Florida News – Highlights from around the state – January 22nd
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the some of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- Iguana issues have led to a loss of $1.8 million to West Palm Beach according to the Palm Beach Post. Emergency repairs to the city’s water delivery system were required after iguanas compromised the system. Iguanas are an invasive species and recommended for removal by the FFWC. Related...
- The National Weather Service tweeted a forecast of falling iguanas as temperatures dropped below 50 in South Florida with freezes taking place south of Orlando.
- Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Parkland parent Ryan Petty to the State Board of Education. Ryan founded The WalkUp Foundation in the wake of the shooting at Stoneman Douglas. He must be confirmed by the state Senate and would serve a four-year term if confirmed.
- Miami became the first Florida city to join the C40 cities with a goal to become carbon neutral by 2050. The pledge indicates the city will replace equipment, infrastructure and utilities by 2050 that are net carbon neutral.
- Bills advancing in Tuesday’s legislative session included Alyssa’s Law which would mandate panic alarms in all Florida schools...the repeal of mandatory Personal Injury Protection insurance for drivers also made a move. PIP would be replaced by mandatory liability coverage with a minimum of $25,000 of liability coverage. Current law only mandates as little as $2,500 worth of PIP coverage. Also, a proposal that would regulate vacation rentals at the state level rather than the local level for zoning. This would place vacation rentals under the same regs as the hotel industry. A prescription drug transparency bill advanced,as did Governor DeSantis’s proposal for easing regulations for occupational licenses. Jordan’s Law, which mandates standardized training for DCF employees also advanced in Tuesday’s session.