Florida
DeSantis and Trump priorities hold sway as Florida lawmakers begin legislative session
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — As Florida lawmakers officially kicked off their 2025 legislative session Tuesday, the political aspirations of two of the state’s best-known residents — Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and President Donald Trump — were driving the conversation amid the pomp and ceremony.
As DeSantis approaches the end of his second term as governor, the popular Republican leader has been talking up one potential heir to succeed him: his wife, Casey DeSantis. At the same time, DeSantis has been sparring with some of Trump’s allies in the Legislature, working to lay the groundwork for his own political future while the president’s supporters in Tallahassee try to follow through on the campaign promises of the man DeSantis dared to challenge for the Republican party nomination.
Addressing a joint session of the Legislature on Tuesday, DeSantis touted the laws he signed last month to crackdown on illegal immigration in the state, which lawmakers passed after huddling in three special sessions that sparked a bitter feud between the governor and legislative leaders as they battled over whose ideas would better deliver on Trump’s vision.
But speaking to a House chamber packed with lawmakers, DeSantis congratulated the legislative leaders standing by his side on the immigration measures.
“No state has done more and no state did it sooner than we did in the free state of Florida,” DeSantis said. “We can and we must continue to lead.”
Heading into the regular session, DeSantis has called on lawmakers to consider a proposal to eliminate the state’s property taxes, to roll back gun restrictions that a bipartisan coalition passed in the wake of the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland and to significantly restructure the citizens’ ballot initiative process. In November, Florida voters used the ballot process to propose legalizing recreational marijuana and expanding abortion rights, though the measure fell short of the 60% needed to pass.
“We saw how that constitutional amendment process was perverted,” DeSantis said, alleging there was fraud in the petitions used to get the measures on the ballot. “We need to clean up this out of control amendment process.”
Lawmakers have teed up a slate of bills aimed at addressing some of their constituents’ most pressing concerns: the continued impact of back-to-back hurricanes, the rising cost of property insurance and housing, as well as immigration and the threats posed by climate change and sea level rise.
But also on the Legislature’s docket are bills aimed at carrying out some of Trump’s asks, from banning fluoride in public water systems, which the president’s Health and Human Services secretary has advocated, to codifying the use of the “Gulf of America” by state agencies and in teaching materials after Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico.
“It seems like they all want to please him,” House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell said of Republican leaders. “So I do worry about the influence of the federal government, and particularly Donald Trump, on what we do this legislative session.”
Republican Senate President Ben Albritton focused his remarks on what he called the need for government efficiency at a time when the Trump administration is working to dismantle the federal workforce.
“To be clear, we will take the opportunity to build on and modernize some of Florida’s long-standing accountability processes. Now is the time to do it,” Albritton said.
In past sessions, legislative leaders have fast-tracked the governor’s priorities with little public resistance, helping DeSantis build his national profile as a bold executive eager to take on the left and make the state the envy of conservative activists across the country.
But in recent months, Florida’s Republican lawmakers have challenged DeSantis’ leadership like never before, initially resisting his call for a special session on illegal immigration. Some lawmakers have filed bills to roll back DeSantis administration efforts, such as a proposal to take power away from state officials appointed by the governor to oversee the hiring of new university presidents.
Republican House Speaker Daniel Perez encouraged his members to embrace the opportunities for change “in this time of chaos.”
“We can’t be afraid to break the status quo,” Perez said. “We must rise to meet this moment.”
___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
TAMPA, Fla – New SNAP restrictions will start Monday in Florida.
What we know:
These changes will ban the purchase of many sugary sodas, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed, shelf-stable prepared desserts.
Hunger Free America, an advocacy group, is against these restrictions.
Joel Berg, the CEO, said some regulation is a good thing, but he wants to see it support access to healthy foods as a choice.
“We do support mandates to mandate that healthier food is available in stores that do accept SNAP,” Berg said. “So, it makes a lot more sense to make it easier to get healthier food.”
Berg said these restrictions are unnecessary in achieving a healthier America.
“We should make America healthier again by making healthy food more affordable, convenient and physically available,” Berg said. “We shouldn’t micromanage the eating patterns of adults to try to achieve that goal.”
The other side:
This is part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said, “Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic disease epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.”
What they’re saying:
Berg said that these changes, on top of cuts to the program nationwide, will increase hunger.
“It’s not that low-income Americans don’t want healthier food; it’s that they can’t afford healthier food,” Berg said.
This coincides with the announcement that there will be cuts to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which supplies food to mothers and young children.
“President Trump’s budget just announced that he’s proposing taking away fruits and vegetables from the WIC program for pregnant women and children under five,” Berg said. “So, they’re taking away healthier food.”
The WIC cuts would take away $1.4 billion in fruit and vegetable benefits from 5.4 million people.
Big picture view:
The SNAP changes come as part of the MAHA movement and include more than 20 other states that will implement changes over the next two years.
The Source: Information in this story comes from WIC, SNAP and interviews done by Fox 13’s Danielle Zulkosky.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The engines are revving for one final day of high-stakes bidding and family fun at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction reaches its grand finale today with an action-packed “Super Saturday” lineup, promising to close out the weekend with a full slate of collector car sales, live entertainment, and fan attractions.
“Super Saturday,” presented by Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, officially kicks off at 8 a.m. when gates, food courts, and the exhibitor marketplace open to the public.
What to expect
- 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: The Fantasy Bid presented by Dodge begins early, running in tandem with the automobilia auction in the arena.
- 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Thrill-seekers can catch Dodge thrill rides on the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track.
- 10:00 a.m.: New amenities open to the public, including the Stella Artois, Staging Lanes, and Food Court patios, which offer shaded seating and auction views.
- 10:45 a.m.: The national anthem will be performed in the auction arena, signaling the start of the main collector car auction at 11 a.m.
- Afternoon Entertainment: DJ sets run from noon to 5 p.m. across the various patios, and a detailing clinic by Adam’s Polishes is scheduled for 2 p.m. near the South Showcase.
For those unable to attend, the whole event will be livestreamed throughout the day on the Barrett-Jackson website and the HISTORY channel from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Today’s finale comes on the heels of a high-energy Friday that saw significant sales and notable celebrity interest.
Star power was evident throughout the day, particularly with vehicles tied to the Busch family. A 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible owned by Samantha Busch and a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 Custom Coupe were among the day’s heavy hitters, each fetching $159,500. Kyle Busch’s 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom Coupe also drew a strong bid, selling for $143,000.
Other Friday highlights included:
- 1968 Ford Mustang Eleanor Replica: $137,500
- 2004 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Mamba Edition: $132,000
- 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Custom SUV: $126,500
- 1957 Ford Thunderbird Custom Convertible: $121,000
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
With a festival-style atmosphere and high-profile sales driving momentum, organizers expect a busy crowd for the final push at the auction block today.
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