State News

The agency’s announced changes will offer water utilities more flexibility to comply with regulations, but could come at a cost to public and environmental health.

Ahead of protests across Florida this weekend, Gov. Ron DeSantis made clear that he sided with law enforcement over any protesters who become violent against people or property. A law passed in 2021 generally toughens the state’s criminal treatment of protests — but it does not mean drivers can run over protesters without consequences.

Legislative leaders said Thursday evening they hope to finish a budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year on Friday so it can go before the House and Senate early next week.

The bills create harsher penalties for some sexual offenders who commit another sexual crime and establish new rules for social media platforms to combat deepfakes.

Responding to charges that President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill would cut Medicaid coverage for millions of Americans, Trump administration officials misleadingly counter that it targets only waste, fraud and abuse.

The announcement from the Trump administration said the bans reflect the interests of the United States and will help the country detect foreign nationals who may pose a safety threat.

Jolly, 52, represented a Pinellas County district in Congress for nearly three years and more recently has been a cable-news political commentator. He hopes to become the first Democrat elected governor since Lawton Chiles won in 1994. Gov. Ron DeSantis cannot run again next year because of term limits.

Preparation recommendations come as federal cuts call into question the ability of FEMA to provide future assistance.

When the legislature left after the 60-day regular session ended in May, they did so without passing the one, constitutionally mandated bill they have to pass each year: the state budget. The House and Senate are more than $4 billion apart in their spending plans.

The laws govern school safety, student health, and curriculum and teacher training, among other areas of education.