News Service of Florida

The Senate sponsor of the monuments bill, Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, argued that his bill and intentions have been mischaracterized as protecting the Confederacy.

Florida’s next governor and other state leaders would get sizable pay bumps under a House budget proposal that advanced Wednesday. The House Appropriations Committee approved a budget “conforming” bill (PCB APC 24-04) that would increase the annual salaries of the governor, lieutenant governor, Cabinet members and appellate, circuit and county judges starting in the 2027-2028 fiscal year.

A proposal that would prevent public schools, colleges and universities and other governmental entities from displaying flags that represent a “political ideology viewpoint” stalled Monday in a Senate committee. Under the proposal (SB 1120), flags that represent a “politically partisan, racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint” would be prohibited at government facilities.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday raised legal concerns about the “breadth” of a bill that seeks to prevent children under age 16 from having social-media accounts. The House on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed the bill (HB 1), a priority of House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast.

A proposal that would prohibit minors younger than 16 from creating social-media accounts is poised to pass in the Florida House, after a change Tuesday that its sponsor said helps target platforms’ addictive features. The bill (HB 1) is a priority of House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, who has decried what he and other bill supporters say are detrimental effects of social media on children’s mental health.

Survivors of crime and family members of victims gathered Tuesday at the Capitol to join lawmakers and advocates in calling for expanded support for victims and public-safety changes.

Chancellor Ray Rodrigues, a former state lawmaker, initially received a three-year contract that took effect in November 2022.

The word “Florida” without a website address might be coming back to the state’s standard license plate.