Florida Politics & News
Florida news featured in The Daily Signal with reporting, analysis, and commentary on conservative governance, education reform, and the Sunshine State’s leadership in policy innovation.
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news
Florida Lawmaker Considers Bill Cutting Funds for School Districts Requiring Masks
A Florida lawmaker is considering legislation that would cut funding for school districts that implemented mask mandates despite a recent executive order, the Tampa Bay Times reported Monday. State Rep. Randy Fine, who chairs the PreK-12 Appropriations subcommittee, proposed a move that would punish the dozen districts that mandated masks, the Times reported. He said the… -
news
5 Florida Teachers Removed for Refusing to Wear Masks
Five teachers were sent home from a Jupiter, Florida, elementary school for refusing to wear masks, The Palm Beach Post reported. Limestone Creek Elementary School told the teachers to leave Jan. 20 for violating the Palm Beach County School District’s policy requiring teachers, but not students, to wear COVID-19 masks, according to a district spokeswoman,… -
opinion
Florida’s Governor Makes Smart Proposal to Go After Election Crimes. So Corrupt Media Attacks Him.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has a good idea with his budget proposal to create an “election crimes agency” that would “investigate election crimes and irregularities and make referrals for further legal action directly to a statewide prosecutor.” Florida should implement it, and other states should follow. In fact, state legislators should make sure that a… -
opinion
AOC’s Bizarre Defense of Florida Vacation Highlights Left’s Hypocrisy
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, states like Florida have received a lot of criticism from the political left for not requiring endless masking or imposing stringent lockdowns. Yet Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says, “If I had a dollar for every lockdown politician who decided to escape to Florida over the last two years, I’d be a… -
news
Biden Vaccine Mandate Would Add to Staffing Woes, Florida Restaurant Chain Owner Says
Sergio's Restaurants is a third-generation family-owned business that has been a popular Cuban food destination in South Florida. The company has grown to have six full-service restaurants, and has 13 more licensed outlets at sports venues, on university campuses, at airports, and in other locations, primarily in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale areas. But the… -
opinion
DeSantis Aims for Self-Reliance for Florida in Emergencies Instead of Dependence on Feds
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has proposed reestablishing a Florida State Guard, or civilian voluntary force, to assist the National Guard in state-specific emergencies. The governor’s new military budget proposal includes $3.5 million for the State Guard to support emergency-response efforts in the event of hurricanes, other natural disasters, and other state emergencies. The dedicated funding… -
news
Florida Gov. DeSantis: ‘We Chose Freedom Over Fauci-ism, and We’re Better Off for It’
ORLANDO, Fla.—Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered a blistering critique of President Joe Biden and his authoritarian policies, warning Americans they need to fight against the radical left to preserve our freedom. Speaking to roughly 800 supporters of The Heritage Foundation and its grassroots partner, Heritage Action for America, DeSantis took aim at Biden’s recently announced COVID-19… -
opinion
Biden Flouts Federalism, Undermines Florida Law on Masks for Schoolchildren
The Biden administration has made it clear that abiding by our federal, constitutional system of government is a mere trifle in the way of its political priorities, one to be swept aside. The latest example finds the Department of Education now sending grants to school board members in Florida who violate the governor’s mask-mandate ban… -
news
Florida Counties Return Unused Zuckerberg Election Funds
Florida counties that received money from a nonprofit financed by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg either have paid back or are in the process of paying back all funds that weren’t spent during the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election. The move is in compliance with a new Florida law that restricts private money from funding… -
news
Florida Set to Levy $5K Fines Against Businesses Requiring Proof of Vaccination
The Florida Department of Health will start fining businesses $5,000 for violating the state’s ban on vaccine passports. The state agency’s rule, “Penalties for COVID-19 Vaccine Documentation Requirements,” says it will impose the fine on “any business entity, governmental entity, or educational institution.” The $5,000 fine will apply “per individual and separate violation,” and must be… -
opinion
Fact-Checking 4 Claims About COVID-19 in Florida Spike
It’s summer, and that means a fresh wave of stories about COVID-19 in Florida. Last year, the press fixated on the state’s rising case and hospitalization rates, blaming them on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decisions to eschew government mask mandates and allow businesses to reopen, children to attend school, and residents to recreate without excessive restraints…. -
news
Florida Governor Moves Against Ben & Jerry’s for Anti-Israel Boycott
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, sent a letter to the State Board Administration on Thursday requesting action be taken against Ben & Jerry’s over its decision to boycott “occupied Palestinian territory,” Fox Business reported. The governor asked that the ice cream brand and its parent company, Unilever, be placed on the “Continued Examination Companies… -
opinion
‘Stand Firm Against That Regime,’ Florida Lawmaker Says of Cuba Amid Revolt There
Rep. Byron Donalds has signed onto a resolution from a fellow Florida Republican, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, condemning the current situation in Cuba. Donalds says it’s critical that the United States stand in strong opposition to the violent suppression of mass public protests there. “They said to me, ‘Man, it’s so bad.’ Not only did they… -
news
Biden Response to Cuba Protests Is Disappointingly Weak, Florida Senators Say
The demonstrations in Cuba present a major opportunity for the United States and other democracies around the world, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., says. Bringing freedom to Cuba would affect the entire region, said Scott, who represents a state with a large Cuban American population, as well as many other Latin American immigrants. “They all know… -
opinion
Florida Makes Sure Schools Teach Evils of Communism, Totalitarianism
The revolt against indoctrinating students and other Americans with critical race theory is ramping up, despite left-wing denial and opposition. But a simple reaction against malignant ideas isn’t good enough. Critical race theory—which frames every issue through the lens of race and the idea that some races are inherently oppressors or oppressed—thrives in a country… -
opinion
Florida Leads Way on Commonsense Occupational Licensing Reform
Who says that legislatures can’t pass statutes that benefit the public, rather than cronies or special-interest favorites? (Well, I do regularly, but elected officials actually did something good here, so cut me some slack and read on.) On Tuesday, the Florida Legislature passed a bill, House Bill 735, that makes it easier for ordinary Floridians… -
news
Florida Senate Advances Voter ID, Other Election Reforms
Florida, the nation’s third-most populous state, could join scores of other states in enacting election reforms as the state Senate advanced a bill Monday to apply the same voter ID requirements to absentee balloting as in-person voting. The proposal, which awaits action in the Florida House of Representatives, is similar to a measure that passed… -
news
‘No Room’ for Critical Race Theory in Florida Schools, Gov. Ron DeSantis Says
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vows that critical race theory won’t be part of the state’s education curriculum. “Florida’s civics curriculum will incorporate foundational concepts with the best materials, and it will expressly exclude unsanctioned narratives like critical race theory and other unsubstantiated theories,” DeSantis said Wednesday. Critical race theory, Heritage Foundation scholars Jonathan Butcher and… -
news
Florida Takes Aim at Tech Giants That ‘Look Like Big Brother’
Political leaders in Florida are taking steps to rein in the power of major technology companies. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and several of his state’s Republican legislative leaders this week announced legislation that would prevent Twitter, Facebook (and its subsidiary Instagram), Google, Amazon, and Apple from censoring content or selling users’ data in the Sunshine… -
opinion
You’ve Come a Long Way, Florida
Election Day 2020 was many things to many people—depending on your age, philosophy, and geography. It’s probably a Rorschach test for the country. It’s a reminder that our nation is large and complicated, with diverse perspectives crossing numerous cultural lines. For millions of us in Florida, however, Election Day was something else. It was a…