(The Center Square) — According to the latest figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Florida has a seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate of 2.8% and ranks 14th overall, sharing a spot with Kansas and Hawaii. Of the five largest states by population — California, Texas, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania — Florida has the lowest unemployment rate. At the same...
December 3, 2023
Register for 2025 CFWI Regional Water Supply Plan public meeting
The 2025 Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI) Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP) Team will be holding a virtual public meeting Oct. 13, 2023, from 9-11 a.m. The 2025 CFWI RWSP is the second five-year update to the 2015 CFWI RWSP and is a collaborative effort between the St. Johns, Southwest and South Florida water management districts (Districts) and key stakeholders....
Report ranks Florida third for solar power implementation
(The Center Square) — The Sunshine State is quickly outpacing the rest of the country as a top solar energy installer, which looks to continue in coming years. According to data from the Solar Energy Industries Association, Florida was ranked third in the country in 2022 behind Texas and California, installing around 12,000 megawatts of generation capacity since 2013, enough...
DeSantis announces implementation of Florida’s Prescription Drug Reform Act
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Governor Ron DeSantis and members of the Florida Cabinet approved rules to implement several provisions of the Prescription Drug Reform Act (SB 1550). The rules approved increase accountability among pharmaceutical middlemen known as pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). As signed by the Governor earlier this year, SB 1550 institutes the most comprehensive reforms to Florida’s prescription drug market in state...
Report: Rays will get $600M in public funds for new $1.2B stadium
(The Center Square) – The Tampa Bay Rays will reportedly announce plans Tuesday for a new $1.2 billion domed stadium that could cost up to $600 million in public funds. The domed stadium would have 30,000 seats, be located near Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg’s 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District and be ready to open in 2028, according to the...
Black Bears more active during Fall
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reminds residents and visitors that our state’s black bears are more active in search of food as autumn approaches. Following BearWise® practices can help prevent negative interactions with bears and other wildlife, including securing garbage and removing food attractants. During the fall, bears start consuming more calories to pack on fat reserves...
Border Patrol email: Plan to mass release illegal border crossers from crowded facilities
(The Center Square) – Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody on Tuesday published an internal Border Patrol email her office obtained that provides guidelines to release foreign nationals being held at Customs and Border Patrol processing centers because they are at near full capacity, at full capacity or are already over capacity. President Joe Biden and Department of Homeland Security Secretary...
New committee assignments for Florida lawmakers issued ahead of session
Two select committees have been formed — the Select Committee on Hurricane Resiliency and the Select Committee on Health Innovation.
Florida enrollment in Medicaid continues recent decline
(The Center Square) — Florida’s Medicaid enrollment continue to decline, according to recent data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on health policy, research and polling. According to data from the Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker, the number of people on Medicaid in the Sunshine State declined 7% from April to July, shrinking from 5.78 million to...
Updates for Florida policyholders following Hurricane Idalia
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Governor Ron DeSantis provided updates for Florida policyholders following Hurricane Idalia, including the issuance of an emergency order by the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) to protect policyholders impacted by the storm. Additional announcements include the approval of a fifth property insurer since March and the approval of 202,399 additional takeout requests from Citizens Property Insurance Corporation...