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Backroom Briefing: Feeling Right at Home?

June 14, 2019 - 7:45am
President Trump gets what he wants in Florida

President Donald Trump has become more than a part-time Florida man since taking office.

At least that’s Gov. Ron DeSantis’ take, as Trump prepares to formally announce his re-election campaign next week at Orlando’s Amway Center.

“The reason they’re in Florida is because, really if you look at it, since he’s taken office, Florida really has been his home,” DeSantis said Tuesday while in The Villages “He’s not spent any time in New York City. Palm Beach has kind of been the place. Orlando is just at the center of so much going on in our state.”

Cuba Ban Unlikely to Damage Florida’s $8 Billion Cruise Industry

June 17, 2019 - 7:30am
Cruise ship docked at Port of Old Havana

From Florida docks to Wall Street stocks, the Trump administration's new restrictions on travel to Cuba have fostered confusion and, in some cases, impromptu itinerary changes for passengers on Havana-bound cruise ships at sea.

But despite the loss of a new port-of-call that was gaining in popularity, the Cuba travel ban should have little overall impact on Florida’s $8 billion a year cruise industry.

The U.S. Commerce Department says that passenger and recreational vessels and private and corporate aircraft no longer will be allowed to travel to Cuba.

House Backs Buchanan's $6.25 Million Proposal to Fight Red Tide, Toxic Algae

June 14, 2019 - 7:30am
Vern Buchanan

Late on Wednesday night, the U.S. House overwhelmingly backed a Florida congressman’s proposal to have the National Institutes of Health (NIH) spend $6.25 million to study the impact of red tide and toxic algae. 

Charlie Crist's Flood Insurance Loan Proposal Gathers Momentum in Congress

June 14, 2019 - 7:45am
Charlie Crist, Roger Williams

A Florida congressman‘s proposal “to drive down flood insurance premiums by creating a low-interest loan program to help property owners better protect their homes and businesses from storm damage, ultimately reducing post-disaster claims” is gaining traction on Capitol Hill. 

State Task Force on Toxic Algae: Don't Expect a Quick Fix

June 13, 2019 - 7:00am
Algae bloom of 2018 on Lake Okeechobee

Reducing harmful nutrients in state waters, through moves such as more monitoring and staffing, is an expected short-term goal of a new task force set up by Gov. Ron DeSantis to look at toxic algae fouling Florida waterways.

But with a brief timeline for the five-member Blue Green Algae Task Force to reach its initial findings, don’t expect proposals for massive state rule changes related to farming practices or moving away from septic systems.

Ted Deutch Brings Back Proposal to Let Canadians Stay in U.S. Longer

June 13, 2019 - 7:00am

A Florida congressman has brought back a proposal to extend the amount of time Canadians who own or lease a home in the U.S. can stay there during the year. 

On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., and U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-NY, reintroduced the “Canadian Snowbird Visa Act” which they worked together on back in 2017. The bill would add two extra months to the 182 days that Canadians can stay in the United States each year. 

Military-Minded Francis Rooney Pushes Harder to Ban Drilling in the Eastern Gulf

June 13, 2019 - 6:30am
Military testing in the eastern Gulf of Mexico

This week, U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney, R-Fla., doubled down on his efforts to “permanently ban oil and gas leasing, preleasing, and related activities in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico.”

Debbie Mucarsel-Powell Reaches across the Aisle to Help Coast Guard Clear Backlog

June 13, 2019 - 7:00am
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell

From her perch on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, a Florida congresswoman has offered a proposal to help the Coast Guard clear its infrastructure backlog. 

Pairing up with U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, D-Fla., brought out the “Coast Guard Shore Infrastructure Improvement Act” this week.

Does the Major 2017 Education Law Violate the State Constitution? Appeals Court Weighs in

June 12, 2019 - 7:00am

Appearing skeptical of arguments made by school boards, an appeals court Tuesday waded into a challenge to the constitutionality of a 2017 state law that seeks to boost charter schools.

Numerous school boards across the state filed two lawsuits contending that the law infringed on their rights to operate school districts. One of the major issues in the case is the law’s authorization of “schools of hope,” a new type of charter school aimed at areas where children have been served by traditional public schools that are low performing.

DeSantis Prepares to Sign Budget, Issue Vetoes

June 12, 2019 - 7:00am
DeSantis in The Villages Tuesday

Gov. Ron DeSantis hopes to sign a state budget and issue vetoes next week, with the spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year expected to arrive on his desk Friday.

Appearing Tuesday at a bill-signing event in The Villages, DeSantis said he and his staff have completed a “first glance” at the line items in the $91.1 billion, 448-page document for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The governor has line-item veto power.

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