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Medicaid expansion campaign in Florida relaunches for 2028

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Medicaid expansion campaign in Florida relaunches for 2028



Florida Decides Healthcare suspended their efforts in September due to legal roadblocks.

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  • A Medicaid expansion campaign is relaunching its effort to get a proposed measure on the 2028 Florida ballot.
  • The group, Florida Decides Healthcare, is legally challenging a new state law that restricts the constitutional amendment process.
  • The new law, HB 1205, has increased signature verification costs and tightened deadlines for petition groups.

A Medicaid expansion campaign is relaunching a push to get its proposed measure on the 2028 ballot, despite its continuing legal battle against a Florida law restricting the process to amend the state’s constitution.

The group, Florida Decides Healthcare, in September delayed its campaign for the 2026 ballot, saying HB 1205’s roadblocks made it “nearly impossible” to succeed in a shorter timeline. But starting Feb. 1, they’ll launch a digital campaign and send out mail with prepaid return envelopes for voters looking to sign a petition.

They’re hopeful that 2028 will be successful against the hurdles from Florida’s new laws, and especially because they believe they’ll be successful at trial, said Mitch Emerson, the executive director of Florida Decides Healthcare. The trial for their challenge to Florida’s law is scheduled to start Feb. 9.

“The state crossed constitutional lines, and what Florida did here violates the First Amendment rights of Floridians to participate in the constitutional amendment process,” Emerson said. “Every win (against) HB 1205 is a step in the right direction for democracy.”

Expired health care subsidies for the Affordable Care Act have pushed thousands of Floridians off coverage plans, Emerson said, and he said access to Medicaid is paramount in Florida.

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HB 1205: Tougher road to the ballot

Florida’s new signature gathering law raised penalties and tightened deadlines for petition groups, along with a provision banning nonresidents and noncitizens from gathering signatures. Another provision limits each volunteer to only collect 25 petitions.

The group may also struggle financially, since supervisors of elections across the state increased their signature verification costs because of the new procedures outlined in the law. In September, Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley said his office’s fee used to be 85 cents per verified petition, but it increased in $4.16.

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Additionally, Florida officials have fought to uphold the invalidation of petition signatures. A circuit judge in November ruled state officials weren’t wrong to order elections supervisors to dump 200,000 signatures supporting a recreational pot campaign.

Deadlines also are tighter, since all petitions must be turned in to local elections offices within 10 days, and groups can be fined for late petition returns and missing voter information.

Petition groups’ lawsuit against Florida

The Medicaid expansion group filed the lawsuit in May against Florida’s secretary of state, attorney general, the 67 supervisors of elections and the state attorneys, the elected chief prosecutors for each of Florida’s 20 judicial circuits.

Additional groups joined to request parts of the law be blocked, including Smart and Safe Florida, an adult-use recreational pot campaign, and Florida Right to Clean Water.

In July, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker, who sits in Tallahassee, upheld most of the petition law, but he issued an order against the provision on nonresident and noncitizen circulators, saying it imposed a “severe burden on political expression.”

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But that order didn’t last long, since a divided federal appeals panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law, disagreeing with Walker’s notion that the law violated the groups’ First Amendment rights.

Walker acknowledged that the case was quickly developing a “rich procedural history,” since repeated orders have been requested – and struck – relating to whether the state could enforce the law, or even some parts of it.

For almost a year, petition advocates have argued that these limitations under state law impinge on the First Amendment’s freedoms for political speech and to petition the government. But the state disagrees, arguing it tackles fraudulent petitions.

This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA Today Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Stephany Matat is based in Tallahassee, Fla. She can be reached at SMatat@gannett.com. On X: @stephanymatat. 

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GALLERY: Barrett-Jackson ‘Super Saturday’ takes over South Florida Fairgrounds

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GALLERY: Barrett-Jackson ‘Super Saturday’ takes over South Florida Fairgrounds


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.

