Legislative Preview 2019

As Florida’s 2019 legislative session gets underway, arts and cultural organizations are working to persuade lawmakers to reinstate funding. After several years of decline, funding for the Division of Cultural Affairs took a nosedive in 2018 when lawmakers slashed it by 90 percent.

Along the Indian River Lagoon the local newspaper hit driveways one January morning with a plea on the front page.

Since the end of the shuttle program in 2011, Florida has worked to court private space business to fill the gap. Now, other states like Georgia, Texas and Colorado are looking to capitalize on the private space boom. Stakeholders, along with the Governor and Legislature, have a plan to hold on to Florida’s dominance in the space industry.

Bills in committee this session could change this by introducing protections for 786,000 LGBTQ adults.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis wants medical marijuana patients to be able to smoke the whole flower. Lawmakers aren’t so sure.