Florida News – Highlights from around the state – March 4th
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the some of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- Advancing in Tuesday’s state session...The bill that’d repeal Florida’s Best and Brightest bonus program for teachers (which is required to in order to implement the new pay scale proposed by Governor DeSantis), a new warning label for Florida Lottery tickets, a bill that’d end public the public match of campaign funds for statewide candidates who receive donations of $250 or less (if it passes it’d be on our ballots as a proposed Constitutional amendment), and a bill that’d allow Space Florida to sell bonds to raise funds without having to go through the governor’s office to receive approval.
- Increasingly it’s looking like Florida’s earliest state session ever is heading towards overtime. The session officially ends a week from Friday, the 13th, but there are several key items in the budget that have yet to be worked out in the House and Senate. It’s Constitutional requirement to pass a budget.
- Florida has its third coronavirus case after the sister of the 20-something Hillsborough woman who previously tested positive, also has the virus. A California resident, she traveled to Italy with her sister and has been monitored since arriving in Florida with her sister from overseas.
- AG Ashley Moody announced her office has recovered $2 million in fraud carried out against Florida’s seniors as part of the Seniors vs. Crime program. The victims will be contacted by the state for the funds to be distributed to them.
- The Florida Public Service Commission approved FPL’s $1.8 billion SolarTogether program. 75% of this phase of the solar expansion will serve to power businesses throughout the state.