Despite Gov. Ron DeSantis’ executive order banning mask mandates in public schools, four of the five largest public school districts in Florida implemented mask mandates. The only exception is if a doctor provides a note stating a child has a medical reason for not masking up.

A handful of school districts across the state are enforcing mask mandates despite Gov. Ron DeSantis’ executive order guaranteeing parents have the right to choose when it comes to masks. Today, a judge hears a lawsuit from Florida parents as they go to court to fight DeSantis’ order in an effort to let local school districts require mask wearing in schools.

This week, four Florida school districts defied, to varying degrees, an executive order from Gov. Ron DeSantis that bans mask mandates. Duval, Alachua, Leon and Broward counties' school boards and superintendents announced or reaffirmed plans to require masks for students when classes begin (although Duval's has an opt-out clause for parents, in line with the governor's order).

COVID-19 infections are rising in Florida and hospitals are filling up with patients sick with the Delta variant. Public hospitals serve a large portion of the 9,000 people currently hospitalized, with numbers rising daily.

COVID cases have surged in Florida in the past few weeks amid a plateau of vaccination rates and the spread of the Delta variant.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Florida has nearly doubled since last week.

Democratic Congresswoman Val Demings is hoping to take on Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio in the 2022 election.

President Joe Biden arrived this week in Surfside, where he met with the first responders and families affected by the Champlain Towers collapse and pledged that the federal government will pick up 100% of the costs of the response to the collapse.

Early Thursday morning, part of the 12-story Champlain Towers South in Surfside, near Miami Beach, collapsed.

Florida residents, more so than in any other state, are facing criminal charges for their participation in the January 6 Capitol insurrection. According to a USA Today analysis, about 1 in 10 people charged for the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol have been Floridians. The charges range from being in an unauthorized area to conspiracy and assault of a police officer.