Florida News That Impacts You – January 3rd, 2023
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida. Gas prices continued lower through the weekend.
- Several new laws took effect on January 1st in Florida. Among them, reforms to Florida’s lobbying policy, 50% toll credits for those who accumulate 35 or more tolls per month, the banning of assignment of benefits for property insurance claims (recently passed in the special legislative session), a new law requiring all apartment landlords to conduct background checks on all employees and a requirement that school librarians train in age-appropriate materials and library resources.
- What was referred to as a “traffic jam in the skies”, played out in Florida yesterday. What was described as an FAA software glitch impacted Florida’s airspace which led to dozens of cancellations and hundreds of delays impacting most Florida airports for much of the day. The glitch was fixed later in the day.
- While still well off of the highs we experienced last year, Florida’s gas prices are higher than a year ago. The statewide average for a gallon of regular unleaded is currently $3.29, which is 8 cents higher than a year ago. The average price per gallon in Palm Beach County is $3.43, which ties the highest price in the state.
- Dry Tortugas National Park, off of the coast of Key West, was closed Monday, and will remain closed for “several days”, after approximately 300 migrants arrived on the islands by boat. The Coast Guard said the migrants will be transported to Key West where they’ll be possessed.