Florida legislature

Democrats in the Florida legislature on Monday chose their leaders for the next two years.

Republicans added to their dominance of the Florida House in Tuesday’s elections, winning almost every battleground race and defeating two incumbent Democrats.

The general election marked Florida voters’ first opportunity to cast ballots in newly drawn state House and Senate seats, the result of the once-a-decade redistricting process.

Capital Tiger Bay Club hosted the candidates Monday in a debate at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. Ausley and Simon are in a tight race to represent the Big Bend in the Florida Senate.

Prices at the pump for Florida motorists should go down Oct. 1 as part of a temporary gas-tax break, effective for the month of October.

Two dozen of Tuesday’s winners in Senate and House races do not have general-election opponents or face only write-in opponents, who typically receive only a few votes. That comes on top of 40 legislative candidates who ran without any opposition in this year’s races.

“Attainable” housing for workers and steps to prevent a push by “woke” billionaires on issues such as energy and fossil fuels will be priorities during the next couple of legislative sessions, incoming House and Senate leaders said at the Sunshine Summit.

An appeals court has allowed Florida’s new 15-week abortion limit to remain in effect and signaled it will overturn a circuit judge’s ruling that would have temporarily blocked the law.

House members have filed nearly 750 proposals as they take a second shot at bringing home tax dollars for local projects and programs.

Nearly 150 laws that Florida legislators passed this year are set to go into effect Friday.They range from a record $109.9 billion budget to a nod to strawberry shortcake.