Florida

Complaints of new development worsening flooding in surrounding areas are common across South Florida, and floodplain experts say it underlines a problem with perhaps the leading strategy for coping with flooding driven by climate change.

Shredding on a roller skating rink might seem like a thing of the past, but the 37 surviving rinks in Florida say their businesses are at the mercy of insurance companies and liability lawsuits. They found allies in the Florida legislature. If Governor Ron DeSantis signs it into law, the bill would exempt rinks from liability lawsuits that do not accuse the location and staff of clear negligence. To qualify for the protections, rink operators would need to maintain floors, lights, walls and rental equipment properly. Similar legislation exists in 11 other states. The effort was the latest in Florida to limit damages that can be recovered in liability lawsuits.

The Senate on Monday gave final approval to a bill that would help communities deal with future natural disasters and provide a legal shield for electric utilities.

Backers of a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow recreational use of marijuana are close to meeting a key petition-signature requirement. The state Division of Elections website Tuesday listed 841,130 valid signatures statewide, with 891,589 needed to put the proposal on the 2024 ballot. The proposal also needs to meet certain signatures thresholds in congressional districts.

Florida's record budget would be about $7 billion larger than the spending plan for the current fiscal year.

The Florida Senate on Monday gave final approval to a bill that would impose eight-year term limits on county school-board members, readying the issue to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

A board appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to oversee Walt Disney Co. property called Monday for pursuing a lawsuit to counter litigation that the entertainment giant filed last week against the state.

A death penalty for child rape bill (HB 1297) signed by Florida's governor Monday conflicts with U.S. Supreme Court and Florida Supreme Court precedents that have barred death sentences for rapists, including a 2008 U.S. Supreme Court decision.

The Florida Senate on Monday gave final approval to a bill that could be a step toward using phosphogypsum, a byproduct of the phosphate industry, in building roads. Senators voted 34-4 to approve the bill (HB 1191), which passed the House last week. It is now ready to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Prepping for hurricane season starts with knowing your risks. Hurricanes are much more than just a coastal problem, so knowing what types of water and wind hazards could happen where you live is critical to your safety.