Government

The Lee County Elections office is reaching out to the Hispanic and Latino communities. It’s partnering with the nonpartisan political action committee The Hispanic Vote to educate potential and current voters. Voting seminars have begun.

A lawyer for thousands of families in Lee and Broward Counties is taking Florida agriculture officials to court over money the state owes them. Officials removed healthy citrus trees across the state in a failed effort to eradicate the bacterial disease citrus canker. The families won their cases, but Gov. Rick Scott vetoed their reimbursements in the state budget. The attorney said he may also take legal action against the governor.

A new national study finds Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) play a larger role in providing health coverage for children and adults living in small towns and rural areas than it does for those living in metropolitan regions.  The report’s analysis finds that to be true in Florida as well.

For the past several months, staff have been working to update Lee County’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy.  A local activist who got an early look at the proposal says it still leaves LGBT employees vulnerable to discrimination. 

UPDATED: Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at 2:20 PM

Gov. Rick Scott has vetoed a part of the state budget that would’ve compensated residents in Lee and Broward Counties years after the state removed their healthy citrus trees. The 16-year battle for reimbursement continues.