Florida News That Impacts You – March 17th, 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.
- Recent movers in the state legislative session included HB1 or the Universal School Choice bill. The House has finished considering amendments and is likely to bring the legislation to a full vote today. Likewise, the Senate passed its companion through the final committee and has readied it for a full vote before the chamber. The Florida “Heartbeat” bill – which would limit abortions to six weeks with exceptions for rape, incest and risk for the health of the mother passed its first House committee on a partyline vote.
- Gas prices continued to rise on Thursday. Statewide the average price for regular unleaded is $3.46 per gallon – a penny higher than yesterday and 13 cents higher than a week ago. In Palm Beach County the price rose to $3.63 per gallon, which is the highest price in the state.
- While future plans for a University of Florida campus in West Palm Beach remain in limbo after a deal two years into the works recently fell apart, Jacksonville is bidding for a campus in their city. The Jacksonville City Council approved $20 million towards a project to bring a graduate campus to the city. While Jacksonville’s bid for a campus may not preclude the effort in West Palm Beach, it could shift the focus for UF further north.
- Palm Beach Atlantic English professor Sam Joeckel has been fired by the University for indoctrination after complaints by students revealed an agenda which ran counter to the core syllabus for his course. The professor was found to include social justice essays as part of his course. A 20-year professor at the school, Joeckel blames Governor DeSantis’ ‘anti-woke’ movement.