Florida News That Impacts You – June 14th, 2023
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- Governor DeSantis signed five bills into law on Tuesday. The new laws include... the Motor Vehicle Dealers, Manufacturers, Importers, and Distributors bill which prevents direct-to-consumer sales of vehicles, with the exception of Tesla which already operates within Florida and is grandfathered in. The expansion of Florida KidCare is also now law. Under the law Florida families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level, or $83,250, will have access to the state subsidized Florida KidCare healthcare program. The expansion raised the cap from the current 200% threshold.
- The Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County has issued health advisories due to poor conditions with high levels of bacteria at three local beaches. Dubois Park, Sandoway-Delray Beach and South Inlet Park in Boca Raton.
- The Town of Palm Beach is the latest local community to amend language pertaining to panhandling on the island, following a series of successful legal challenges to panhandling bans in South Florida. Earlier this year Lake Worth Beach was forced to settle with four panhandlers who were arrested by the city in June of last year.
- The Broward County School District scrapped plans to mandate clear backpacks for the upcoming school year. At issue was the enforcement of the new policy along with questions about whether it’d make a difference. The school district temporarily implemented the policy at select schools following the attack at Stoneman Douglas in 2018.
- Gas prices were lower by a penny on Tuesday. Statewide the average price for regular unleaded is $3.46 per gallon – 13 cents higher than a week ago. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.62 per gallon, which is the second highest in the state.