/The Senate is poised to pass the measure as early as this week.TALLAHASSEE — As was the intent of Senate President Wilton Simpson, the Republican majority in the Florida Senate on Wednesday blocked all attempts to amend a House anti-riot bill that Gov. Ron DeSantis has prioritized this year.Republicans rejected 16 Democrat-led amendments including ones that would have narrowed the scope of the bill, enhanced criminal penalties for police officers that beat up peaceful protesters and made it unlawful for people to picket or protest outside of someone’s home with the intent to harass and...…/The Senate is poised to pass the measure as early as this week.TALLAHASSEE — As was the intent of Senate President Wilton Simpson, the Republican majority in the Florida Senate on Wednesday blocked all attempts to amend a House anti-riot bill that Gov. Ron DeSantis has prioritized this year.Republicans rejected 16 Democrat-led amendments including ones that would have narrowed the scope of the bill, enhanced criminal penalties for police officers that beat up peaceful protesters and made it unlawful for people to picket or protest outside of someone’s home with the intent to harass and...WW…

/The survey is part of a broader measure that would also bar university and college officials from limiting speech that “may be uncomfortable, disagreeable or offensive.”TALLAHASSEE — In a push against so-called cancel culture, the Republican majority in the Florida Legislature is ready to pass legislation that would require public colleges and universities to survey students, faculty and staff about their beliefs and viewpoints.The survey is part of a broader measure that would also bar university and college officials from limiting speech that “may be uncomfortable, disagreeable or...…/The survey is part of a broader measure that would also bar university and college officials from limiting speech that “may be uncomfortable, disagreeable or offensive.”TALLAHASSEE — In a push against so-called cancel culture, the Republican majority in the Florida Legislature is ready to pass legislation that would require public colleges and universities to survey students, faculty and staff about their beliefs and viewpoints.The survey is part of a broader measure that would also bar university and college officials from limiting speech that “may be uncomfortable, disagreeable or...WW…

/“This is not about sports, this is about marginalizing and demonizing the transgender community in all aspects of life,” said one transgender advocate.TALLAHASSEE — The latest front in the culture wars has made its way to the Florida Legislature.Republican lawmakers have proposed a bill that would ban transgender athletes from competing in school-sponsored girls’ sports, arguing that the integrity of gender-specific competition is at stake. Activists for transgender rights say the legislation is thinly disguised bigotry that purports to solve a problem that does not exist.“This is not...…/“This is not about sports, this is about marginalizing and demonizing the transgender community in all aspects of life,” said one transgender advocate.TALLAHASSEE — The latest front in the culture wars has made its way to the Florida Legislature.Republican lawmakers have proposed a bill that would ban transgender athletes from competing in school-sponsored girls’ sports, arguing that the integrity of gender-specific competition is at stake. Activists for transgender rights say the legislation is thinly disguised bigotry that purports to solve a problem that does not exist.“This is not...WW…

/“The Tampa Bay area should be well represented in this next go-round,” DeSantis said in his State of the State remarks to lawmakers and their leaders, Chris Sprowls and Wilton Simpson.TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis opened Florida’s legislative session Tuesday with a full-throated defense of his pandemic response and an outline of conservative policies he wants state lawmakers to pass in the run-up to his re-election campaign next year.“I see, in many parts of our country, a sad state of affairs: schools closed, businesses shuttered and lives destroyed,” DeSantis said in a 30-minute State...…/“The Tampa Bay area should be well represented in this next go-round,” DeSantis said in his State of the State remarks to lawmakers and their leaders, Chris Sprowls and Wilton Simpson.TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis opened Florida’s legislative session Tuesday with a full-throated defense of his pandemic response and an outline of conservative policies he wants state lawmakers to pass in the run-up to his re-election campaign next year.“I see, in many parts of our country, a sad state of affairs: schools closed, businesses shuttered and lives destroyed,” DeSantis said in a 30-minute State...WW…

/Republicans want to create publicly-funded education savings accounts that families could spend on private schooling.TALLAHASSEE — Florida Senate Republican leaders are set to push sweeping legislation this year that could bring what many advocates consider to be the holy grail in the school choice movement: education savings accounts for students.The 158-page proposal would merge the state’s five key school choice programs and make them all state-funded. It would also convert the scholarships into more flexible education savings accounts that families could use to pay for children’s...…/Republicans want to create publicly-funded education savings accounts that families could spend on private schooling.TALLAHASSEE — Florida Senate Republican leaders are set to push sweeping legislation this year that could bring what many advocates consider to be the holy grail in the school choice movement: education savings accounts for students.The 158-page proposal would merge the state’s five key school choice programs and make them all state-funded. It would also convert the scholarships into more flexible education savings accounts that families could use to pay for children’s...WW…

