DeSantis signs shortcake bill at Florida Strawberry Festival
Governor Ron DeSantis' appearance at the Florida Strawberry Festival Monday had a confusing start for news organizations that the governor's office invited to attend.
Florida first lady Casey DeSantis is cancer-free, governor announces
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says his wife, first lady Casey DeSantis, is now officially considered cancer-free, following a months-long battle with breast cancer.
Florida superintendent who defied DeSantis by pushing masks in schools gets ousted
A Florida school superintendent who defied Gov. Ron DeSantis on pandemic masks for students has been fired by the local school board.
Gov. DeSantis tells masked students at Tampa press conference, ‘Please take those off’
As the Florida governor approached the lectern for a press conference in Tampa, there were a few students waiting while wearing masks, but before he spoke he told them, 'Please take those off. Honestly, it’s not doing anything.'
Gov. Ron DeSantis announces cybersecurity initiative at USF to bring more jobs to the field
Gov. DeSantis announced a $20-million program aimed at creating more opportunities in cybersecurity through USF.
DeSantis rejects Biden's request for Florida National Guard at State of the Union
"Last week, the Biden Administration requested the assistance of State National Guards to deploy to Washington D.C.," DeSantis wrote. "I have rejected this request — there will be no @FLGuard sent to D.C. for Biden’s State of the Union."
Florida Senate confirms Dr. Joseph Ladapo as state surgeon general, despite objections from Democrats
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointment of Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo was confirmed Wednesday by the Senate, despite objections from Democrats who criticized his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Florida lawmakers opt to offer tax 'holidays', but not gas-tax break proposed by DeSantis
Florida lawmakers opted to consider a bill that would provide a wide range of tax breaks -- but did not include Gov. Ron DeSantis' push to suspend the state's 25-cent/gallon gas tax, arguing that the tax break would go to too many non-Floridians who visit the state.
Florida school districts that mandated masks could lose $200M in state funding under GOP plan
Florida lawmakers in the House want to shift $200 million in funding away from the 12 school districts — including Hillsborough and Sarasota — that required students to wear masks last year, defying Gov. DeSantis' executive order banning mask mandates.
Florida failed to pay health claims for sick, needy children for months
Florida failed for nearly three months to pay tens of thousands of health care claims for the state’s sickest and neediest children due to software glitches blamed on the corporate merger of its two largest payment vendors -- leaving families with critically ill children stranded when those payments stopped.
Democratic lawmakers want to suspend federal gas tax to combat rising prices
Several Democratic senators are calling for suspending the federal gas tax for the rest of the year to help consumers struggling with rising fuel prices. If passed, the bill would save drivers 18 cents a gallon. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis says he wants to do the same with the state's gas tax.
Florida's surgeon general refuses to say if he's vaccinated
Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo refused to say whether he has received a COVID vaccine during a tense second confirmation hearing after one senator asked, "Is there a reason why you just can't come out and say that you believe vaccines are a very important step for prevention?"
Proposed laws stir up controversy as they move through Florida's Legislature
The proposed laws range from restricting curriculum related to critical race theory, election laws, and security and abortion rights. Many of the laws have been positioned as protections for the rights of parents, the unborn, and democratic processes, but the bills' opponents say the so-called protections may do more harm than good.
Gov. DeSantis, AG Moody hold roundtable discussion on immigration
Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez held a roundtable discussion on immigration in Miami at the American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora.
Ex-supervisor wouldn't endorse Ladapo as Florida's top doctor
A former supervisor of Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo declined to recommend Ladapo to lead the state's health department during a background check, records show.
DeSantis proposes 'Patients' Bill of Rights' after pandemic shut loved ones out of hospitals
As COVID-19 spread rapidly at the start of the pandemic, medical facilities across the country went into lockdown mode, leaving those battling the virus to fight alone. Florida's governor wants to prevent that from happening in the future.
Trump's heir? Some supporters eye DeSantis as 2024 alternative
As former President Donald Trump aims for a political comeback, there appears to be an emerging shift among the MAGA faithful, with some beginning to concede that there might be better options -- with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis topping the list.
Separate 'Nazi' protests held in central Florida over the weekend
More than a dozen self-proclaimed Nazis yelled antisemitic slogans outside an Orlando-area shopping plaza and waved a swastika flag from an I-4 overpass before authorities broke them up over the weekend.
Doctors offer differing opinions on DeSantis and monoclonal antibody treatments
Governor Ron DeSantis called out the FDA’s decision to stop the two most common monoclonal antibody treatments, inviting southwest Florida doctors and patients Wednesday to share how monoclonal antibodies recently helped them fight COVID-19.
Ladapo moves on to next step in surgeon general confirmation process after Democrats walk out of hearing
Florida Democrats walked out of a contentious Senate committee hearing, refusing to vote on the confirmation of state Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, because they said he wasn't answering their questions. After the walkout, Republicans voted unanimously to back his confirmation, which ultimately needs approval from the full Senate.