The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) has endorsed Representative Tom Leek, a Republican from Ormond Beach, for the Florida Senate District 7 seat. Carol Dover, President & CEO of FRLA, stated, "On behalf of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and Florida’s premier hospitality and tourism industry, I am proud to endorse Representative Tom Leek for Florida’s open seat in Senate District 7." She highlighted Leek's leadership in promoting business-friendly policies and his role in advancing the state's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) announced several positive developments in the state's property insurance market, including the approval of Trident Reciprocal Exchange as the ninth new insurer since the 2023 reforms. National carriers are also increasing their presence in Florida, even as they scale back operations in other regions.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will conduct aquatic plant management on Lake Okeechobee starting August 12. The project is expected to last two days, weather permitting.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is warning Floridians to be cautious of price gouging, disaster scams, and fraud in the aftermath of Hurricane Debby. The hurricane affected millions of Floridians, bringing catastrophic storm surge along Florida’s west coast while making landfall in the Big Bend region early Monday morning. Many residents may now be seeking food, shelter, debris removal, or home repairs. Attorney General Moody’s Price Gouging Hotline remains activated for consumers to report allegations of extreme price increases and scams related to recovery...
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Governor DeSantis provided updates on Hurricane Debby in his fourth press conference at the State Emergency Operations Center. He was joined by Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) Executive Director Kevin Guthrie as Hurricane Debby moved out of the state.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— Under the leadership of Governor DeSantis, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) continues to monitor and prepare for potential impacts from Tropical Depression Four. Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order 24-157 on August 2, amending EO 24-156 and declaring a state of emergency for 61 counties. This allows state officials to make critical resources available to communities ahead of any potential areas that the storm may impact.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody has obtained media contracts previously withheld from Florida State University (FSU) by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). These documents are central to FSU’s ongoing dispute with the ACC regarding the university's rights should it decide to leave the conference. As a result of Attorney General Moody’s legal action, the ACC has released six redacted media rights contracts and related documents.
The Florida Housing Finance Corporation announced today that the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing program has provided over $50 million in down payment and closing cost assistance to help Florida’s workforce purchase homes. Since the launch of the third cycle of funding on July 1, 2024, the program has allocated a total of $61.3 million to 3,745 families across the state. Veterans, active-duty military personnel, nurses, teachers, and law enforcement officers are among the primary beneficiaries.
As immigration policy discussions remain prominent in public discourse, a new national study from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) has found that undocumented immigrants in Florida paid over $1.8 billion in state and local taxes in 2022. This figure could rise to approximately $2 billion if these taxpayers were granted work authorization.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis awarded funds for workforce development through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund (JGGF) and the Workforce Development Capitalization Grant Program. Awards were made to St. Petersburg College to help establish the Semiconductor, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning Training for Technicians (SMART Tech) 4.0 lab.
The Florida recreational spiny lobster sport season will commence on July 24 and 25, with the regular recreational season following from August 6 through March 31, 2025. Harvest regulations stipulate that lobsters must have a minimum carapace length of three inches, measured in water. In Monroe County and Biscayne National Park, harvesters may take up to six lobsters per day, while in other state waters, the limit is 12 lobsters per day.
ORLANDO, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis recognized the five Florida 2025 Teacher of the Year finalists. Governor DeSantis presented each finalist with a $20,000 check. The winner, who will be announced at the annual Teacher of the Year gala on Thursday, July 25, will receive additional awards, bringing his or her total award amount to $50,000.
Attorney General Ashley Moody continues to advocate for mental health support for Florida law enforcement officers. Today in St. Petersburg, Attorney General Moody addressed the first graduates of Florida’s Law Enforcement Mental Health Certificate at St. Petersburg College. The pilot program is funded through a 2023 state budget allocation supported by Attorney General Moody. The 14 graduates are now certified to help officers struggling with mental health issues in the law enforcement agencies where they serve.
FloridaCommerce has announced that the West Palm Beach metro area experienced the fastest over-the-year job growth rate in education and health services among all metro areas in the state, adding 6,000 jobs (+5.4%) in June 2024. The labor force in the West Palm Metro area increased by 1,521 in June 2024, marking a year-over-year increase of 0.2%.
The car-buying experience is a crucial factor for dealerships in today’s competitive landscape. However, evaluating and refining this experience can be challenging, as dealerships traditionally convert less than 8% of their internet leads. This is where AI-powered tools come in.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Amendment 6, which seeks to eliminate Florida’s long-standing public campaign financing program, is set to appear on the November 2024 ballot. The amendment aims to remove public funding that supports candidate diversity and helps reduce excessive campaign spending.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody today led a 23-state coalition of attorneys general opposing the Biden administration’s latest energy policy, which they argue imposes harmful and costly standards on washing machines.
The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) is celebrating the Supreme Court of the United States' decision in the case Loper Bright Enterprises, et. al. v. Raimondo, which ends Chevron deference. This legal doctrine generally required federal courts to defer to an agency’s interpretation of an ambiguous statute as long as the interpretation was reasonable.