/Much remains unknown about the company and where it got the $550,000 to dump what is estimated to be hundreds of thousands of political mail advertisements in the mailboxes of voters in Senate Districts 9, 37, and 39, three races that were seen as key to determining the balance of power of the Florida Senate.TALLAHASSEE — The mysterious company behind a half-million dollar contribution backing no-party candidates in three key state Senate races has attracted legal questions about its adherence to Florida law for campaign financing.The company, Proclivity, is registered in Delaware, a state...…/Much remains unknown about the company and where it got the $550,000 to dump what is estimated to be hundreds of thousands of political mail advertisements in the mailboxes of voters in Senate Districts 9, 37, and 39, three races that were seen as key to determining the balance of power of the Florida Senate.TALLAHASSEE — The mysterious company behind a half-million dollar contribution backing no-party candidates in three key state Senate races has attracted legal questions about its adherence to Florida law for campaign financing.The company, Proclivity, is registered in Delaware, a state...WW…

This article is subscriber-only content. To get access to this and the rest of MiamiHerald.com, subscribe or.Thanks for reading! To enjoy this article and more, please subscribe or.$1.99 for 1 month$12.99/month after, cancel anytime.Start now$1.99 for 1 month$12.99/month after, cancel anytime.Let Google manage your subscription and billing.SubscribeBy subscribing, you are agreeing to the MiamiHerald.com'sand .Are you a subscriber and unable to read this article? You may need to upgrade.and learn more. Gov. Ron DeSantis has drafted “anti-mob” legislation that would expand Florida’s...…This article is subscriber-only content. To get access to this and the rest of MiamiHerald.com, subscribe or.Thanks for reading! To enjoy this article and more, please subscribe or.$1.99 for 1 month$12.99/month after, cancel anytime.Start now$1.99 for 1 month$12.99/month after, cancel anytime.Let Google manage your subscription and billing.SubscribeBy subscribing, you are agreeing to the MiamiHerald.com'sand .Are you a subscriber and unable to read this article? You may need to upgrade.and learn more. Gov. Ron DeSantis has drafted “anti-mob” legislation that would expand Florida’s...WW…

/The governor said local governments will have to justify any restrictions on capacity.ST. PETERSBURG — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed an executive order lifting all remaining statewide coronavirus-related restrictions on businesses in Florida, including bars and restaurants.The executive order rolls back nearly every measure in Florida put in place to combat the spread of the coronavirus and puts the state into the last phase of its reopening plan.The order immediately allows all businesses that had been shut down due to the pandemic to reopen, and it guarantees restaurants can operate...…/The governor said local governments will have to justify any restrictions on capacity.ST. PETERSBURG — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed an executive order lifting all remaining statewide coronavirus-related restrictions on businesses in Florida, including bars and restaurants.The executive order rolls back nearly every measure in Florida put in place to combat the spread of the coronavirus and puts the state into the last phase of its reopening plan.The order immediately allows all businesses that had been shut down due to the pandemic to reopen, and it guarantees restaurants can operate...WW…

//Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state’s clemency board would take Meade’s request “under advisement.” Meade already had his right to vote restored after the passage of Amendment 4.Update: This story was corrected and updated after it was first published online to clarify that Desmond Meade does have the right to vote but was seeking a full pardon and restoration of all of his civil rights.TALLAHASSEE — A state panel on Wednesday denied a request to grant a full pardon to Desmond Meade, the man who led the historic push to restore Florida’s felon voting rights under Amendment 4.Florida Gov. Ron...…//Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state’s clemency board would take Meade’s request “under advisement.” Meade already had his right to vote restored after the passage of Amendment 4.Update: This story was corrected and updated after it was first published online to clarify that Desmond Meade does have the right to vote but was seeking a full pardon and restoration of all of his civil rights.TALLAHASSEE — A state panel on Wednesday denied a request to grant a full pardon to Desmond Meade, the man who led the historic push to restore Florida’s felon voting rights under Amendment 4.Florida Gov. Ron...WW…