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On tonight’s program: Grandparents may get a better chance at visitation rights under legislation getting bipartisan support; Renters would be able to pay security deposits on the installment plan under a legislative proposal. Not everyone agrees it’s a good idea; The Democratic Whip in the Florida House of Representatives has some not-so-flattering words for the priorities of his Republican colleagues during this year’s session; And Florida’s surprisingly large timber industry has been having more than its share of troubles in recent years. We’ll hear what lawmakers may do to improve the situation.

On tonight’s program: Members of the public were removed from a committee meeting this week as lawmakers discussed on a bill relating to abortion access—leaving some with questions; Florida's redistricting process has moved quickly, but the proposed maps weren't guided by widespread public input. That has voting rights advocates concerned; Local government advocates watch with dismay as more measured reducing those bodies’ policy-making powers zip through the legislative committee process; After years under management by a charter school firm, a struggling Florida school district returns to public sector control. But there are some challenges; A bill targeting union membership is getting pushback; And the push is now on to make sure fewer Florida kids who depend on school meals don’t go hungry this coming summer when school is out.

On tonight’s program: An education budget proposal includes a higher minimum wage for school workers; Florida lawmakers may move to break what they say is an “accreditation monopoly”; Lawmakers say giving the state control over vacation rentals has left some residents with little say over their neighbors; And one of the advocates honored during Children’s Week at the Florida Capitol founded her youthful literacy non-profit when she was a child herself. She’s now in high school.

On tonight’s program: A Democratic lawmaker is fighting to get exceptions for circumstances like rape added to an abortion measure moving through the legislature; A bill that would change the state’s rooftop solar industry gets pushback; Governor Ron DeSantis is asking for the Florida Supreme Court to weigh in on his proposal to carve up Congressional District 5 -- which the same court cited as a legitimate minority access district back in 20-15...;The legislative push to restrict many voting procedures in Florida continues; much of it focusing on vote-by-mail rules; A Florida elections supervisor, who used to be a lawmaker, has some tough words for his former colleagues who are determined to push through new voting restrictions; And after many complaints from those living in boats offshore of the Florida Keys, state lawmakers are looking at lengthening their “length of stay” before they have to haul anchor and move elsewhere.

Every year, more than one dozen hardy adventurers paddle more than 100 miles down the Apalachicola River to raise money and awareness for this unique ecological and economic resource. To talk about this year's event are: Apalachicola Riverkeeper Outreach and Advocacy Director Doug Alderson; along with Trekkers Jennifer Humayan; Courtenay Miller; and Harry Smith.

The former rabbi of Tallahassee’s Temple Israel has penned an exciting and insightful historical account of his great uncle Richard Stern’s saga as a Jew fighting for Germany in World War I and then fighting against the Nazis as an American soldier in World War II. He talks about the book and the lessons it brings to our lives today.

On tonight’s program: The culture clash involving parents and local school boards has now expanded into the national organization realm; A Texas-style anti-abortion bill is being teed up in the Florida Legislature. But there are differences, especially because of Governor DeSantis’s political aspirations; Police want lawmakers to make changes giving them more power to step in when someone talks on social media about plans to commit a crime; Florida lawmakers expect redistricting litigation to fly after they complete the state’s new election maps in the spring. Still, they insist they’re trying to keep everything fair; The state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is asking Florida lawmakers for money to pay for things to help the state’s manatees. Part of that funding would go towards facilities that care for the injured creatures; And we get firsthand accounts of how the pandemic has strained all health care personnel. Including medical students.

On tonight’s program: Governor DeSantis calls a special session of the Florida Legislature to oppose government employee vaccine mandates from the feds; Several Florida school districts battle a state rule banning local student mask mandates; A Texas-style abortion bill looks unlikely to move forward in Florida; Florida’s jobless rate keeps inching downwards. That’s a really good thing, because it seems the state’s unemployment system is still fraught with problems; Florida’s retirement system has been long considered a model for the rest of the nation. We’ll hear from the man who helped make it so; And we'll hear from a Democratic strategist on how state Senator Annette Taddeo's recent candidacy for governor could help the party's chances for success heading into 2022...

Leon County has five constitutional officers as prescribed by Florida law: the sheriff, supervisor of elections, clerk of court, tax collector and property appraiser. Representatives from those last 3 offices will talk about their function and how they provide needed services to local government and residents, even during a pandemic. The guests are: Leon County Clerk of Court Gwen Marshall; Property Appraiser Akin Akinyemi; and Alethea Jackson, Chief of Tax Administration for the office of Leon County Tax Collector Doris Malloy.

On tonight’s program: Legal challenges to Governor DeSantis’s ban on school mask mandates are now in the judicial pipeline; The Florida Board of Education is holding onto billions of dollars in American Rescue Plan money meant for schools and Democrats are urging the state to dole out that money; Florida hospitals are running out of room for COVID-19 patients; While some Florida patients are leaving the state for last-ditch COVID-19 treatments; And two experts discuss how social media changes peoples’ attitudes about everything from politics to pandemic policy.