Newly released data on TheFloridaScorecard.org for 2023 shows that if Florida were an independent country, it would be ranked as the 16th largest economy in the world by gross domestic product (GDP). This marks a change from Florida’s previous GDP ranking as the 15th largest economy globally. Despite this shift, Florida's latest annual GDP stands at $1.58 trillion, reflecting an increase of over $140.4 billion.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The group of nonpartisan voting rights organizations involved in the Common Cause Florida v. Byrd case will not appeal the March 27 redistricting decision from the federal court for the Northern District of Florida. That decision ruled that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ congressional map, which intentionally silences Black voters, can remain in place for the 2024 election. The groups' request for the Northern District to reconsider the ruling was denied on June 11, 2024.
Florida TaxWatch has released its briefing on the state's property insurance market, highlighting the need for long-term solutions to address high insurance costs that could drive residents out of Florida.
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.
Patricia Levesque, Executive Director of the Foundation for Florida’s Future, issued a statement today regarding the year-over-year results from Florida’s statewide student assessments.
Florida's latest 3rd and 8th-grade reading scores were recently released, reflecting progress toward Florida 2030-related education goals. According to TheFloridaScorecard.org, 3rd-grade reading scores increased by 5 percentage points to 55%, while 8th-grade reading scores rose by 4 percentage points to 51%.
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has endorsed Representative Neal Dunn for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Florida’s 2nd Congressional District. The endorsement was announced at a campaign event held at NFIB member and small business 17th Street Restorations in Panama City.
Last night, Governor DeSantis signed HB 91/SB 84, designating A1A as Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway. Senator Lauren Book, sponsor of this legislation, provided the following statement:
The Florida Chamber Foundation's latest report reveals that Florida continues to experience significant net income migration, with over $36.05 billion moving into the state annually. Despite this being $3 billion less than last year, driven by an increase in outbound migration rather than a decrease in inbound migration, Florida remains the leading destination for income migration in the United States. This figure is approximately 3.5 times that of Texas, which ranks second.
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has reaffirmed its commitment to ending the criminalization of homelessness following a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision.
Orlando, FL – Following the Governor’s veto of HB 133, Senator Linda Stewart (D-Orlando) expressed her disappointment over the decision to reject a bill aimed at assisting non-violent offenders. The bill on licensure for barbers and cosmetology specialists, unanimously supported by the legislature (31-0 Senate and 114-0 House), sought to prevent the Florida Board of Cosmetology from using a history of non-violent incarceration as grounds for denying licenses. It aimed to offer crucial support and opportunities for rehabilitation, helping individuals reintegrate into society...
The Florida Chamber Foundation’s Florida 2030 Blueprint aims to elevate Florida to the 10th largest economy globally by 2030. Within this framework, the "Talent Supply and Education" pillar is identified as crucial for achieving this vision.
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. – On Friday, June 21, Governor DeSantis signed a contentious ethics bill into law that will make it significantly more challenging for Floridians to file ethics complaints against government officials accused of violating the public trust. The law also imposes new restrictions on local ethics boards, such as those in Miami and Tallahassee, which will no longer be able to pursue self-initiated investigations from anonymous credible whistleblowers. This legislation is set to take effect on July 1.
The Georgia State Senate has passed Senate Bill 355, legislation aimed at banning ranked-choice voting in the state's elections. The bill, authored by Georgia Senate Majority Whip Randy Robertson (R-Cataula), will now proceed to the Georgia House of Representatives.
Tallahassee, Fla. – Florida TaxWatch released "Social Determinants of Health: Health Care Access and Quality," the first economic commentary in a series exploring social determinants of health as defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The taxpayer research institute focuses on health care access and quality in this initial commentary.
A group of Florida small business owners, led by NFIB State Executive Director Bill Herrle and Legislative Director Tim Nungesser, visited Washington as part of the 2024 NFIB Fly-In. The delegation met with several Florida lawmakers to discuss issues such as repealing the Corporate Transparency Act and preserving the 20% Small Business Deduction.
State Senator Bobby Powell (D-West Palm Beach) issued a statement on June 13, 2024, criticizing the governor's vetoes of several projects in the state spending plan.
The Florida Chamber of Commerce has announced its first round of legislative endorsements for the 2024 elections. These endorsements are based largely on the legislators' grades from The Florida Chamber of Commerce Legislative Report Card, which evaluates their commitment to promoting free enterprise and job creation.