State News

More than 25,000 Florida residents have died since the COVID-19 pandemic hit early last year, according to numbers released Friday by the state Department of Health.

Florida legalized medical marijuana in 2016. Since then, state lawmakers have tried to make changes. This year is no different. Proposals for full legalization and one providing employee protections for medical marijuana users are on the table.

Black lawmakers in Florida are trying to dispel disinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. A December survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found 35% of Black adults say they will probably or definitely not get the COVID-19 vaccine. The latest Florida Department of Health numbers shows the percent of Black Floridians vaccinated so far is in the single digits.

In a potentially major change to the Florida Retirement System, a Senate Republican on Thursday proposed a bill that would require new state employees to enroll in a 401(k)-style plan.

While medical marijuana is legal in Florida, it can still cause a public employee to lose their job. South Florida Democrats Senator Tina Polsky and Representative Nicholas Duran, are trying to change that.

Democrats in several states have used the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor to highlight the need for police reform. In Florida, lawmakers are working on legislation to do just that. One proposal would create a public database that tracks complaints against officers the other would end qualified immunity.

The gates are open for a second wave of forgivable loans meant to help small businesses keep their employees. Dollars from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) can also be used to help offset costs brought on by COVID-19.

A comment by Florida Department of Children and Families Secretary Chad Poppell is still riling members of the Senate’s Children and Families Committee. None more so than Committee Chairwoman Lauren Book.

Former state COVID-19 data scientist Rebekah Jones turned herself into the Leon County Jail after law enforcement officials issued a warrant for her arrest on allegations that she illegally accessed a Florida Department of Health computer system.

For much of the past year, state transportation officials heard strong opposition to plans for three major new toll roads in Florida. But the controversial projects aren’t dead. They were back before the Legislature just last week.