FWC meets in-person in Bonita Springs for first time since pandemic began
Published: August 4, 2021 5:36 PM EDT
Updated: August 4, 2021 7:24 PM EDT
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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission met for the first time in person on Wednesday since the pandemic began. With the precedence that wildlife and the environment take in the Sunshine State, the agency has quite a bit on its plate.
From helping Florida panthers bounce back to tracking red tide in the Gulf, FWC and its partners stay busy.
“Between FWC and the Water Management District, we’ve taken 7,000 pythons out of the Everglades. That’s a lot of pythons. And that’s only in the last couple of years,” said Chauncey Goss, a member of the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board.
League of Women Voters of Florida files suit to overturn new election law
By NATHAN MAYBERG - | May 12, 2021
Gov. Ron DeSantis
The League of Women Voters of Florida has filed a lawsuit challenging election legislation signed into law last week by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The legislation, which critics –including the League say could suppress voting, was supported by Lee County’s Republican delegation including Sen. Ray Rodrigues (R-Estero), Sen. Ben Albritton (R-Wauchula), Sen. Kathleen Passidomo (R-Naples), representatives Adam Botana (R-Bonita Springs), Spencer Roach (R-North Fort Myers), Jenna Persons-Mulicka (R-Fort Myers) and Mike Giallambardo (R-Cape Coral).
Rodrigues said the bill, known as SB-90, “makes it very difficult to cheat.” He said the legislation will create more safeguards for drop box locations. Previously, some counties did not guard drop boxes in the way the election law intended, he said.
Lawsuit filed against Florida’s new election law
League of Women Voters of Florida suing to overturn law
By Nathan Mayberg - Editor | May 7, 2021
Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a bill which will place new restrictions on voting. The League of Women Voters of Florida is suing to overturn the law. / File photo by Nathan Mayberg
The state legislature passed a change to the state’s election law which was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis after party-line votes in the Republican-controlled legislature. Democrats opposed the measures for being part of a wave of legislation being introduced by Republicans in a host of states which they believe will make it tougher to vote.
From Piney Point to Serena s Law, the story of Session was about the region.
Southwest Florida is home to a substantial portion of the GOP caucus in both chambers of the Legislature. So it makes sense that the region was a big winner emerging from the just-concluded Legislative Session.
But what does that get exactly? Plenty, based on budget wins.
The Heartland and wetland-rich region of Florida pulled in a large share of water quality spending, as well as support for various community needs in education and public safety. Lawmakers also stressed that some matters of policy passed this year that specifically serve Southwest Florida.
Gov. DeSantis signs online tax bill
By NATHAN MAYBERG - | Apr 28, 2021
Gov. Ron DeSantis
A new state law which will require online companies based outside of Florida to collect sales tax on purchases made by Floridians, was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis after being approved by the state legislature.
The law was supported by DeSantis a way to replenish the state’s unemployment reserve funds. State Sen. Ray Rodrigues (R-Estero), whose district includes most of Lee County, supported the bill. State representatives Mike Giallombardo, R-Cape Coral,) Adam Botana (R-Bonita Springs) and Spencer Roach (R-North Fort Myers), whose districts include much of Lee County, also voted in favor.