In this episode: You won’t find the word “abortion” anywhere in them, but two bills that just passed the Senate Judiciary Committee in Florida may ultimately amount to a backdoor expansion of a statewide abortion ban that is already one of the strictest in the nation. Plus: Bills that would make it it harder for college students to vote and easier for billionaires to suppress worker salaries.

Show notes

Senate Bill 1288 — Parental Rights

House Bill 1505 — Parental Rights

Senate Bill 1284 — Civil Liability for the Wrongful Death of an Unborn Child

House Bill 1517 — Civil Liability for the Wrongful Death of an Unborn Child

House Bill 1381 — Elections

Senate Bill 922 — Employment Agreements

Lobbyist for a billionaire-run hedge fund wrote a bill allowing longer non-competes, records show

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In this episode: An investment company with a history of peddling poorly performing tax incentives is back in Tallahassee, trying to attach itself to the “rural renaissance” movement in the Florida Senate. An update from Day 28 of the Florida Legislature’s 60-day legislative session.

Show notes

The bills discussed in today’s show:

Senate Bill 1322 — Tax Credits for Investment in Rural Communities

Senate Bill 1238 — Fraud in the Reemployment Assistance Program

House Bill 1157 — Verification of Reemployment Assistance Benefit Eligibility

Investment company writes Florida incentive laws, then profits from them

In Search of Rural Jobs, States Weigh Strategy With Checkered Past

How Savvy Financiers Pitch Complex Investment Programs

Payday at the mill: How sophisticated financiers used a Maine investment program they devised to wring millions of dollars in risk-free returns at taxpayer expense

Shrewd financiers exploit unsophisticated Maine legislators on taxpayers’ dime

Nothing Ventured, Millions Gained — Capco’s benefit in Florida program

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In this episode: Republicans in Tallahassee want to punish the state’s chief economist because she refused to bend to political pressure during a debate last year over an abortion-rights ballot measure. Meanwhile, the speaker of the state House calls for a historic tax cut for consumers. It’s an idea with a lot of promise — but a lot of peril, too.

Show notes

The bills discussed in today’s show:

House Bill 1205 — Amendments to the State Constitution

Senate Bill 7016 — Initiative Petitions Proposing an Amendment to the State Constitution

State lawmakers could slash sales tax, saving Floridians billions

Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy: Who Pays? (7th ed.)

ITEP: A Revenue Analysis of Worldwide Combined Reporting in the States

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In this episode: Republicans voting against Republicans, Democrats fighting with Democrats, sick-and-tired-of-it public testimony in every hearing, and a long list of bad bills on the move. But also a public execution for one particularly controversial piece of legislation. An update from Day 22 of the Florida Legislature’s 2025 session, one of the wilder days we’ve seen in Tallahassee in years.

Show notes

The bills discussed in today’s show:

Senate Bill 814 — Weapons or Firearms at School-sponsored Events or on School Property

Senate Bill 1816 — Protection of Historic Monuments and Memorials

House Bill 541 — Minimum Wage Requirements

Senate Bill 676 — Minimum Wage Requirements

Senate Bill 918 — Employment of Minors

House Bill 1387 — Public Employees Relations Commission

Senate Bill 1288 — Parental Rights

Senate Bill 100 — Display of Flags by Government Entities 

Senate Bill 440 — Gender Identity Employment Practices

House Bill 875 — Educator Preparation

Senate Bill 832 — Former Phosphate Mining Lands

Senate Bill 752 — Defamation, False Light, and Unauthorized Publication of Name or Likenesses

Senate Bill 872 — Price Controls for the Removal and Storage of Electric Vehicles

Senate Bill 1388 — Vessels

Senate Bill 134 — Sales Tax Exemption of Bullion

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In this episode: Philip Morris, the Big Tobacco giant best known as the maker of Marlboro cigarettes, helped Ron DeSantis defeat ballot measures last fall that would have legalized marijuana and protected abortion rights. A few months later, the Florida governor did a favor for Philip Morris: Allowing the company to sell its IQOS product line free of state tobacco taxes. And now Florida lawmakers are advancing company-backed bills that would cement that decision into state law.

