State News

Floridians have until the end of the month to register to vote in Florida’s Primary Election or update their party affiliation.

Drivers, beware. For the rest of the week, Florida, Georgia, and three other Southern states will be pulling over motorists for speeding as part of the second annual “Operation Southern Shield.”

Florida Democratic Candidate for Govenor Philip Levine made a whirlwind swing through the state on Saturday, July 14. That included a quick visit to the Capital City.

President Trump’s U.S. Supreme Court nominee is already causing partisan divides among Republicans and Democrats. That fight is also making its way to the Sunshine State.

Images of bright-green water caused by harmful algal blooms have taken center stage in ecological and political conversations in Florida. This week, the federal government approved more than $1.5 billion to help fund a reservoir that will take overflow from Lake Okeechobee elsewhere in an effort to mitigate the algae’s effects. Ryan Dailey recently spoke with Florida Atlantic University’s interim director of the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Dr. Jim Sullivan, to talk algae and what the reservoir stands to do to help.

The League of Women Voters of Florida is suing to block a constitutional amendment that could pave the way for more charter schools. The League says the ballot summary-which voters see on the actual ballot—is different from the language in the amendment, and is vague and misleading.

Attorney Ron Meyer is representing the League in the lawsuit. He’s also representing the state teachers union in a case against a Florida that targets the Florida Education Association. Lynn Hatter spoke with Meyer about both lawsuits, starting with the case against Amendment Eight. It’s comprised of three proposals—term limits for local school board members, and mandatory civics education. But it’s the language regarding school district oversight of public schools, that’s triggered the suit.

Florida’s election supervisors are feeling the squeeze of a short deadline to submit an application for $19 million in federal cybersecurity funding. The applications are due to the Department of State by next Wednesday.

Florida’s wildlife agency will be holding a lionfish summit in the Fall. The goal is to find more ways to get rid of the spiny invasive species plaguing state waters.

There is a newly-launched online news service covering state government in Tallahassee. The Florida Phoenix is the latest addition to a growing list of exclusively online news operations.

A new Florida law seeks to make it easier for people to get their mugshots removed from certain websites. It’s the only bill from the 2017 legislative session to take effect this month.

Florida’s statewide teacher’s union is once again suing the legislature—this time over a new law that could directly impact its membership. It’s the latest in a line of lawsuits filed over the state’s education policies.

Seminole County is the first US government agency to accept cryptocurrency as payment for county services. And according to a coinmap.org study, Tampa and Miami are ranked in the top 10 bitcoin-friendly cities in the world. With cryptocurrency usage growing,  Florida’s Chief Financial Officer plans to regulate the industry.

A new Florida law took effect Sunday requiring the creation of civil citation programs across the state.

Rallies calling for an end to the separation of immigrant families happened across the country on Saturday. Florida's Historic Old Capitol was the scene of one such gathering.

A Department of State panel has agreed to allow a Confederate General statue currently in the U.S. Capitol to call a Florida museum its new home. But, that decision is receiving some pushback.

Coastal Franklin County’s small Eastpoint community is picking up the pieces after a wildfire ravaged about 820 acres of land, destroying 36 homes. But for the hundreds displaced, there are more question marks in the aftermath than there are answers.

With a new law in place, Florida officials are still working to implement a lot of its components to ensuring the safety of Florida’s schools to avoid tragedies like the mass school shooting in Parkland.