The Space Caucus is ready for takeoff in the Florida Legislature. 

State Rep. Tyler Sirois, R-Cocoa, announced the creation of the caucus during this week’s “Space Days” at the Capitol. Sirois and state Sen. Tom Wright, R-New Smyrna Beach, the chairman of the state Senate Military and Veterans Affairs and Space, will lead the new caucus. 

“The Space Caucus will be instrumental in educating members of the Florida Legislature about the importance of space and Florida remaining the launch pad to America’s future in space exploration,” said Sirois on Wednesday.

With Florida facing an opioid crisis, one of the leading think tanks in Florida is calling for reforming mandatory minimum sentences. 

The James Madison Institute (JMI), a group based out of Tallahassee that supports free market solutions, unveiled a study on Tuesday which finds that mandatory minimum sentences are not working in the Sunshine State.

The Florida Vacation Rental Management Association (FLVRMA) released a Mason-Dixon poll Friday showing that Floridians overwhelmingly support short-term vacation rentals. Almost 90 percent of registered Florida voters believe Floridians should have the right to rent out a secondary home as a vacation rental. 

More intercollegiate  sports could be coming to the Sunshine State if state Sen. Debbie Mayfield, R-Melbourne, gets her way. 

Last week, Mayfield introduced the “Baccalaureate Degree Access” bill which will “allow four  year state colleges to participate in four year sports programs” and she showcased the legislation this week. 

“This bill will allow more student athletes an opportunity to attend college and participate in sports,” she said on Wednesday. 

Her office offered the rationale behind the proposal. 

As part of his commitment to advocate on behalf of Florida’s environment and water quality, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday joined Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott in requesting President Donald Trump to include a sustained annual commitment of $200 million in the federal budget for construction funding for South Florida Ecosystem Restoration (SFER). 

A PDF copy of the signed letter is available HERE. The full text of the letter is provided below.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced it was sending more funds to the Sunshine State to help battle homelessness. 

U.S. HUD Sec. Ben Carson announced at the end of last week his department was sending an additional $6.7 million to back 47 new programs across the state in addition to the almost $79 million going to 250 other programs in Florida that he announced last month. 

“Combined, this funding represents a record investment to support state and local efforts across the nation to reduce and end homelessness,” HUD noted on Friday. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis chose a Tampa classroom to announce Thursday "bold steps" to reform the Best and Brightest Teachers program with a renewed investment to recruit and retain the best, most dedicated educators for Florida schools. This includes more than $422 million for compensation increases to the most effective teachers and principals in our public schools throughout Florida.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is blaming President Donald Trump’s tax cuts for the Empire State losing revenue and helping move people to states like Florida with healthy tax climates--and state CFO Jimmy Patronis is more than happy to see the Democrat in Albany boost the Sunshine State. 

Cuomo weighed in on Trump’s tax cuts this week as he tried to spin why New York was short almost $3 billion in revenue. 

Members of the Florida delegation weighed in after President Donald Trump offered the State of the Union address on Tuesday night with reaction divided along party lines. 

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., praised Trump for focusing on keeping the strong economy going. 

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is backing a proposal allowing “greater choice and mobility” in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Housing Choice Voucher Program.

Last week, Rubio threw his support behind U.S. Sen. Todd Young’s, R-Ind., “Housing Choice Voucher Mobility Demonstration Act.” Other cosponsors include U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.