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On tonight’s program: An opening day for the Florida Legislative Session unlike anyone can remember; Governor Ron DeSantis spends much of his State of the State speech celebrating what a great job Florida did in responding to the coronavirus pandemic; On this opening day of Florida’s 2021 Legislative Session, we’ll hear President of the State Senate Wilton Simpson talk about environmental protection; Florida House Speaker Chris Sprowls waxes optimistic that good things can be accomplished during this year’s confab; Lawmakers want to give harsher penalties to criminals who attack someone based on their profession or some other characteristic. But some in the legislature are skeptical of these proposals; Lawmakers are looking into a plan to keep expanded telehealth access in place, even after the pandemic. But some people say a few items are missing.

JMI, a limited government think tank in Tallahassee, is out with a report that examines how Florida lawmakers can expand ‘regulatory sandboxes’ to boost business innovation in the state.

On tonight’s program: Florida lawmakers say medical providers who were doing their best during the start of the pandemic need protection from COVID-19 related lawsuits; Plans to create three controversial toll roads in Florida could be scrapped if a new bill advancing through the Legislature gains traction; There are plenty of education issues floating around the Capitol this Session. We take a look at some of them with the News Service of Florida’s education reporter; Could THIS finally be the year a decade-long effort to curb seclusion and restraint as student behavior control techniques in schools gets a legislative pass?; And a bill that would bar young children from being charged with minor offenses is moving through the state Senate again this year. The measure’s prime sponsor says he’s confident this is the year it makes it across the finish line.

Just a few short generations ago, many jobs - especially in the construction arena - were considered exclusively a male domain. Today, women are involved in virtually every facet of that industry and many more that were previously closed to them. To talk about it are: Kerwyn Jones-Wilson with Jones Construction and Design; Stephanie Wilder with Rowe Roofing; Jackie Wilson with Metronet; Heather Nelson from Tallahassee International Airport; and Michelle Madison with Farming the Future.

On tonight’s program: A bill to allow police drones to do surveillance on crowds of 50 or more is giving civil liberty watchdog groups heartburn; Democrats in the state legislature bring out their package of COVID-related legislation. We’ll take a look and also explore the package’s passage possibility; Republican lawmakers - as well as Governor DeSantis - have a slightly different take on the matter than their Democratic colleagues in the Legislature; Public school parents push back as a voucher merger heads for a Senate vote; There is no single-payer health care system in Florida today. And if the Republicans in the state legislature are successful, ever having such a thing in the state would become a lot less likely; And the state launches a program for new financial technology companies, almost a year after Florida lawmakers gave it the green light.

On tonight’s program: A top priority of Republicans in this year’s lawmaking session - cracking down on public protests - is moving ahead in the Legislature; The Florida Senate’s top lawmaker is backing efforts to keep children out of the revolving doors of foster care; The combined Capital Bureau chief for the Miami Herald and Tampa Bay Times talks about some of her impressions on the way Florida’s state government has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic; Environmentalists say a bill to make it harder to sue farms is a response to a federal lawsuit stemming from south Florida against big sugar; And Florida lawmakers want to make sure kids can get access to hearing aids. A bill moving through the Legislature would require health insurance companies to cover them.

A series of proposals this session would elevate penalties for those who commit crimes against someone based on their profession, gender, gender identity, or disability. It's part of an effort to protect certain groups of people. But some lawmakers don't think these measures will actually deter crime.

With help from Leon County’s Office for Economic Vitality, many Tallahassee area businesses were not only able to survive, but even thrive in the course of the long pandemic. We talk with the Office’s Director, Cristina Paredes and Deputy Director, Drew Dietrich. We also chat with local business owners: Summer Calenberg of Drip Drop Fitness; Tony O’Brien of Shamrock Cleaners; and Barby Moro with Redeye Coffee to learn how they’ve weathered the storm and are back in recovery mode.

On tonight’s program: A special session of the Florida Legislature is over, but its result, the banning of mask and vaccine mandates, is already law and being implemented; Governor Ron DeSantis has repealed a 2002 law that gave Florida's surgeon general the power to mandate vaccines. Democrats are calling this a politically motivated stunt and say it's important to remember why the decades-old law was enacted in the first place; Healthcare facilities now have to abide by conflicting federal and state COVID-19 rules; Some lawmakers are concerned Florida’s recent special session may have done more harm than good; Republican Florida lawmakers have begun the process of pulling the state out of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law this week a measure that would set up a statewide workplace safety plan in response to OSHA’s coronavirus vaccination mandates; And a deal between the State of Florida and Seminole Tribe of Florida giving the Tribe exclusive rights to offer sports betting is attracting attention and opposition.

Co-author, Julie King, of How To Talk When Kids Won’t Listen, joins 411 TEEN to discuss parents communicating with their children. She shares essential tools needed to survive life with kids, from toddlers to early teens. Each chapter includes activities so parents can practice their skills.