Florida News That Impacts You – May 8th, 2023
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- The State Legislative session came to a close with a total of 337 bills passing to Governor DeSantis’ desk. Thus far he’s signed 31 of them into law, including the Land Use and Development Regulations bill most recently. The legislation voids the 30-year deal the outgoing Reedy Creek Improvement District board struck with Disney to maintain self-governance – stripping the state appointed board of authority. The new law comes amid competing lawsuits by Disney and the state against each other in federal and state courts.
- The Florida Chamber of Commerce, which provided testimony 181 times during Florida’s 60-day legislative session, congratulated the legislature on the session with CEO Mark Wilson stating: The Florida Chamber’s priorities passed this Legislative Session will continue this momentum for Florida — driving our economy, growing private-sector jobs and creating additional economic opportunities for all Floridians and local businesses. The Chamber believes key reforms, such as tort reform, will result in Florida continuing to be the top state in the country for new business formation and for business relocations.
- Palm Beach and Martin Counties have issued advisories pertaining to toxic blue-green algae, which has been detected in Lake Okeechobee. The algae present a risk to people and wildlife alike and comes on the heels of the federal government having recently paused a new discharge schedule which would have reduced east-west discharges from Lake Okeechobee by approximately two-thirds.
- New dynamic flood insurance policy pricing, soon to be implemented by FEMA, will lead to about 80% of South Floridians seeing price hikes with approximately 20% of property owners seeing decreases according to a new analysis based on the pricing. Pricing will be based on a property's proximity to the ocean, historic rainfall levels and the estimated cost of rebuilding the property.
- Gas prices continued inching lower through the weekend. Statewide the average price for regular unleaded is currently $3.56 per gallon – eight cents lower than a week ago. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.78 per gallon, which is the highest price in the state.