Florida

Florida Becomes Twenty-First State With Universal Licensure

Published

2 years ago

July 17, 2024

Florida Becomes Twenty-First State With Universal Licensure

Recently enacted legislation will allow licensed professionals who relocate to Florida to get to … [+] work more quickly in the state.

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During the nearly six years that Governor Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) has been in office, Florida has moved from a battleground state to a solidly red state. Unlike counterparts such as Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds (R-Iowa) — who has had to overhaul an uncompetitive tax code and fight for a number of other reforms to make her state more economically competitive — Governor DeSantis had the fortune of taking the helm of a state that, thanks to efforts and achievements of predecessors like Jeb Bush, already had one of the nation’s most attractive tax and regulatory climates.

The legislative session that recently concluded in Tallahassee demonstrated once again that, despite assuming leadership in a state that already boasted many policy advantages, Governor DeSantis and state lawmakers have not let that be an excuse for complacency. In fact, since Governor DeSantis took office, every year he and state lawmakers have pursued reforms to provide more tax relief, further expand school choice in a state that has long been a leader in education choice, and enact regulatory reform that makes Florida a less costly place to do business. The 2024 session was no different.

In signing Senate Bill 1600 on June 28, for example, Governor DeSantis made Florida the latest state to reduce barriers to employment by recognizing occupational licenses from other states. Twenty states have already enacted similar legislation, commonly referred to as Universal License Recognition (ULR), but as the nation’s fastest growing state, Florida needed this reform more than any.

Arizona lawmakers enacted the nation’s first ULR bill in 2019 and the benefits are already evident. In the five years since then-Governor Doug Ducey (R) signed the first ULR bill into law, more than 10,000 licensed professionals across a host of industries and trades have begun working in Arizona thanks to this reform.

In an opinion piece published in the June 14 edition of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Skylar Zander of Americans for Prosperity noted how SB 1600 builds upon licensing reform enacted four years ago, when Governor DeSantis signed the “‘Occupational Freedom and Opportunity Act.” That reform, Zander explained, “removed barriers of entry to certain professions licensed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation,” adding that SB 1600 “will do even more to get people to work and reform our occupational licensing system, so we can continue to flourish here in the Sunshine State.”

This easing of regulatory barriers to employment in a way that will make it easier for new residents to get to work, note SB 1600 proponents, will benefit more than the doctors, nurses, physician assistants, dentists, dental hygienists, and other licensed professionals who will now be able to get to work in Florida more quickly. SB 1600 is also helpful to the millions of people who already live in Florida, both longtime residents and recent transplants, who will be benefit from an increased supply of health care providers.

SB 1600 will help rectify the shortage of care providers afflicting many parts of the state. More than 5.5 million Floridians, for example, currently live in places that have been designated as Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Enactment of SB 1600 will help rectify shortages of such crucial care providers.

With this action in Florida, nearly half of the country now has a ULR law in place. And for dentists and dental assistants specifically, this expanded access rises even further thanks to legislative action in nine states to join the Dental and Dental Hygienists Licensure Compact, a national agreement that enables dental professionals to practice in other states participating in the Compact if they are already licensed in a signatory state. At the current pace, most of the country will have either ULR or the DDH Licensure Compact by the end of this decade.

In addition, enactment of SB 1600 in Florida further solidifies ULR — along with the expansion of school choice and movement to flat income tax rates — as one of the top state policy trends of the past decade.

It took five years to go from zero to more than 20 states with a universal licensure law. Expect this trend to continue and for lawmakers in Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and other states that have grown nearly as rapidly as Florida to be most inclined to consider this reform in 2025.

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Florida

Florida Lottery Mega Millions, Jackpot Triple Play results for April 10, 2026

Published

5 hours ago

April 11, 2026

Press Room

Florida Lottery Mega Millions, Jackpot Triple Play results for April 10, 2026

The Florida Lottery offers several draw games for those hoping to win one of the available jackpots.

Here’s a look at the winning numbers for games played on Friday, April 10, 2026.

