Florida News that impacts you – June 16th
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the some of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- The Florida Chamber of Commerce has created a new Safety Council, designed to provide guidance for safety, health and sustainability of Florida’s businesses in the age of COVID-19. Experts from top companies within Florida will begin to create best practices which will be used as a statewide safety road map. The Chamber’s stated goal is for Florida’s businesses to be the healthiest and safest in the country. They also reiterated their goal to have Florida’s economy, currently 17th in the world, become a top 10 economy by 2030.
- Visit Florida reopened the state’s Welcome Center’s to visitors for the first time since the pandemic began. All staff are wearing masks and masks will be provided for free to all visitors who ask for one.
- Agricultural Commissioner Nikki Fried reopened Florida's online application process for concealed weapons licenses. It had been closed since March 23rd as Fried used the pandemic as a reason to not accept online applications. Her office had been sued by the Young Americans for Liberty over the decision.
- The recent surge in COVID-19 cases isn’t a “second wave” according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Instead,we’re still dealing with the initial spread. The Institute believes that if Florida gets a second wave of the virus it’ll begin in September. Under the Institute’s projections, the second wave has the potential to be worse for Florida than the first.