Florida senators on Thursday passed legislation that would allow more students to use taxpayer-funded scholarships to pay for private-school tuition, a major step toward expanding school choice in the state.

Voting 23-17 along party lines, the Senate signed off on a wide-ranging education proposal that would also restructure a controversial teacher-bonus program, tweak other voucher-type scholarship programs and make it cheaper for teachers to get certified by the state.

Elected officials at the state level and legislators from North Florida called on Congress to pass a relief effort for people impacted by Hurricane Michael which slammed into the Panhandle and the Big Bend back in October.   

At a media event in Tallahassee on Thursday, members of the Florida Cabinet called for federal action. Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recategorized Hurricane Michael as a category 5 storm, moving it up from a category 4 storm. 

Andrew Gillum is making hay out of a settlement in the ethics probe that contributed to his narrow loss to Gov. Ron DeSantis in November.

Insiders hoping for salacious tidbits about the former Tallahassee mayor’s trips with undercover FBI agents and lobbyists were sorely disappointed Wednesday, when the 2018 Democratic gubernatorial nominee and an attorney representing the Florida Commission on Ethics reached the settlement.

A new WalletHub report highlights the benefits of small businesses in the U.S. and ranks the best small cities to start a small business. Four of the top 15 small cities to start a business in are located in Florida; the worst are in California.

GOPAC announced its 2019 class of emerging leaders and a Republican legislator from the Florida Panhandle was included. 

State Rep. Jayer Williamson, R-Pace, was named to the GOPAC class on Thursday, making him the only Florida Republican included in the group which includes more than 25 other legislators from around the country. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis and his staff continued Wednesday to scrutinize a proposed gambling agreement, but the odds of closing out what some lawmakers have called a “three-dimensional game of chess” grow dimmer as the clock winds down on the legislative session.

After weeks of negotiations, Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, and representatives of the Seminole Tribe reached a tentative deal on Tuesday. DeSantis and House Speaker José Oliva received an outline of the agreement, known as a “compact,” on Tuesday.

After a fierce lobbying battle that included arguments about insurance rates and “bad actors,” the Florida Senate on Wednesday approved an overhaul of the insurance practice known as assignment of benefits.

The 25-14 vote sends the measure (HB 7065) to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who quickly issued a statement saying he will sign it. Passage of the bill was a major victory for insurers and business groups, which have argued that “AOB” abuses and excessive litigation have driven up homeowners’ insurance premiums.

The Trump administration and a Florida congressman continue to work together to crack down on veteran suicide. 

Florida has become the fourth state to join the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities. 

Law-enforcement officers could pull over motorists they see texting and driving, under a measure approved Tuesday by the House despite concerns the change could increase racial profiling.

However, the Senate is set to vote Wednesday on a different proposal that would only allow motorists to use hands-free wireless devices when they are traveling on Florida roads, a restriction that House leaders haven’t supported.