In this episode: Florida lawmakers are springing some last-minute surprises as they inch toward a final budget deal — including a potentially massive charter school expansion. An update from Day 100 of the Florida Legislature’s 60-day-session. Yes, you read that right.

Show notes

The bills discussed in today’s show:

House Bill 1267 — Education

Senate Bill 1708 — Education

House Bill 1115 — Education (specifically this amendment)

House Bill 1427 — Nursing Education Programs (specifically this amendment)

Senate Bill 2510 — Prekindergarten Through Grade 12 Education

Senate Bill 2514 — Health and Human Services

House education budget offer — Conforming Bill (SB 2510)

House healthcare budget offer — Conforming Bill (SB 2514)

Senate administered funds budget offer — Budget

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In this episode: Across the country, state-level politicians are hollowing out home rule, robbing communities of the freedom to make their own choices, and seizing power for themselves. They are doing it by weaponizing a legal tool known as “preemption.” Katie Belanger of the Local Solutions Support Center, an advocacy group that fights for home-rule rights, joins the show to talk about what preemption is and how states are abusing it.

Show notes

LSSC’s roundup of some of the most egregious preemptions that have passed around the country in 2025

A brief history of abusive preemptions in Florida

And a case study: No water, no shade: How homebuilders, farming companies and construction firms got politicians to reject heat rules for outdoor workers in Florida

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In this episode: Ron DeSantis made a college lower its standards so he could make a middling politician its president. He tried to use a university presidency as a dumping ground for another politician no one liked. It was just a matter of time before political goons came for the state’s most prestigious school, too. Meanwhile, in Tallahassee: Lawmakers are finally negotiating a new state budget, while the governor flails away online.

Show notes

Maxwell: Politics at Florida universities is really about the grift

Out-of-state employees, a Paris trip, missing vehicles: Florida legislators question spending

Florida Crossroads – Ocklawaha

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In this episode: The Florida Legislature has agreed to give giant tax breaks to businesses — and table scraps to everyone else. The Republican Party of Florida is defending a law that takes rights away from its own voters. And Florida’s governor is cashing in on his veto power.

For show notes

The bills discussed in today’s show:

House Bill 1205 — Amendments to the State Constitution

House Bill 6017 — Recovery of Damages for Medical Negligence Resulting in Death

House Bill 105 — Pari-mutuel Wagering

A New Crackdown on Ballot Initiatives Unnerves Florida Organizers

Read Florida Decides Healthcare’s complaint in the lawsuit against House Bill 1205

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In this episode: Ron DeSantis is once again flexing political muscle in Florida, seizing control of more state universities and joining forces with the state’s Big Business lobby. But after yet another attempt to develop conservation land collapsed in controversy — and amid a new criminal investigation into DeSantis’ “Hope Florida” charity — it’s clear that Florida’s governor can’t get away with everything any more.

Show notes:

The Florida Senate gave Ron DeSantis an inch. He's taking a mile.

Maxwell: DeSantis in hot seat with Hope Florida probe and “Free Kill’ veto

Who was behind Florida’s latest public land deal? DeSantis won’t say.

Criminal investigation launched related to Hope Florida, prosecutors say

House Bill 6017 — Recovery of Damages for Medical Negligence Resulting in Death

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In this episode: Well, everyone knows the Florida Legislature’s 2025 session broke down in dysfunction. What this podcast presupposes is…maybe it didn’t?

Show notes

The bills discussed in today’s show:

Senate Bill 1620 — Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders

House Bill 913 — Condominium and Cooperative Associations

Senate Bill 56 — Geoengineering and Weather Modification Activities

Senate Bill 1388 — Vessels

House Bill 1205 — Amendments to the State Constitution

Senate Bill 498 — Trust Fund Interest for Purposes Approved by the Supreme Court

House Bill 1549 — Financial Institutions

House Bill 173 — Interest on Trust Accounts Program Interest Rates

House GOP demands text messages, emails from DeSantis administration in spending probe

Lawmaker says DeSantis administration is withholding Hope Florida records

Banks lobbyists want to slash funding for legal support programs

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In this episode: All of a sudden, nobody knows when Florida’s annual legislative session will end. But lawmakers are still racing to finish up a few big special-interest favors before it does.

Show notes

The bills discussed in today’s show:

Senate Bill 492 — Land Development 

House BIll 1609 — Waste Incineration 

Senate Bill 700 — Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Florida lawmakers may help a mining giant fend off lawsuits

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In this episode: After key players in a scandal roiling Ron DeSantis and his closest allies refused to answer their questions, Republicans in the state House decide to end their hearings rather than escalate even further. So what’s next? Plus: Bills to help banks earn bigger profits, hedge funds bind workers to longer non-competes, and Success Academy charter schools set up shop in Miami.

Show notes:

The bills discussed in today’s show:

Senate Bill 498 – Trust Fund Interest for Purposes Approved by the Supreme Court 

House Bill 1219 – Employment Agreements

House Bill 1267 – Education

Senate Bill 1080 – Local Government Land Regulation

Lawmakers end Hope Florida charity probe without hearing from key players

Tax-funded nonprofit spent $5 million on ads amid abortion ballot battle

Florida pushed anti-abortion nonprofit to run ads against Amendment 4

Billionaire Ken Griffin gifts $25M to Success Academy

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In this episode: Some bright-red warning flags just began waving in the Florida Legislature, suggesting that top lawmakers are about to spring some last-minute surprises. Meanwhile, Florida’s attorney general has some explaining to do as the Hope Florida scandal roiling the DeSantis administration continues to deepen.

Show notes

The bills discussed in today’s show:

Senate Bill 492 – Land Development

House Bill 1225 – Employment

Senate Bill 676 – Minimum Wage Requirements 

Senate Bill 1672 – Labor Pool Act

Countering DeSantis, $10M Hope Florida donation came from Medicaid, draft shows

Top DeSantis staff spoke with group pushing state park golf course earlier than known

Records show Big Sugar lobbyists are working on plans for an Everglades-area mine

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In this episode: Republican lawmakers are digging deeper into a scandal in which the Ron DeSantis administration may have used a Casey DeSantis charity to turn $10 million of Medicaid money into funding for TV ads in a political campaign that was important to the governor. It’s obviously bad — and potentially illegal. But it’s also part of a broader pattern of abuses. Plus: Is the Florida Senate getting ready for war? And a good day for an environmentally destructive mining giant.

Show notes

The bills discussed in today’s show:

Senate Bill 1144 — Hope Florida

Senate Bill 110 — Rural Communities

Senate Bill 832 — Former Phosphate Mining Land

Ron DeSantis won the battles. He may have lost the war.

‘Mistakes were made,’ Hope Florida charity leader tells lawmakers

Lawmaker will subpoena Florida attorney general in DeSantis charity probe

Florida lawmakers may help a mining giant fend off lawsuits

Questions or comments? Send ‘em to [email protected]

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