Florida News That Impacts You – February 22nd, 2024
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- Recent movers in the state legislative session included: The Disclosure of Grand Jury Testimony bill. It passed the Florida legislature unanimously. The bill, if signed into law by Governor DeSantis, would mandate that the sealed grand jury records in Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal case be released. The Taking of Bears bill has passed the legislature. The bill would enable property owners to kill a bear on their property without a permit if they feel threatened. The bill passed the full legislature in a divided vote. The Safe Exchange of Minor Children, or “Cassie Carli Law”, which mandates judges establish safe locations for the exchange of children for parents with shared custody, passed the senate on a nearly unanimous vote.
- Two bills proposing constitutional conventions have cleared all senate committees and are headed to a vote before the full chamber. The Federal Budget Line-Item Veto bill calls for a convention to enable the President of the United States to have access to the use of a line-item veto. The Equal Application of the Law bill would call for a convention to bar congress from passing laws that don’t apply to the citizens they represent. Both bills passed their senate committees on divided votes.
- Riviera Beach intends to implement “quiet zones” at railroad crossings through the city starting March 12. Quiet zones are locations where train horns are not allowed except in case of emergency. The decision comes following complaints from residents at the city’s four crossings.
- Slightly warmer weather today with highs in the low 70’s – about 6 degrees cooler than usual for this day of year. Slightly warmer weather is expected tomorrow before temperatures cool a bit over the weekend again.
- Gas prices leveled off Wednesday. The average price statewide for regular unleaded is $3.36 per gallon - a penny lower than yesterday and 2 cents higher than a week ago. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.53 per gallon, in Martin the average is $3.41 and in Indian River County the average is $3.38 per gallon.