Jim Saunders/News Service of Florida

The Biden administration said Monday it is still deciding whether to appeal a U.S. district judge’s ruling that the federal government improperly shifted permitting authority to Florida for projects that affect wetlands.U.S. Department of Justice attorneys also urged a federal appeals court to reject a request by Florida to expedite handling of the case. While the Justice Department has not decided whether to appeal, Florida in April launched its own appeal of the ruling by U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss.

Top Florida utility officials said Tuesday that increased intensity and unpredictability of hurricanes is making storm preparation more difficult — and expensive.Leaders of utility companies and associations representing municipal utilities and electric cooperatives made presentations to the Florida Public Service Commission as the six-month hurricane season gets ready to start June 1.

Rejecting arguments by Florida and business groups, an appeals court Monday refused to put on hold a U.S. district judge’s ruling in a battle about permitting authority for projects that affect wetlands.A three-judge panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued an order that said Florida “has not satisfied the stringent requirements for a stay” while an appeal of U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss’ ruling plays out. The order did not provide further explanation.

A property-insurance company has agreed to pay a $1 million fine after a state review found it violated claims-handling requirements following Hurricane Ian, according to an order signed Thursday by Florida Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky.The order and a report issued in March said Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Co. violated state insurance laws, including by not promptly acknowledging that it received communications about claims, not paying or denying claims within a 90-day timeframe and not maintaining complete claims records.

Federal environmental officials have pushed back against arguments by Florida that a legal fight over wetlands-related permitting has put more than 1,000 permit applications into "regulatory limbo."Florida last week asked an appeals court to issue a stay of a district judge’s ruling that rejected a 2020 decision by the federal government to shift permitting authority to the state. The stay request — backed late Thursday by major business groups and companies — argued that the ruling has created permitting “chaos” and should be put on hold while an appeal plays out.

A federal judge has cleared the way for a class-action lawsuit that alleges Florida did not properly inform people before dropping them from the Medicaid program after a COVID-19 public health emergency ended.

Florida has quickly launched an appeal after a U.S. district judge rejected a 2020 decision by the federal government to shift permitting authority to the state for projects that affect wetlands.Attorneys for the state filed a notice Monday that is a first step in challenging the decision by U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss at the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

In a case closely watched by business and environmental groups, a U.S. district judge Friday finalized his rejection of a 2020 move by the federal government to shift permitting authority to Florida for projects that affect wetlands.Judge Randolph Moss issued a 27-page opinion that, as he acknowledged, likely will set the stage for the case to go to an appeals court. The opinion came after a Feb. 15 ruling in which Moss vacated the transfer of permitting authority because he said federal officials had not followed required steps before making the 2020 decision.

A Leon County circuit judge Tuesday refused to put on hold a lawsuit filed by Florida State University against the Atlantic Coast Conference, as a big-money battle between the university and its longtime conference continues to play out in two states.