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.
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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.
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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.
Western Carolina Catamounts (2-2) at Florida State Seminoles (6-1)
Tallahassee, Florida; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EST
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BOTTOM LINE: Western Carolina plays Florida State after Cord Stansberry scored 20 points in Western Carolina’s 82-69 loss to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
The Seminoles are 3-1 on their home court. Florida State is 5-1 when it wins the turnover battle and averages 12.4 turnovers per game.
Western Carolina finished 11-8 in SoCon action and 10-6 on the road a season ago. The Catamounts averaged 11.3 assists per game on 28.2 made field goals last season.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
It’s been a good couple weeks for the Florida Gators.
First, they take down No. 22 LSU, 27-16, with a bend but don’t break approach. Then, they follow that up by upsetting No. 9 Ole Miss, 24-17. With that latter win, heads really began to turn. It was one thing to put up fights against Tennessee and Georgia, but now, they’re beginning to take down these formidable opponents.
The analysts are starting to talk them up. ESPN’s College Gameday analyst Kirk Herbstreit is ready to hand head coach Billy Napier the award for coach of the year. He made sure to include that he thinks quarterback DJ Lagway is going to be something special.
“Can a guy with a team that will finish 7-5 win the coach of the year award? He should!!” Herbstreit said in a tweet. “Billy Napier and [the Florida Gators, after being 4-5 and losing two straight, have beaten LSU and Ole Miss. So impressive to see this fight from the Gators and their fans after having a tough year. And, oh yeah, DJ Lagway is the REAL DEAL!”
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Big Cat from Barstool Sports jumped on X (formerly Twitter) and said, “The Florida Gators may need a playoff berth.”
Now, that can be written off as two guys getting excited, but key writers are noticing too. Florida received votes in the latest AP Poll.
Brian Brian Fonesca of the NJ.com/Star-Ledger and Ian Kress of WLNS-TV (a CBS affiliate in Lansing, Michigan) ranked them No. 25. David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press ranked them No. 24. It’s only four points, but they’re the only five-loss team to receive votes.
Unofficially, they’re ranked No. 33 in the country. If they had beaten Tennessee or Georgia to have that slightly better 7-4 record, could very well be in the top 25 right now. It’s hard to vote for a 6-5 team, that’s totally fair, but the willingness to do so by a handful of writers is a good starting point. If they win out, including a quality bowl win, to finish 8-5, finishing ranked is realistic.
Those who are signing on now are seeing what could be on the horizon in 2025. This is how they are playing now. This team might have won eight or nine games had this been yearlong. Wait until they play the portal some more this summer to bring in more talent, Napier gets that offensive coordinator and Lagway comes in with nearly a year of play under his belt.
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The Florida Gators have put the country on notice. They gave Napier the time to rebuild after Dan Mullen’s collapse, and that time is beginning to pay off.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida players eager to celebrate their latest victory, the one that made them bowl eligible for the first time in two years, found a suitable prop on the sideline.
Ole Miss left behind its basketball hoop, which the Rebels use to salute big plays during games.
The Gators set it up, grabbed some footballs and held their own dunk contest near the end zone. It provided an apt stage — perfect for showcasing finishing moves — after they closed out another ranked opponent.
Florida (6-5, 4-4 Southeastern Conference) dominated the second half for the second consecutive week and got to party in the Swamp following a 24-17 victory over then-ninth-ranked Mississippi on Saturday.
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Not only did the Gators knock the Rebels (8-3, 4-3) out of the College Football Playoff picture, they won their fourth consecutive home game and raised expectations for coach Billy Napier’s fourth season in Gainesville.
And the manner in which they accomplished it mattered. Napier has been preaching about “finishing,” something that had mostly eluded the Gators in the past two years.
Florida lost four games in 2023 after leading in the second half, including three — against Arkansas, Missouri and Florida State — in the fourth quarter.
Florida quarterback DJ Lagway (2) and teammates Trikweze Bridges (7), Aidan Mizell (11) and Jadan Baugh (13) celebrate their 24-17 win against Mississippi in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Gainesville, Fla. Credit: AP/Phelan M. Ebenhack
And no one following the program has forgotten how close the Gators were to upsetting Tennessee and Georgia earlier this season, losing 23-17 to the Volunteers in overtime and fading against the Bulldogs after being tied at 20 with five minutes to play.
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Napier hoped all those gut punches would ultimately lead to something better, and they finally did — with late-game knockouts against LSU and Mississippi.
“Eventually you get sick of that,” receiver Chimere Dike said. “To be able to get these last two wins is huge for our team and our program. I’m proud of the resilience the guys showed, the way that we performed.”
Florida held Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin’s high-scoring offense to three points in the second half. The Rebels turned the ball over twice — interceptions by Bryce Thornton on the final two drives — punted twice and got stuffed on another fourth-down run.
Florida defensive back Bryce Thornton (18) intercepts a pass on Mississippi’s final drive during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Gainesville, Fla. Credit: AP/Phelan M. Ebenhack
“I thought we were better on both sides up front, and short-yardage defense is a big component,” Napier said. “Those are identity plays. I think we had guys step up and make plays.”
Added defensive tackle Cam Jackson said: “Everybody just pinned their ears back. That was great.”
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It was reminiscent of the previous week against then-No. 21 LSU. Florida held the Tigers to six points in the second half and forced a fumble, a punt and a turnover on downs in a 27-16 victory.
“We just all came together and wanted to change how Florida was looked at,” Thornton said. “That’s the biggest thing with us, just trying to show everybody that we can do it.”
The Gators ended the afternoon showing off their basketball moves.
Cornerback Trikweze Bridges, receiver Marcus Burke, defensive end Justus Boone, tight end Tony Livingston and linebacker Shemar James delivered monster dunks. Aidan Mizell passed a football between his leg in midair before his slam, and fellow receiver Elijhah Badger bounced it off the backboard before rousing teammates and fans with his finish.
“Belief is the most powerful thing in the world,” Napier said. “At some point there, midseason, we figured (that) out and we started to believe. Look, we can play with any team in the country.”
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