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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
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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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Bodycam captures life-saving rescue of choking baby by Florida deputies

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Bodycam captures life-saving rescue of choking baby by Florida deputies


A quiet Monday turned into a frantic race against time when a deputy stepped in to save a choking 1-year-old’s life.

According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call about a 1-year-old baby choking. Upon arrival, the responding deputy performed life-saving procedures to help the child breathe again.

See also: Two arrested after 6-year-old arrives at Florida school with bruises, deputies say

Body camera video shows a deputy holding the baby, flipping it over on its stomach, and beginning to pat the baby’s back.

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When the baby begins to cry, the deputy is heard saying, “he’s good.”



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Son of 2nd patient who died after seeing Florida surgeon describes family’s heartbreak: ‘It’s just not right’

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Son of 2nd patient who died after seeing Florida surgeon describes family’s heartbreak: ‘It’s just not right’


Weyman Dorsett knew something went wrong with his mom’s surgery as he watched an ICU doctor review her medical charts.

“I’ll never forget and it’ll never leave my mind, the look on that doctor’s face as he was reading through the files,” Dorsett, 53, said. “… He was just shaking his head, like: ‘what in the living hell is going on?’”

His mother, 70-year-old Dorothy Dorsett, was in recovery after a surgeon removed a tumor from her digestive tract. But she was hardly eating and had an abnormally fast heartbeat, according to a lawsuit Dorsett later filed. She was moved to the ICU nearly a week after the surgery.

“She just started really spiraling, pain,” Dorsett said. “She was not my mom.”

She died days later, on Aug. 4, 2023.

About a year later, another patient, William Bryan, 70, died after the same surgeon operated on him.

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The surgeon, Thomas Shaknovsky was arrested this week, accused of accidentally removing Bryan’s liver instead of his spleen, prosecutors said. Shaknovsky operated on both Dorothy Dorsett and Bryan at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast in Miramar Beach.

Shaknovsky and his lawyer could not be immediately reached for comment. However, he has denied wrongdoing in Dorothy Dorsett’s case in court filings of his own, arguing that some of the allegations were inaccurate and that descriptions of Dorsett’s care were incomplete. The lawsuit remains ongoing.

Do you have a story to share? Email reporter matthew.lavietes@nbcuni.com or reach us at our tip line.

The hospital did not immediately return a request for comment. Earlier this week, Macdonald Walker, a spokesperson for Ascension Sacred Heart, said in a statement that Shaknovsky “was never a Sacred Heart Emerald Coast employee and has not practiced at any of our facilities since August 2024.”

Weyman Dorsett filed a lawsuit against Shaknovsky and Ascension Sacred Heart last year, accusing the doctor and hospital of negligence. He spoke out for the first time since his mother died in an interview with NBC News on Thursday.

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“I’ve got two boys, a wife, now a grandbaby, and you know, I’m trying to be there for them, but, man, I’ve struggled mentally in dealing with it,” he said. “It’s just not right.”

Harrison Dorsett, Dorothy Dorsett, Mr. Weyman Dorsett Sr (now deceased), and Weyman Dorsett Jr.
Harrison Dorsett, Dorothy Dorsett, Mr. Weyman Dorsett Sr (now deceased), and Weyman Dorsett Jr.Dorsett family

On July 24, 2023, Dorothy Dorsett was admitted to the hospital after suffering abdominal pain, Weyman Dorsett, said. At the time, he said his mom was “in great health.”

“She was going non-stop. She lived on her own, drove everywhere, she went all over,” he said. “Prior to the surgery, she flew to my oldest son’s wedding in Bentonville, Arkansas, with a broken leg from a car wreck.”

At the hospital, his mom was diagnosed with gastrointestinal bleeding and acute blood loss anemia, according to the civil complaint.

The next day, the Dorsett family met Shaknovsky, whom Weyman Dorsett described as “odd.” He said the doctor prayed by his mom’s bedside before the surgery.

“It was way over the top,” Weyman Dorsett said. “It was very insincere to me.”

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He said his mother thought Shaknovsky was “very weird.”

