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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Cabinet OK new emergency facility amid hurricane prep
Florida is moving forward with plans to buy and retrofit a massive warehouse in Central Florida as a staging area to respond to hurricanes and other emergencies.
Gov. DeSantis signs sweeping agriculture bill prohibiting sale of lab-grown meat in Florida
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference at the Hardee County Cattlemanโs Arena near Wauchula.
5K pounds of โgas station heroin,โ THC-O products seized and destroyed in Florida
News 6 has learned the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services seized approximately 5,000 pounds of raw and packaged tianeptine, or โgas station heroin,โ and THC-O products on Oct. 10.
WATCH LIVE: Take 6 looks at Floridaโs crackdown on โgas station heroinโ
Floridaโs Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson said state inspectors will continue surprise inspection sweeps to end the sale of โgas station heroinโ in smoke shops and gas stations across the state.
New Florida gas pump stickers warn not to leave children, pets in hot cars
Florida's agriculture commissioner placed the first sticker on a gas pump in the state Friday, which reads: "Never leave children or pets in a hot vehicle."
New gas pump device penalties to go into effect. Hereโs when
Floridaโs new retail fuel theft legislation will go into effect on July 1, making the use of so-called pulsar price manipulators a second- or third-degree felony.
Gov. DeSantis signs bills cracking down on Chinese Communist Party influence in Florida
Several bills signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis aim at cracking down on Chinese Communist Party influence in Florida.
DeSantisโ bid to nullify Disney-Reedy Creek deal added to Florida bill. Hereโs what it says
A plan to get rid of an agreement the Walt Disney Company made with the former governing body that oversaw Walt Disney World property is now in the Florida Senate.
Wildfire threat grows as Florida drought gets steadily worse
State and federal officials say the threat of wildfires is growing in Florida over the coming weeks as more than half the state is experiencing severe to extreme drought conditions likely to persist until rainy season resumes around mid-May.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner sees farmland, food as national security issue
Floridaโs agricultural land has become a โnational security issueโ that needs to be protected for future generations, according to Floridaโs new Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson.
Simpson take office as Floridaโs ag. commissioner, drops Friedโs concealed weapons lawsuit
After taking office this month, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson said Friday the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has dropped a lawsuit against the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in a dispute involving information about a concealed-weapons license applicant.
Republican Wilton Simpson defeats Naomi Blemur in Florida commissioner of agriculture race
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Friedโs decision to run for governor earlier means the cabinet seat is open for a new politician.
Results 2022: Meet the candidates for Florida commissioner of agriculture
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Friedโs decision to run for governor earlier means the cabinet seat is open for a new politician.
Naomi Blemur takes Democratic nomination for Florida agriculture commissioner
Nikki Fried is leaving the Florida commissioner of agriculture seat to run for governor. Three Democrats vied to replace her in the Aug. 23 primary.
Results 2022: Meet the Republican candidates for Florida agriculture commissioner
With Nikki Fried running to be Florida governor, the Florida commissioner of agriculture seat is open for a new occupant.
Florida gas prices top national average as state legislature mulls tax break
Thursday marks the third day in a row Florida has broken its all-time record for gas prices, soaring from $4.06 for a gallon of regular March 7 to now $4.35 on average, higher even than the national average of $4.32.
Republican legislative leaders question Florida gas tax break
A push by Gov. Ron DeSantis to suspend the stateโs gas tax for five months this summer and fall is stalling, as legislative leaders say they want to find other ways to help Floridians.
Gov. DeSantis visits to Texas to highlight border security
Gov. Ron DeSantis, along with a group of Republican lawmakers and state law-enforcement officers, are heading to Texas Saturday to discuss security along the Mexican border with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
New Florida law includes Freedom Week. Hereโs what that means
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a tax relief package into law that includes the stateโs first-ever Freedom Week and extends the stateโs Back to School tax-free period.
Florida House approves gambling bill with Seminole Tribe but legal challenges expected
The state will receive at least $2.5 billion over the next five years and an estimated $20 billion over the course of the 30-year deal.
Florida Legislature sets plans for gambling special session
House and Senate leaders set the stage for a special legislative session to consider a gambling deal that Gov. Ron DeSantis hammered out with the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
Gov. DeSantis suspends COVID-19 emergency orders across Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order Monday morning in St. Petersburg suspending all remaining local emergency orders across Florida related to COVID-19.
