Robbie Gaffney

Stem cell research has shown both promise and peril. The technology is advancing faster than the government's ability to regulate it. That's led to problems, such as a 2017 case where three women went blind after receiving stem cell injections to cure a degenerative eye disease. Since then, the federal government has taken measures to regulate stem cell clinics. Florida has been trying to follow suit. 

If another active shooting happens, lawmakers want schools to be equipped with a panic alert system. It would be activated through a mobile app. The push for this technology comes after the second anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.

If signed by the governor, minors in Florida would need parental consent to get an abortion. If they don't have a parent, a guardian can step in. So far, 26 states have passed similar laws.

Climate change could soon be a factor state agencies use when determining whether plants and animals are considered endangered or threatened. It also would ban agencies from considering economic factors when making those decisions.

Florida lawmakers want to clarify the rights parents have in schools. The Parents' Bill of Rights allows parents to object to school materials based on religion, morals, and more.

Mental health is on the minds of Florida lawmakers. Proposals tackling suicide prevention, psychosis treatment, and insurance are pending before the legislature.

Florida lawmakers want to repeal a 113-year old regulation on telegraph companies. Lawmakers say it's long overdue, considering the nation's last official telegraph service closed in 2006.

According to a state analysis, about half of Florida's marriages end in divorce. To curb that number, Republicans want to require couples to read a handbook before they can get a marriage license. 

Florida lawmakers want to ban for-profit eye banks. These companies retrieve, store, and help deliver corneas to people who need them. The industry has long been dominated by non-profit banks, but that trend is changing.

A proposal in the legislature could change how recounts are conducted in Florida. The measure hinges on an auditing system that at least one local supervisor says is better at accessing digital copies of paper ballots than what's currently being used. 

Lawmakers are considering a move to build more electric car charging stations on state highways. They're also looking into a measure to pave the way for solar energy in schools. 

Under a new bill being considered by Florida lawmakers, courts could grant grandparents visitation rights under certain conditions. Sen. Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg) is pushing the measure after Dan Markel's murder.

Different forms of abuse often happen under the same roof. Now, a senate committee is backing a proposal to require child and animal abuse agencies to work together. Sen. Lauren Book (D-Plantation) is one of its supporters. She says cross-reporting between agencies will help prevent child abuse.

Programs to help people with psychosis could receive more state funding under a new proposal moving through the legislature.

When a baby is getting adopted, the state seals their original birth certificate and they’re issued a new one. According to the Bureau of Vital Statistics, in Florida, adult adoptees can’t get their original birth certificate without consent from both their adoptive and birth parents. However, a bill by Rep. Richard Stark (D-Weston) seeks to change that. 

When someone dies without a will, their land typically goes to family. It becomes so called “heirs' property.” However, if relatives can’t decide what to do with it, families could wind up in court, and the judge could place the land up for auction. Rep. Loranne Ausley (D-Tallahassee) says often this results in families losing their property. So, she’s backing a bill to give courts a framework when dealing with these cases.

Killing a Florida black bear would cost poachers a minimum of $750 under a proposal pending before the legislature. According to the state, there are more than 4,000 black bears living in Florida.

On the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a bill requiring parental consent for a minor’s abortion passed its last committee stop. The measure will now be heading to the Senate floor. 

Dignity Florida is backing bills aimed to change how pregnant incarcerated women are treated. The push comes after a woman gave birth alone in a jail cell. 

The Tallahassee International Airport is experiencing delays after a man stole a FedEx truck and crashed it into navigational equipment. As a result, Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez (D-Miami) couldn’t present his teacher pay plan last Monday.

If an extended family member has gained temporary custody of a child, a legislative proposal could allow courts to create a transition plan for that child to go back to their parents. On January 16, lawmakers approved an amendment to allow fictive kin to take part in the process.

Jason Laursen, Tonja Bryant-Smith, and Maurice Holmes will be Tallahassee’s new deputy chiefs. 

A bill to require parental consent for a minor’s abortion has one more stop to go before heading to the Senate floor. Meanwhile, a similar bill in the House is already teed up for consideration by the full chamber. 

If passed, the Senate bill would penalize physicians for aborting a minor’s pregnancy without consent from their parents or guardians.