That day, Shaknovsky performed a colonoscopy and found a tumor in Dorothy Dorsett’s digestive tract, which he removed on July 27, 2023, according to the complaint.

During the surgery following the colonoscopy, Shaknovsky did not perform a routine test, which would have ensured there were no leaks in a newly joined intestine, according to the complaint.

Shaknovsky told the family that the surgery “went great,” Weyman Dorsett said, but his mother’s condition immediately started to deteriorate.

He said that his mom was moved to the ICU on Aug. 2, 2023.

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Weyman Dorsett left that night, but his mother called him to come back to the hospital at midnight, saying she was going to die.

“My mom looked at me and just said, ‘It is what it is. I’ve lived a good life,’” he said. “And I had to sit there and watch her die.”

On Aug. 3, 2023, a doctor on call, Dr. Chun W. Chen, documented Dorothy Dorsett’s condition, according to the complaint, noting that he saw “more air than I would expect postsurgical” and mentioning concern “for bowel perforation specifically around the chain sutures in the pelvis.”

Chen added in the report that pockets of air had formed around Dorothy’s pelvis, according to the complaint.

“Although this may be postsurgical, cannot exclude bowel perforation,” he wrote.

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Chen said in a brief phone call that he didn’t remember the patient and declined to comment further.

That evening, Shaknovsky documented in a daily progress note the air and fluid collection in Dorothy’s pelvis, according to the complaint.

Shaknovsky did not advise surgical intervention due to Dorothy’s declining organ function and risks associated with anesthesia, the complaint says.

Dorothy Dorsett was pronounced dead at 5:29 a.m. on August 4, 2023, according to the complaint. She passed away surrounded by family, the complaint says.

“Until you go through it yourself, and to be there with my mom and watch her suffer, and to be there when she takes her last breath has been devastating,” Weyman Dorsett said. “I suffer every day. It’s a haunting memory that I can’t erase out of my mind.”

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Harrison Dorsett, left, Coleman Dorsett, back, and Dorothy Dorsett.
Harrison Dorsett, left, Coleman Dorsett, back, and Dorothy Dorsett.Dorsett family

Allegations of another botched surgery

On Aug. 21, 2024, prosecutors allege that Shaknovsky accidentally removed William Bryan’s liver instead of his spleen during what was scheduled to be a laparoscopic splenectomy.

Shaknovsky, who had been licensed to practice medicine in several states, had his Florida license suspended about a month after Bryan’s death. Later that year, he voluntarily surrendered his license to practice in Alabama. New York then suspended his license in 2025.

Bryan’s widow, Beverly Bryan, filed a civil lawsuit against Shaknovsky in 2025, accusing the surgeon of causing her husband’s death.

After the suit was filed, Weyman Dorsett learned that the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration completed an investigation into his mom’s death in September 2024, after Bryan’s botched surgery and more than a year after Dorothy’s death.

The investigation found that Shaknovsky and other hospital physicians “failed to appropriately use diagnostic testing and delayed in ordering imaging to timely treat sepsis” in Dorothy Dorsett’s case, according to a copy of the report.

The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration did not return a request for comment.

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Shaknovsky was indicted by a grand jury on a charge of second-degree manslaughter in the death of Bryan, according to officials.

“It’s bittersweet,” Weyman Dorsett said. “You know, nothing’s going to bring back Mr. Bryan, or my mom and all the other people that are still out there that have been butchered and suffered.”

Dorothy Dorsett grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, where she and her husband, Weyman Dorsett II, her high school sweetheart, raised their two children: Weyman Dorsett III and his sister.

“She just was everything you would think the American dream mom would be,” he said. “She led by example, best cook in the world. She was our rock.”

She and her husband moved back and forth from Alabama to Miramar Beach, Florida, about 30 miles west of Panama City. She moved to Miramar Beach permanently following the death of Weyman Dorsett II in 2021.

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Weyman Dorsett III described his mother’s passing as a “big piece missing.”



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