TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released The Taxpayers’ Guide to Florida’s FY2024-25 State Budget, providing an overview of Florida’s Fiscal Year 2024-25 state budget. The budget was passed by the Florida Legislature during the 2024 Legislative Session and signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on June 12, 2024. The guide analyzes all appropriations for the new fiscal year that began on July 1, 2024, net of the governor’s vetoes. These include the $117.5 billion General Appropriations Act (GAA), “back-of-the-bill” spending, and appropriations made in general bills....
STATEWIDE, Fla. - According to a new analysis by the non-partisan Florida Policy Institute (FPI), lawmakers could use provisions in the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to help secure funding crucial for repairing outdated Department of Corrections (DOC) facilities.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody has announced a victory in the case of Moody v. Freestone involving criminal activists who threatened and vandalized crisis pregnancy centers in Florida. In March 2023, Attorney General Moody pursued civil action against the defendants for vandalizing and intimidating multiple centers in Florida. As a result of the civil action and securing a settlement, several of the defendants pleaded guilty to felonies in federal court. The defendants will also be permanently banned from being within 100 feet of crisis pregnancy centers and...
Governor Ron DeSantis announced the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, which begins on Monday, July 29, and runs for two weeks, ending on Sunday, August 11. The sales tax holiday aims to help families save money on items their students need for the new school year.
Jimmy Patronis, Florida’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal, stated in a July 12 post on X that he has advocated for the home hardening tax cut to assist families in protecting their homes from hurricanes and reducing their insurance premiums.
Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) has introduced the Ensuring Health in SNAP Act, aiming to facilitate states' ability to ban junk food within their food stamps programs. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps, was established as a joint state-federal welfare initiative to provide temporary or supplemental food assistance to needy individuals and families. Over time, the program's eligibility and spending have expanded, incorporating a broader range of food options, including junk food that can adversely affect recipients' health.
During Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez’s international mission to the Farnborough Air Show, aviation company AURA AERO Inc. announced the opening of its first US facility within Embry-Riddle and the decision to locate a 500,000-square-foot manufacturing and assembly plant in Florida. AURA AERO is a French designer and manufacturer of aircraft headquartered in Toulouse, France. This decision follows the company’s move last year to create a partnership with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at the University’s Research Park in Daytona Beach, which is now open. The new...
Florida is sending 46 athletes to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, representing a diverse array of sports. These athletes hail from various cities across the state and will compete in events ranging from track and field to swimming.
During Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez’s international mission to the Farnborough Air Show, aviation company AURA AERO Inc. announced the opening of its first US facility within Embry-Riddle and the decision to locate a 500,000-square-foot manufacturing and assembly plant in Florida. AURA AERO is a French designer and manufacturer of aircraft headquartered in Toulouse, France. This decision follows the company’s move last year to create a partnership with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at the University’s Research Park in Daytona Beach, which is now open. The new...
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 Department of Education has announced the 2024 school grades under a new grading scale. Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. commented on the results, stating, “This year’s school grades reflect Florida’s steadfast commitment to excellence in education. Under Governor Ron DeSantis’ leadership, we have continued to raise the bar for providing students with a quality education that suits their individual needs, and these school grades are proof positive that our approach is working.”
Governor Ron DeSantis awarded $7.2 million to St. Petersburg College today through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund (JGGF) and the Workforce Development Capitalization Grant Program. The funds will help establish the Semiconductor, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning Training for Technicians (SMART Tech) 4.0 lab.
Patricia Levesque, Executive Director of the Foundation for Florida’s Future, issued a statement today in response to the Florida State Board of Education’s passage of Adjusted School Grade Calculations.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and the Florida Forest Service announced today that $2 million is now available to Florida landowners through the Florida’s Future Forests Program to improve forest health. Now in its fourth year, the program offers cost-share opportunities for landowners to enhance the capacity of Florida’s forests, which provide clean air, clean water, wildlife habitat, recreation, and numerous essential products.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is continuing the 2024 Summer Scams Series: Sunny Days and Shady Deals to inform Floridians about common summertime scams. In this installment, Attorney General Moody is warning Floridians about vacation rental scams. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2023 Internet Crime Complaint Center Report, real estate scams, including schemes involving short-term rentals, resulted in nearly $150 million in losses nationwide.
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.
Optimus Energy Solutions has been collaborating with qualified businesses across Florida to help them utilize tax credits for on-site electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment. While much of the focus on EV tax credits is directed at consumers purchasing electric vehicles, dealerships may also be eligible for these credits to offset their costs.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced the Florida Forest Service’s record-setting year of applying prescribed fire during the 2023-2024 fiscal year. The agency set a new annual record with 277,818 total acres treated for the year on State Forests. Prescribed fire reduces hazardous fuel buildups and the chances of catastrophic wildfires.
More than 5.7 million Floridians, or 26.2 percent of the state's population, are highly vulnerable to extreme heat, according to a new report by the non-partisan Florida Policy Institute (FPI). The think tank found that 13 of the 20 counties with the highest shares of highly vulnerable residents are in North Florida. These counties include Calhoun, Citrus, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Franklin, Gadsden, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Highlands, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Okeechobee, Putnam and Sumter.