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Florida News That Impacts You – November 8th, 2021
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the some of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- The State of Florida has defeated local school districts imposing mask mandates without parental opt-outs for a third time this year. In response to the most recent lawsuit from by the Alachua, Broward, Duval, Leon, Miami-Dade and Orange County school districts. According to Administrative Judge Brian Newman: The evidence admitted in this case established that the emergency rule opt-out provisions strike the right balance by ensuring that the protocols that govern the control of COVID-19 in schools go no further than what is required to keep children safe and in school. The Palm Beach County School District immediately announced they will accept parental opt-outs effective today. It should be noted that no school district retains the lawful authority to impose mask mandates without parental consent at any grade level. Related...
- Broward School Board Chair, Rosalind Osgood, has announced she’s resigning from her seat to pursue the Senate District 33 seat in the state legislature. A proponent of mask mandates, without parental opt-outs, Osgood had previously referred to concerned parents showing up to school board meetings as “insurrectionists”. Governor DeSantis will be in charge of naming a replacement for Osgood on the Broward School Board.
- Florida entered this week averaging only 1,538 new daily cases of COVID-19 over the past week. The trend is the lowest since June 21st and is within 100 daily cases of reaching the lowest levels since June of 2020. Florida completed its third consecutive week with the lowest population adjusted cases in the country. Related...
- COVID-19 hospitalizations have fallen below 1,600 statewide. Florida entered this week with 1,577 hospitalizations – the lowest number since February.
- Brightline’s relaunching service for the first time since the onset of the pandemic today. Through November, Brightline is offering the first fare booked through their app for free.