Two days ahead of the governor’s deadline, Blaise Gainey tells Tom Flanigan that the Florida House and Senate have agreed on medical marijuana legislation. Florida lawmakers are one step closer to adding a work requirement for Medicaid eligibility. Shawn Mulcahy has more. Advocacy groups, formerly incarcerated people and those with family members who are serving time held a rally at the Capitol Wednesday. Ryan Dailey reports they came together to petition lawmakers for reforms to a criminal

The 2017 death of a Florida State University fraternity pledge is prompting state lawmakers to consider a change in the state’s hazing law. Spearheading the effort are the parents of Andrew Coffee along with Democratic State Senator Lauren Book. Lynn Hatter has more. A bill that looks to prevent the creation of sanctuary cities for undocumented immigrants in Florida makes a key committee stop Tuesday. Ryan Dailey reports a coalition of House and Senate Democrats says they’ll fight ‘tooth and

The Capital Report reporters, Blaise Gainey, Lynn Hatter and Ryan Dailey, discuss some of the highlights of this week in the 2019 Florida Lawmaking Session. Former North Florida Congresswoman Gwen Graham and former Florida Emergency Management Director Bryan Koon talk about Hurricane Michael recovery efforts in the Panhandle under the auspices of a partnership called “Rebuild850.” Tom Flanigan reports state lawmakers are moving ahead with hurricane recovery funding in excess of $300 million. A

The Florida House is moving forward with a big healthcare agenda at the direction of Speaker Jose Oliva. But as Lynn Hatter reports that agenda is setting up clashes with some healthcare providers who say it could lead to worse, not better care. A bill that would create an elective Bible study course in public high schools has cleared the House Pre K-12 Quality Subcommittee. Ryan Dailey reports its sponsor is adamant her measure is constitutional. On the very first day of this Legislative

The omnibus education bill aiming to create another state scholarship program got a green light from the Senate Education Committee. Ryan Dailey reports the measure got by on a party-line vote. The Florida Supreme Court is weighing whether a 2017 change in the state’s Stand Your Ground law should apply retroactively. Lynn Hatter reports a woman claiming she shot a person at a Miami nightclub in 2015 in self-defense says the change should apply in her case. Florida Democrats have introduced their

Governor Ron DeSantis emphasized “bold action” during his first-ever State of the State address to the Legislature. Tom Flanigan reports. Florida’s House and Senate leaders set the tone for the 2019 Legislative Session Tuesday with their opening remarks. Ryan Dailey was on hand to hear how President Bill Galvano and Speaker Jose Oliva kicked things off. Senate President Bill Galvano’s transportation bill passed its first committee today. But that passage was anything but smooth sailing as the

As health care continues to take up a larger and larger slice of the state’s budget, House Speaker Jose Oliva has set his eyes on market reform. Shawn Mulcahy has more on the battle over health care privatization, affordability and access. Heading into the legislative session, state lawmakers on either side of the aisle aren’t seeing eye-to-eye on education. Ryan Dailey reports school choice and school safety remain polarizing issues. The Republican–controlled Legislature will be tasked with an

The Republican–controlled Legislature will be tasked with an unexpected job: deciding whether to allocate funds for environmental causes championed by the governor. The environment wasn’t a priority under former Governor Rick Scott. Florida’s new governor, Ron DeSantis, is taking a different approach - and raising eyebrows - as he seeks massive dollars to clean up the state’s water ways . Now it's up to the Legislature to consider his funding request.

Florida Senate Republicans are pushing a new scholarship program that expands school choice. But Ryan Dailey reports if it passes, the program could end up in court. The deadline is nearing for the Florida legislature to put a bill allowing patients to smoke medical marijuana on the Governor’s desk. Both Chambers have been moving quickly to finish in time but still are not in agreement with one another. Now both sides are expecting to file other bills to address the things they can’t come to

Florida was among the first states to pass mandatory minimum drug sentencing laws in 1979. The Legislature loosened those requirements in 1993, then reinstated them six years later. Now, a sweeping proposal of criminal justice reforms in Tallahassee would again make changes.