Florida Legislature

A high-profile effort to repeal the state’s ban on smokable medical marijuana morphed Monday into legislation that, according to the proposal’s author, would be worse for patients than doing nothing at all.

In what would be the largest budget in state history, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday released a proposed $91.3 billion spending plan that would increase school funding, pump money into water-quality projects and trim taxes.

With Gov. Ron DeSantis backing the issue, Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, filed a bill Monday that would eliminate a ban on smoking medical marijuana.

After the appointment last week of former Rep. Danny Burgess to head the state Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Gov. Ron DeSantis has scheduled special elections that could keep open three Florida House seats throughout the 2019 legislative session.

Florida lawmakers continue to respond to the state’s opioid epidemic, with Rep. Joe Geller, D-Aventura, filing a bill Tuesday that, among other things, would require pharmacists to place red warning stickers on prescription drug bottles containing opioids or other controlled substances.

Once again, state Rep. Kimberly Daniels is willing to admit she broke the law, according to our Florida Times-Union news partner.

With little discussion, a Senate committee Monday approved a bill that would provide a sales-tax exemption for diapers and incontinence products. 

In a move that could refuel a long-running debate, a House Republican on Thursday proposed a measure that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to carry guns on college and university campuses.

More than a year after sexual-harassment allegations brought down a powerful lawmaker, the Florida Senate has reached a $900,000 settlement with a legislative aide who said she was harassed and later faced retaliation.

Amid continuing political and legal battles about the insurance practice known as “assignment of benefits,” the Florida Supreme Court has agreed to take up a closely watched case stemming from water damage to a St. Lucie County home.

As one former high-ranking state official confided not long ago, “You don’t want to be the last can on the shelf.”

Have no doubt: new House Speaker Jose Oliva wants to expand access to health care by expanding the scope of practice for Florida nurses.

A proposal that would allow law-enforcement officers to pull over motorists for using cell phones while driving will be back before lawmakers in 2019.

New Senate President Bill Galvano is promising that lawmakers won’t do anything to block the nearly dozen constitutional amendments that voters passed this month.

Following a closely contested election, the Florida Legislature convened Tuesday in an organizational  session to formally elect new leaders and get ready to deal with a new governor.

Laws will take effect next week that will add benefits for first responders who suffer post-traumatic stress disorder and impose harsher penalties on people who abuse animals, along with 19 other measures signed by Gov. Rick Scott after the 2018 legislative session.

Florida State Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, doesn’t mince words about Florida’s fireworks rules.

“Florida has the goofiest laws in the nation when it comes to regulation of fireworks,” he said.

The Duval County School Board’s legislative committee, made up of four board members, met this week to set the district’s legislative platform.

Early polling shows many Republican lawmakers don’t support a Democratic proposal to return to Tallahassee this summer for a special session to address public-school funding.

While state universities and public schools have seen significant funding increases in the last two years, Florida’s state college system has had less success in securing money in the annual budget process.

Gov. Rick Scott on Monday signed 30 bills into law, including a measure that could make more permanent a controversial pregnancy “support services” program and a bill that calls for placing a statue of civil-rights leader and educator Mary McLeod Bethune in the U.S. Capitol.

Gov. Rick Scott will act on at least 14 bills this week, including a proposal (HB 67) to create a slavery memorial at the Capitol and a measure (HB 41) dealing with “pregnancy support” services.

Moving quickly, Gov. Rick Scott on Friday signed a nearly $89 billion state budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 and issued $64 million in vetoes.

The clock is now ticking on Gov. Rick Scott to act on his final state budget.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., backed Florida state legislators Wednesday by filing separate bills aimed at keeping Florida --- and the nation --- on daylight-saving time throughout the year.