The Senate has amended and kicked back to the House a tentative $90 million tax-cut package in Florida’s proposed $91.1 billion fiscal year 2020 state budget for an 11th-hour endorsement before the legislative session draws to a conclusion Friday night.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott say the FBI has agreed to brief them within the next few weeks on its contention that Russians hacked “at least one” county in Florida during the 2016 presidential election.
The FBI’s claim first surfaced last year and has been disputed by state officials, who cite no evidence of tampering and note federal officials have offered no information elaborating on the specifics of the assertion.
In his first 60 days in office, Gov. Ron DeSantis said his administration has issued “bold” challenges to “champion” environmental protection, education reform and revamp health care, including a proposed state-sanctioned wholesale import program that could dramatically cut prescription pharmaceutical costs.
These initiatives are among the legislative priorities lawmakers must return to him in the form of approved bills to sign, DeSantis said Tuesday, kicking off the 60-day legislative session with a 25-minute State of the State address.
More than 60 firearms-related proposals, from “assault weapon” bans to “red flag” measures, await state lawmakers when they begin their 60-day legislative session Tuesday.
The debates will come after 15 of Florida’s 27-member congressional delegation -- including three Republicans -- voted last week for the House’s Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019.
The House took time out from Michael Cohen’s public testimony before the Oversight & Reform Committee on Feb. 27 to pass HR 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, in a 240-190 vote.
Florida lawmakers have 10 days once the 2019 legislative session begins Tuesday to meet Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ultimatum to repeal the state’s ban on smoking medical marijuana.
If they don’t by March 15, DeSantis has vowed to sustain the state’s appeal of a court ruling that deemed the Legislature’s 2017 prohibition on smokable bud violates the 2016 constitutional amendment approved by 70 percent of voters to legalize medical marijuana.
President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration that diverts $8 billion in already appropriated money for border security -- most significantly, $3.6 billion from the Defense Department’s construction account – is unlikely to have a direct impact on Florida, although it is uncertain what projects on what military bases could be affected.
What will have a direct impact on Florida, specifically the Panhandle, is the $333 billion bipartisan spending package adopted 83-16 in the Senate and 300-128 in the House on Feb. 14.
A Senate bill seeking to provide firefighters battling cancer with an opt-in supplement plan to help pay insurance deductibles marks the fourth year in a row a proposed firefighters benefit bill has been introduced.
But the fourth time, proponents hope, could be the charm because this year’s legislative iteration, Senate Bill 426, is sponsored by influential Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, and comes with support from heavy-hitters including Gov. Ron DeSantis and state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, who cites its adoption as his top legislative priority.
