Florida News That Impacts You – June 12th, 2024
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle has struck down much of Florida’s law banning puberty blockers and conversion hormone therapy for children and certain restrictions for similar care for adults. Hinkle argued that the law, passed during last year’s state session, violates the Equal Protections Clause in the Constitution. The Clinton-appointed judge has commonly ruled against Florida’s laws often having had his decisions overturned on appeal. The state has said the decision will be appealed.
- Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has announced that the state will distribute playing cards with pictures of victims/missing people and details of the cold cases the state is seeking to solve. The cards will be distributed in jails throughout the state and will be available online. Details leading to a cold case being solved can be met with awards of up to $9,500.
- An annual education study, Kids Count, produced by non-profit The Annie E. Casey Foundation, ranked Florida 5th nationally in K-12 education for the just completed school year. Florida ranks near the top nationally in all studied education categories except chronic absenteeism which is 5% higher than the national average.
- Rain will continue on and off throughout the day today with regular rainfall expected into Friday. Rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches occurred throughout South Florida on Tuesday with an additional 3-6 inches of rain expected over the next two days. A Flood Watch remains in place today and tomorrow for coastal communities and those prone to flooding. Today’s high is in the mid-80's – slightly cooler than usual for this date. In the tropics, the system that’s responsible for the heavy rains has begun to make its way across the state and has a 20% chance of development after exiting Florida in the Atlantic.
- Gas prices were flat for a second straight day Tuesday after hitting the lowest average price statewide in four months. The average price for regular unleaded in Florida is currently $3.28 per gallon. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.50 per gallon, in Martin the average is $3.27 and in Indian River County the average is $3.23 per gallon.