Talks swirl about possible gambling deal in Florida
Senate President Wilton Simpson, who has tried to nail down an agreement with the Seminoles, also met with pari-mutuel operators on Thursday. Cementing a perennially elusive deal remains a long shot, however, especially as Florida is set to receive billions of additional dollars in federal stimulus money. AdAfter meeting with the pari-mutuel operators, DeSantis indicated he is unlikely to look favorably on a deal that would harm them. AdSimpson said he and the pari-mutuel operators spoke in โgeneralitiesโ about a possible framework of a compact. Sprowls and Simpson are โhaving a holistic conversationโ about gambling in Florida, the speaker said.
Florida lawmakers gavel into session with key bills looming
The state Senate and House gaveled into session with members donning face masks on the floors of their respected chambers. Ron DeSantis said he would looking forward to working with lawmakers on the key issues facing their state. AdAlthough it was the first day of the session, lawmakers have been traveling to Tallahassee for weeks to begin committee hearings on the measures that could eventually make to the governorโs desk. While Republican lawmakers have signaled their support for the governor's initiatives, they will have their own priorities. โBy prioritizing Big Tech companies, social media โ that's not the priorities of the people of the state of the Florida.
Florida casts 29 Electoral College votes for President Donald Trump
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ Floridaโs 29 Electoral College votes were cast for President Donald Trump during a ceremony in the Senate chamber on Monday. Secretary of State Laurel Lee conducted the vote Monday after three electors were named to replace three who couldnโt attend the ceremony. That included Senate President Wilton Simpson. Trump won Florida with 51.2% of the vote in last monthโs election. The names of Floridaโs electors are submitted to the governor by each political party.
Florida considers banning all forms of distracted driving
ORLANDO, Fla. โ Florida could outlaw drivers from putting on makeup, using smartphones, reading or other activities that distract them on the road. The Senate Innovation, Industry and Technology Committee unanimously approved a distracted driving bill Wednesday after hearing stories from people who have lost relatives in car crashes. Right now, it is illegal to text and drive in Florida, but drivers can only be ticketed if they are pulled over for another reason. The bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. Wilton Simpson, would make distracted driving a primary offense, meaning law enforcement wouldn't need another reason to ticket a driver. If enacted, Florida would ease into the law by creating a three-month period where law enforcement would only give warnings.
News 6 anchor Matt Austin testifies for distracted driving bill
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ The state House version of a new distracted driving bill had its first committee meeting Tuesday. The state Senate adaptation (SB 76) was approved around 4 p.m. Monday by the Senateโs Judiciary Committee. News 6 anchor Matt Austin has been one of the most outspoken proponents of the bipartisan bill. Austin told his story during a transportation and infrastructure subcommittee meeting Tuesday in Tallahassee. โThis whole crisis we have in our state right now of texting and driving wound up in my back seat,โ Austin said.
Florida Senate committee approves distracted driving bill
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ A state Senate committee has just approved the Senateโs version of a new distracted driving bill. Senate Bill 76 was approved around 4 p.m. Monday by the Senateโs Judiciary Committee. Floridians won't get a new distracted driving law yet as this is the third of four committee stops for the bill before it is voted on by the full Senate. Meanwhile, HB 107, the House version of the bill, will have its first committee meeting Tuesday. News 6 anchor Matt Austin will be live in Tallahassee on Tuesday evening starting at 4 p.m. to provide the latest on the committee meeting.
Driving Change: Florida lawmakers file 2 bills to curb distracted driving
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ Three months before the official start of the 2019 Florida legislative session, two state politicians are wasting no time trying to toughen up Floridaโs lax texting and driving law. Trilbyโs bill, SB 76, is dubbed the โFlorida Ban on Wireless Communications Devices While Driving Law.โSlosbergโs bill, HB 45, has a much simpler name: the โHands-Free Florida Law.โโThe No. Last year the Florida House passed its version of a tougher distracted driving bill but the Senate version stalled in the Senate Appropriations Committee, which was chaired by Republican State Sen. For the third year in a row, Slosberg has sponsored anti-texting and driving legislation. Georgia recently passed a similar hands-free-only bill that went into effect on July 1.