Winning Mega Millions numbers from April 10 drawing

03-18-36-42-49, Mega Ball: 06

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Jackpot Triple Play numbers from April 10 drawing

13-18-21-28-35-38

Check Jackpot Triple Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from April 10 drawing

Midday: 11-16-27-31-35

Evening: 12-13-14-19-24

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 10 drawing

Morning: 12

Matinee: 04

Afternoon: 02

Evening: 03

Late Night: 05

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win

Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

Winning Pick 2 numbers from April 10 drawing

Midday: 7-8, FB: 0

Evening: 1-6, FB: 7

Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 10 drawing

Midday: 8-0-6, FB: 0

Evening: 5-1-8, FB: 7

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 10 drawing

Midday: 6-7-1-2, FB: 0

Evening: 4-3-9-0, FB: 7

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from April 10 drawing

Midday: 7-5-1-2-1, FB: 0

Evening: 1-7-9-4-3, FB: 7

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Where can you buy Florida Lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at any authorized retailer throughout Florida, including gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. To find a retailer near you, go to Find Florida Lottery Retailers.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes of $599 or less: Claim at any authorized Florida Lottery retailer or Florida Lottery district office.
Prizes for $600 to $1 million: Must be claimed in person at any Florida Lottery district office for games that do not offer an annual payment option.
Prizes greater than $1 million and all prizes with an annual payment option: Must be claimed at Florida Lottery headquarters, except Mega Millions and Powerball prizes, which can be claimed at any Florida Lottery district office.

You also can claim your winnings by mail if the prize is $250,000 or less. Mail your ticket to the Florida Lottery with the required documentation.

Florida law requires public disclosure of winners

If you’re a winner, Florida law mandates the following information is public record:

Full name
City of residence
Game won
Date won
Amount won
Name and location of the retailer where the winning ticket was purchased.

When are the Florida Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Florida Lotto: 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Jackpot Triple Play: 11:15 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Fantasy 5: Daily at 1:05 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
Cash Pop: Daily at 8:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: Daily at 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Florida digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.

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Florida

New details in nearly $200,000 Florida embezzlement case

Published

17 hours ago

April 10, 2026

Press Room

New details in nearly 0,000 Florida embezzlement case

Twenty checks were recorded paid to “Farmer and Irwin,” but Martin County Sheriff’s investigators reported the $85,410 in payments actually went to Alexandra Gonzalez and were used for personal expenses, including travel and retail purchases.

The details are in court records supporting the April 9 arrest of Gonzalez, 46, who is accused of embezzling nearly $200,000 in total from The Dune of Hutchinson Island Condominium Association and the Whitemarsh Reserve Homeowners Association.

Gonzalez, identified as a community association manager who worked for a property management company, was held April 10 in the Martin County jail on 124 charges with more than $1.2 million bond, records show.

Sheriff’s officials in February began investigating after association representatives reported the suspected fraudulent or theft activity, which at Dune of Hutchinson Island occurred beginning in October 2025 and at Whitmarsh Reserve started in February 2025, according to statements in records.

In the Dune of Hutchinson Island case, the owner of the property management company that employed Gonzalez told sheriff’s officials that Gonzalez “exploited the system by creating and altering vendor profiles, specifically a vendor identified as ‘Farmer and Irwin,’ to conceal fraudulent transactions,” according to records.

Checks — 20 in total representing $85,410 — recorded as payments to Farmer and Irwin corresponded to checks issued to Gonzalez, according to statements in records. The checks had a forged signature of a Dune of Hutchinson Island association vice president.

Meanwhile, in the Whitemarsh Reserve case, investigators found 39 checks totaling $111,980 fraudulently issued to Gonzalez. Investigators found Gonzalez “issued fraudulent checks payable to herself, and made corresponding false entries in the association’s accounting system to conceal those transactions…,” records show.

Investigators reported records showed the money was used for personal expenses, including travel, cosmetic and medical procedures and retail purchases.

In speaking with investigators, Gonzalez expressed regret and said she’d be willing to repay the amounts “to avoid legal consequences.”

Gonzalez ultimately reported going through financial challenges during the time when the checks were issued.

“When asked if her financial situation was the reason she issued checks to herself, Gonzalez admitted that it was,” records show.

Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com.

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Florida

NEWS 6 TONIGHT | Daily Florida News with Perspective

Published

1 day ago

April 10, 2026

Press Room

NEWS 6 TONIGHT | Daily Florida News with Perspective

If you need help with the Public File, call (407) 291-6000

At WKMG, we are committed to informing and delighting our audience. In our commitment to covering our communities with innovation and excellence, we incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to enhance our news gathering, reporting, and presentation processes. Read our article to see how we are using Artificial Intelligence.

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