DeSantis declares COVID state of emergency over, overrides local restrictions Mary Ellen Klas, The Miami Herald
May 3 Declaring Florida s COVID-19 emergency over, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed an executive order invalidating all remaining local emergency COVID orders and signed a bill into law that bars businesses, schools and government entities across Florida from asking anyone to provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination. I think it s the evidence-based thing to do, DeSantis said at a St. Petersburg restaurant where he signed the bill with House Speaker Chris Sprowls and Senate President Wilton Simpson at his side. I think folks that are saying that they need to be policing people at this point, if you re saying that, you really are saying you don t believe in the vaccines, you don t believe in the data, you don t believe in the science. . We are no longer in the state of emergency.
Legislators pass bill to shield sugar farmers from lawsuits
For decades burning occurs from October through May each year and has been widely accepted as a necessary evil.
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Acres of sugar cane burn behind homes in Belle Glade. This is part of what is called pre-harvest burning to remove the outer leaves of cane stalks before harvesting.
Updated 1 hour ago
TALLAHASSEE â Persuaded by testimony from the leaders in the Glades agriculture community that sugar burning is not harming their residents, the Florida House on Thursday sent to the governor a bill that gives the agriculture industry protection from lawsuits related to long-term health damage.
DeSantis signs gambling agreement with Seminole Tribe, but lawmakers must approve
The agreement introduces sports betting to Florida, while giving the Seminole Tribe the exclusive right to operate craps and roulette at all of its casinos and to build three more casinos on existing tribal property, including the Hard Rock in Tampa.
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TALLAHASSEE â Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a $500 million gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida that would bring mobile sports betting to the state of Florida and allow for Las Vegas style casinos at all tribal facilities.
If approved, anyone who is over age 21 and located within the state of Florida and has the app on their mobile device, could place a bet from anywhere on any professional and collegiate sports team and individual performance, motor sports event and Olympic competition.
Wilton Simpson: Increased unemployment benefits effort is still alive
Wilton Simpson. Image vis Colin Hackley.
The Senate agreed to fund several of the House s job growth priorities Wednesday morning.
The Senate is still pushing for Florida to increase its weekly unemployment benefits by $100 despite opposition from the House and Gov.
Ron DeSantis.
The House on Monday rejected language to raise benefits to $375 per week. And on Friday, the Governor said the current level of unemployment benefits “
Wilton Simp
son, a Trilby Republican, on Wednesday told reporters he hasn’t given up hope on the matter.
“I do not believe the unemployment issue is off the table completely,” Simpson said.