Florida
Medicaid expansion campaign in Florida relaunches for 2028
Florida Decides Healthcare suspended their efforts in September due to legal roadblocks.
Trump, pharmaceutical companies strike deal to cut drug prices
U.S. President Donald Trump and nine major pharmaceutical companies on Friday (December 19) announced deals that will slash the prices of their medicines for the government’s Medicaid program and for cash payers, in his latest bid to align U.S. costs with those in other wealthy nations.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA)— A Florida mental health counselor walked into a surprising number of bats inside her office last week.
“We had about 50 bats. In the toilet, in the sink. All over,” Shaltala Boss, a licensed mental health counselor, said.
Boss has since moved her office due to maternity season, when it is illegal to exclude or remove bats from April 16 to August 14, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“Any form of eviction during this time period will result in baby bats being trapped along with adult bats that may not have emerged. Trapped bats will attempt to escape and may end up in the living space of buildings,” FWC said.
Video provided by Boss showed a bat lying on the ground.
“You definitely didn’t want to come to counseling that day,” Boss said.
Boss has since moved to another location and said it is bat-free.
“Most bats will avoid humans at all costs and use natural roosting structures for shelter during the day. However, bats sometimes find their way into our homes and structures, which can present a health hazard,” FWC said.
Republican Congressman Byron Donalds is trailing Democratic candidate David Jolly in the race to become Florida’s next governor, according to a new poll from Change Research, a Democratic-aligned polling firm.
The survey could be an encouraging sign for Florida Democrats, who have not won a statewide election since 2018 and have struggled as the state shifted steadily toward Republicans in recent election cycles.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican who is term-limited and cannot seek reelection in 2026, won a second term by nearly 20 percentage points in 2022, while Republicans have expanded their voter registration advantage and maintained control of every statewide elected office.
Still, some recent polling has suggested the push to replace DeSantis could be a bit more competitive than many have expected.
President Donald Trump last month again vocalized his support for Donalds, saying in part, “I know Byron well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and he is a TOTAL WINNER!” The president added, “Byron Donalds will be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”
Trump won the Sunshine State by 13 points in 2024 against then-Vice President Kamala Harris and no Democrat has won the Florida governorship in more than 20 years.
When reached for comment regarding the new poll, Donalds’ campaign referred Newsweek to the X post of Gates McGavick, the team’s communications director. McGavick said in reaction to the poll, “I hear Change Research also sells tremendous ocean front property in Arizona.”
The campaign also referred Newsweek to Ryan Smith’s post on X, while saying he is also affiliated with the campaign. Smith said, “This is a push poll by Democrats for Democrats. The truth is, Florida Democrats will be crying in their kombucha on November 3 when @ByronDonalds is elected governor.”
What To Know
The Change Research survey found Jolly, a former Republican congressman who switched parties and entered the race as a Democrat, leading Donalds in a hypothetical general-election matchup.
Jolly has centered his campaign on affordability issues surrounding insurance costs, housing and healthcare, while Donalds has campaigned as a conservative successor who will attempt to enact Trump’s agenda and fight illegal immigration.
According to the poll, Jolly leads Donalds 47 percent to 42 percent and has a slightly larger margin among likely voters with 49 percent compared to 43 percent.
The poll surveyed 1,273 registered voters of which 1,015 said they will likely vote in the 2026 midterm election. The survey’s margin of error is 2.8 percent.
Also in the poll, Jolly garners 94 percent support from Democrats compared to Donalds’ 77 percent among Republicans.
What Other Polls Show
Another recent Change Research poll shows Jolly leading Donalds 46 percent to 42 percent. The poll was taken from May 13 to May 16 among 2,070 registered voters, of whom 1,593 say they will likely vote in the midterm election. The poll has a margin of error of 2.3 percent.
In a survey at the end of March by Emerson College Polling, Donalds landed 44 percent of the vote compared to Jolly’s 39 percent. The poll shows that 17 percent are undecided. It was taken from March 29 to March 31 among 1,125 likely voters and has a margin of error of 2.8 percent.
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A recent viral trend — dubbed the “Door Kick Challenge” — has been causing issues as of late in Central Florida.
The challenge involves teens covering their faces, kicking or pounding stranger’s front door when it’s dark outside, and sprinting off into the night.
[WATCH: FCSO releases footage of ‘Door Kick Challenge’ in action]
But on Wednesday, Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly warned there could be deadly consequences.
According to the sheriff’s office, these pranks may come across as an attempted home invasion for some, and with Florida being a “Stand Your Ground” state, neighbors have the right to treat it as such.
[ Central Florida deputy consoles 12-year-old accused in door-kicking incident]
“Parents, keep an eye on your children. We know they want to have fun, but they are taking huge risks when they mask up and kick strangers’ doors,” Staly said. “Be the sheriff of your own home, talk to your kids, know their friends, and make sure they know the risks associated with doing what the internet tells them to do.”
But in a release, the sheriff’s office delivered the message in a “language” that teens may better understand:
“This door kick ‘challenge’ is not the side quest you think it is.
It’s trendslop, pure brain rot straight off the FYP. You think you’re the alpha chad of the cul-de-sac? Nah bruh, you’re one hoodie masked-up sprint away from priors. The kind of rap that gets you cancelled before you ever stack any clout. Zero drip in our jail’s barbershop-looking mugshots.
Okay, real talk. Florida is a Stand Your Ground state. A NPC wakes up to two randos kicking their door at 1 a.m. wearing sheisties — they don’t see a flex, they get the ick, and think your side quest is a home invasion. And no cap, you’ll get capped.
Taking an L on TikTok? Recoverable. Taking a round to the chest? There’s no respawn.
So skip this one, chief. Find clout elsewhere.”
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office
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