2024 Legislative Session Ends
Florida’s 2024 legislative session wraps up this week with education and healthcare comprising the bulk of state spending.
While this year’s legislative session may not have had the high-stakes culture issue debates like the past two years, there were plenty of bills that stirred up attention. From a social media ban for minors to preemption measures, we examine some of the most notable proposals to pass this session.
Guests:
- Danielle Prieur, education reporter for WMFE.
- Gina Jordan, reporter and Morning Edition host for WFSU.
Healthcare cyber attack
A recent cyberattack is threatening the country’s healthcare system.
Change Healthcare—a unit of UnitedHealth Group—was the target of a cybersecurity attack in February. The company processes medical claims, matching up bills with insurance coverage.
The attack has paralyzed health care payments leaving hospitals and health-care providers unable to bill for services.
Guest:
- Mary Mayhew, president and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association.
Florida takeaways from Biden’s SOTU
President Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union speech Thursday night. The economy and immigration were some of the most prominent policy themes. We talk about these issues and messaging to Florida voters with a senior advisor to the President.
Guest:
- Tom Perez, senior advisor and assistant to the President, and director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.
Abortion provider navigates post-Roe challenges
Florida voters may get the chance to weigh in on abortion rights in a ballot referendum this fall. Meanwhile, the state supreme court is due to hand down its decision regarding a challenge to Florida's 15-week abortion restriction.
We hear about one abortion provider who has been navigating under the uncertainty of a post-Roe v Wade legal landscape.
Guest:
- Laura C. Morel, reporter for Reveal.
Spring break & sports
Spring break season is in full swing across the Sunshine State, ushering in the annual migration from college campuses to Florida beaches and bars. From Panama City to South Beach, local officials are exploring ways to mitigate criminal activity and other disruptions. And the state is deploying more than 140 state troopers to assist with those efforts.
Florida has a men’s college basketball team in the top 25, but it probably isn’t the team you may think … It’s the University of South Florida Bulls. For the first time the team has been nationally ranked, as WUSF’s Sky Lebron reports.
For almost half a century Gene Deckerhoff was the voice of Florida State football, including the 2013 national championship. He's also been the radio play-by-play announcer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the past 35 years. In June, Deckerhoff will be among the first nine people inducted into the new Florida Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.