Florida News That Impacts You – January 11th, 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.
- Florida’s new Agriculture Commissioner, Wilton Simpson has released his first agenda item for the upcoming state legislative session. To ban businesses from tracking firearm and ammo purchases in Florida. The Florida Arms and Ammo Act, if passed, would be the first in the country to ban the tracking of these purchases which have begun to be tracked by financial institutions and that many liken to an unconstitutional registry.
- Governor DeSantis announced that through the first four years of his administration the state exceeded environmental goals related to the Everglades Restoration Plan. The plan originally called for $2.5 billion to be spent over four years, the final total came in at $3.3 billion and included meaningful progress or outright completion of 50 projects associated with Everglades restoration which is also key to reducing east-west discharges from Lake Okeechobee. Related, the governor signed an executive order calling for $3.5 billion in spending to continue to complete projects over the next four years.
- While the battle over Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District is still being sorted out heading into the state legislative session, Reedy Creek’s firefighters have come out in support of Governor DeSantis’ plan. DeSantis is expected to appoint a new board which would have oversight over the District, removing Disney’s board in the process. Under the law passed last year, Disney stands to lose autonomy over the District June 1st.
- Florida’s gas prices fell by a penny per gallon statewide yesterday – now standing at $3.28 per gallon. Prices remained flat in Palm Beach County, at $3.46 per gallon, the highest price in the state.