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Capital Report: July 12, 2024

A controversial new Florida law went into effect July 1st, barring local governments from requiring businesses to provide heat-exposure protections for workers. At the same time, as Margie Menzel reports, the Biden administration is moving forward with a proposal that would require those protections for workers across the country.

Many states are trying to take a long view on how to address climate change which is intensifying heat, storms, and wildfires. They’re tapping into federal dollars to help them do that. But some states are turning money down including Florida. As WUSF's Jessica Meszaros reported earlier today on Morning Edition, local governments are making their own plans to reduce climate pollution while also trying to lower energy costs.

The growing frequency of digital hacks is causing problems for Florida’s agencies, hospitals, and businesses. Cyberthieves are benefiting from years of neglected software updates and outdated technologies. Now, they’re learning their way around vulnerable systems and causing headaches for many different industries. Adrian Andrews spoke with cyber-attack victims and security experts; to find out what people can do to prevent the next attack.

Former state Representative Carlos Guillermo (gee-YAIR-mo) Smith won't appear on the ballot in November, but he will be joining the Florida Senate this fall after cruising to victory without an opponent. In the Deeper Dive with Dara Kam podcast from The News Service of Florida, the Orlando Democrat talks about the impact of Gov. Ron DeSantis' veto of funding for the arts.

One of the organizations in Florida that advocates for children’s issues has found some of the young people it’s helped out are the most effective people to lobby the legislature.

A Florida politician from the 1970s has some thoughts about bridging today’s political divide. When Dick Batchelor was elected to the Florida Legislature in 1974, a U-S president had quit, America was about a year away from leaving Vietnam, inflation was in the double digits, there had been a war in Israel, and abortion had just been legalized. It was a divisive time for politics and culture. Batchelor has written a new book called, “Building Bridges in Toxic Political Times.” Tom Hudson spoke with him on a recent episode of The Florida Roundup.