Show notes

The bills discussed in today’s show:

Senate Bill 1418 — Heated Tobacco Products

House Bill 785 — Heated Tobacco Products

House Bill 1517 — Civil Liability for the Wrongful Death of an Unborn Child

House Bill 1219 — Employment Agreements

Senate Bill 806 — Florida Trust Code

House Bill 1173 — Florida Trust Code

DeSantis grants tax favor for Philip Morris after $500,000 gift

In this episode: Republican lawmakers in Florida are considering a bill pitched by a billionaire-backed think tank that would make it even harder for workers to qualify for unemployment insurance. Plus: “Baby Olivia” comes to the Florida Capitol and all the adults play dumb. An update from Day 15 of the Florida Legislature’s 2025 session.

Show notes

The bills discussed in today’s show:

House Bill 1157 — Verification of Reemployment Assistance Benefit Eligibility

House Bill 1255 — Education

House Bill 651 — Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Is ‘Baby Olivia’ headed to a school near you? Bills in several states would allow screenings of fetal development video.

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In this episode: In a single afternoon, Florida lawmakers advanced bills to roll back protections for rural land in Orlando, allow an ethanol plant in a historic city north of Jacksonville, and help hedge funds bind workers to years-long non-compete contracts. Those issues and more from Day 14 of the Florida Legislature’s 2025 session.

Show notes

The bills discussed in today’s show:

Senate Bill 420 — Official Actions of Local Governments

Senate Bill 1118 — Land Use and Development Regulations

Senate Bill 922 — Employment Regulations

Senate Bill 1776 — Employment Rights

Senate Bill 1822 — Regulation of Auxiliary Containers

Ron DeSantis took money from you and gave it to businesses. And you didn’t even notice.

A developer-backed bill would unravel rural protections in Orlando, allow an ethanol plant near Jacksonville

Ranchland to rooftops in central Florida

Florida beach town faces explosive fight over ethanol plant

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In this episode: There's a quiet effort afoot in the Florida Capitol to enable a charity funded by the duPont family fortune to shift spending from Delaware to Florida. Meanwhile, an ugly plan to cut funding for Legal Aid — so a few banks can make more money — has begun to move forward. Those bills and more from Day 9 of the Florida Legislature’s 2025 session.

Show notes

The bills discussed in today’s show:

Senate Bill 806 — Florida Trust Code 

Senate Bill 498 — Interest Rates Applicable to the Interest on Trust Accounts Program

Senate Bill 832 — Former Phosphate Mining Lands 

Senate Bill 752 — Defamation, False Light, and Unauthorized Publication of Name or Likenesses 

House Bill 541 — Minimum Wage Requirements 

House Bill 683 — Construction Regulations 

House Bill 429 — Motor Vehicle Manufacturers and Franchised Motor Vehicle Dealers 

Banks lobbyists want to slash funding for legal support programs

Florida lawmakers may help a mining giant fend off lawsuits

Car dealers try to keep a chokehold on new car sales in Florida

After taking money from Walmart heirs, Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature helped billionaires hide their family fortunes

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In this episode: Wealthy communities in Florida have hijacked a program that is supposed to help impoverished areas. Some Republican lawmakers want to put a stop to it. Unfortunately, they also want to help the dairy industry duck competition from plant-based rivals. An update from Day 8 of the Florida Legislature’s 60-day legislative session.

Show notes:

The bills discussed in today’s show:

Senate Bill 1242 — Community Redevelopment Agencies

Senate Bill 700 — Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

House Bill 565 — Regulation of Auxiliary Containers

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In this episode: As the second week of Florida’s 2025 legislative session begins, Republican lawmakers roll out an intentionally unconstitutional plan meant to provoke a legal showdown over the state’s voter-approved minimum wage. But there’s also a budding bipartisan movement to make sure Ron DeSantis never again pays for political ads with taxpayer money.

Show notes:

The bills discussed in today’s show:

Senate Bill 676 — Minimum Wage Requirements

House Bill 541 — Minimum Wage Requirements

Senate Bill 7016 — Initiative Petitions Proposing an Amendment to the State Constitution

Senate Bill 1624 — Higher Education

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