Sunrise

The Capitol halls are quiet, and lawmakers are heading home after concluding a three-day Special Session on gambling.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Both chambers of the Legislature approved the new Seminole Gaming Compact by lopsided margins. Opponents made their last stand Wednesday in the House.

— Supporters admit there could be legal problems, especially the sports-betting provision ... but Rep. Randy Fine says Florida wins either way.

— Fine was also responsible for the most cringe-worthy comment during the debate when he forced lawmakers to imagine him naked. Pass the brain bleach, please…

— When the Session was done, House Speaker Chris Sprowls said passage of the Seminole Compact was history in the making.

— But it's not over yet. The deal still to be approved by the U.S. Department of Interior to see if it complies with the Indian Gaming Regulation Act; opponents promise a court challenge because there's a provision in the state constitution that says the voters must approve any expansion of casinos.

— The Governor's lawsuit to try to force the CDC to let cruise ships get back in business is going to mediation, which means the whole thing is pretty much moot. The chances are good that they'll be sailing again before the mediation process ends.

— Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried makes a virtual appearance at the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches, where she was asked if she'll announce a run for governor race next month.

— And finally, a Florida Man faces 20 years in prison after pledging his support for ISIS and posting a video on how to make a bomb. In reality, the FBI made the video, and if you follow the instructions, it doesn't explode.

If all goes according to plan, the Special Session on gambling will end today.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— The Florida Senate approved the new Seminole Compact after lawmakers learned it will bring billions of dollars into the state coffers.

— Sen. Jeff Brandes disagrees, saying they sold out to the Seminole Tribe.

— But selling out was OK with the rest of the Senators. Brandes was the only one to vote against the deal … and the House will pass it today.

— A few ideas did not survive the Special Session. The House derailed plans to legalize wagering on fantasy football and other virtual sports. And the concept of allowing bingo at casinos went down in flames, thanks in part to opposition from Sen. George Gainer.

— Senate President Wilton Simpson says lawmakers can deal with fantasy football next year, but they won't be messing with bingo. Simpson says they're already expecting a legal challenge to the new Compact.

— Backers of the Compact know they may have run afoul of the state constitution, which requires voter approval of any casino expansion. They refused to put a transcript of their Session in the official journal of the Senate because it could be part of a court challenge.

— The Senate is done … now it's up to the House; they plan to be done before the end of the day.

— Another lawsuit is challenging Florida's new law that clamps down on voting by mail. Voting rights groups claim the real intent is to silence black and brown voters.

— Orlando Congresswoman Val Demings is telling her supporters to “stay tuned” as she considers a run for the U.S. Senate. POLITICO is reporting that she's planning to run against Marco Rubio; Demings responded with a tweet confirming that she's looking at Rubio’s seat.

— And finally, a Florida Man says he was speeding down Highway 1 in the Keys because he was trying to get home … to Cuba.

The Special Session on gambling is underway; it’s almost like lawmakers never left town.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Session began with a major concession as the House Speaker announced a controversial provision that could have turned your smartphone into an online casino is gone from the proposed Seminole Compact.

— Some lawmakers are dead set against any expansion of gambling, but an attorney for the Seminole Tribe says Florida can’t afford to pass up this deal.

— The compact passed the Senate Appropriations Committee by a vote of 18 to one. It goes to the Senate floor and then the House floor tomorrow; lawmakers are trying to get out of town by Wednesday.

— The former Seminole County Tax Collector pleads guilty in a federal sex trafficking investigation, promising to cooperate with the feds as their investigation continues. North Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz was not mentioned by name, but an airplane was circling over the courthouse towing a banner that read “tick-tock Matt Gaetz.”

— If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Orlando Congressman Darren Soto is leading the charge for a bill allowing the government to negotiate Medicare drug prices with Big Pharma.

— And finally, a Florida Man lost his job as a deputy for sending inappropriate text messages to two women he met on the job.

It’s Day One of the Special Session on gambling. The fun starts at 1 p.m.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Now that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says you don't need to wear a mask if you've been vaccinated, Florida businesses are trying to figure out how to keep customers safe. They still have the right to require masks and — under a new Florida law — they cannot ask you for proof of vaccination.

