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March 3, 2021

During the early parts of the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare workers were asked to do the best they could with what they had. Across the country that meant improvising masks and other protective equipment, stretching their staffing levels and sometimes depending on experimental methods for treating COVID-19 patients. Now, as Regan McCarthy reports, lawmakers want to protect medical facilities and nursing homes from liability claims stemming from those unusual circumstances.

A Republican-backed effort to repeal the construction of three controversial toll roads is moving forward in the Legislature. Robbie Gaffney reports it would open the door for two other projects to move forward.

Governor Ron DeSantis insists there will be enough money this year to fund more school spending. Meanwhile, there are plans to merge the state’s voucher programs to give parents more non-public school education options. Ryan Dailey, education reporter with News Service of Florida, talks with Tom Flanigan about those issues.

For more than a decade, Florida lawmakers have been trying to limit the use of seclusion and physical restraints on students who may act out. And for more than a decade, they’ve failed to do so. The issue, for some, is straightforward: the methods don’t work and can even cause physical and emotional harm to kids. But Lynn Hatter reports, advancing the proposal through the process has been frustrated time and time again.

Right now, there is no age limit on who can be arrested in Florida. Lawmakers have been working to change that since last year with a proposal to prohibit children younger than 7 years old from being charged with minor offenses. As Valerie Crowder reports, the legislation stems from the arrest of a first-grader in Orlando.