLE will operate a domestic and international marine transportation service that revives Crimson Shipping’s former business based out of Mobile, AL. However, GLE will load out of the Port of...
Last week, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) concluded two additional tabletop exercises as part of their ongoing discussions on integrating Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) into Florida's transportation network.
The Wall Street Journal stated in a June 9 opinion from its editorial board that factors including excessive litigation have driven up insurance costs for policyholders. However, tort reform measures enacted by Governor Ron DeSantis are helping the state’s insurance market to stabilize.
FloridaCommerce has announced the activation of the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program, allocating $3 million for businesses affected by recent severe weather in South Florida. The program is designed to provide short-term, zero-interest loans to small businesses that have suffered economic injury or physical damage due to flooding.