Florida’s charter schools have emerged as winners from the legislative session. The schools have won long-fought battles over local revenue, and where and how they can expand. But even supporters say some of those victories are likely to end up in court. And Governor Scott is under pressure to veto those policies, and the education budget. Lynn Hatter reports.
This week Governor Rick Scott handed State Senate President Joe Negron a big win, by signing Senate Bill 10. That clears the way for a one-point-two billion dollar reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee. Everglades Foundation CEO Erick Eikenberg spoke with Florida Public Radio’s Jim Ash about the significance of the project and what happens next.
The medical marijuana industry is lurching forward as lawmakers consider whether and how to call a special session. Nick Evans has more.
The Florida legislature directed funding toward water projects instead of land conservation this year. But environmental groups complain that the state has still not fully implemented the land conservation Constitutional amendment. That story now from Sarah Mueller.
After a gunman killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community worked to translate grief into political action. Even though attempts to pass civil rights protections in the statehouse failed again this year, Kate Payne reports L-G-B-T-Q activists are claiming a victory.
Two Florida lawmakers are already looking ahead to next year’s legislative session to revive a bipartisan effort to reform the state’s claims bill process. As Sascha Cordner reports, it allows those who sue a government agency over things like injuries or negligence to receive the rest of the money awarded to them—a process that can often take years.