— Former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg has a date in federal court. He's agreed to a plea bargain in a federal investigation of sex trafficking and to testify against others. Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz is not mentioned by name in the plea deal.

— Carlie Brucia's killer will get another chance to overturn his death sentence. The state's highest court has ordered new hearings for Joseph Smith and four other death row inmates.

— Florida added 10 new names to the state’s Law Enforcement Hall of Fame.

— And finally, a Florida Man used to be a sheriff; now he reviews video of red-light runners.

Lawmakers return to Tallahassee Monday to ratify a new Seminole Compact on gaming in Florida, but John Sowinski says this goes way beyond the Seminole Tribe.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Sowinski says the Compact will turn your smartphone into a mobile casino; even if you support more gambling, he says the state's not getting a fair share.

— The Governor signs a bill that makes it legal to order booze with your takeout meal, another legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers like it so much they decided to make the change permanent.

— The Governor says it's no big deal if Norwegian Cruise Ships steer clear of Florida because of a new state law that forbids them from requiring passengers to show proof of vaccination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention imposed vaccination requirements on all the cruise ships, so DeSantis is suing the feds in federal court.

— And finally, a Florida Man bought so much gasoline that his Humvee went up in flames.

The pace of vaccination is slowing, not just in Florida, but nationwide. The problem is vaccine hesitancy and partisan politics definitely plays a part.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Blue states have the highest percentage of vaccinations; red states are at the bottom of the list. Some experts are worried there are so many Americans who won't get vaccinated that we'll never reach herd immunity. And Gov. Ron DeSantis is expecting another summer surge of COVID-19.

— The Governor signs a bill that says cities and counties that try to do anything about guns can be sued by the public and face additional penalties. A legal challenge to the state preemption law is already making its way through the courts.

— DeSantis gets a chopper ride to check out the algae in Lake Okeechobee and he's worried the Army Corps of Engineers may start releasing that water into nearby estuaries.

— And finally, a young Florida Man didn't want to stop fighting when the law showed up, so he turned on the deputy — and got a taste of the taser.

One day after the Governor signed a bill putting new limits on donations to help pay for citizen amendments to the state constitution, the American Civil Liberties Union files a lawsuit.

Also on today’s Sunrise:

— The civil rights group says that the new law violates First Amendment rights and is the latest move by lawmakers to abolish citizen initiatives.

— No Casinos is launching a new ad campaign attacking the proposed gambling compact between the state and the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

— Lawmakers will be taking= up the Seminole Compact during a Special Session next week.

—Embattled North Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz joins Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green in the friendly confines of The Villages for the kick-off rally of their “American First” campaign.

— The Florida Supreme Court pays its last respects to Joe Hatchett, the first African American to serve on the state's highest court. Justice Hatchett will be laid to rest in Dunedin.

— May is Mental Health Awareness Month and on the Sunrise Interview is Melanie Brown Woofter of the Florida Behavioral Health Association.

— And finally, a Florida Woman will NOT be facing criminal charges for padding a 6-year-old at school.

The Governor signs a controversial election bill — and kicks the hornet nest. Gov. Ron DeSantis invited FOX & Friends to broadcast the signing live from Trumpland near Mar-a-Lago in front of an invitation-only audience while the press was denied access.

Also on today’s Sunrise:

— We got a lot of feedback … no one was proud.

— Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried responded to the election bill signing by calling DeSantis a dictator who doesn’t care about people.

— The League of Women Voters responded with a lawsuit, saying there was never a reason to pass the bill in the first place because it was based on the big lie that there was widespread voter fraud.

— On the Sunrise interview, a conversation with Patti Brigham, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida.

— DeSantis is also under fire for playing Santa Claus with someone else’s money. Democrats on Florida’s congressional delegation say DeSantis is bragging about providing COVID-19 bonuses for teachers and first responders without admitting the money is from The American Rescue Act, which every Republican in Congress opposed.

— And finally, a Florida Woman is facing a felony charge for battery with a burger.

If you're getting unemployment benefits, it's about to get more difficult. The Governor will be reinstating a requirement that people in the unemployment system send weekly "work search" updates.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Ron DeSantis steps up his attacks on the CDC, accusing scientists of playing politics.

— One of DeSantis's biggest gripes is that the CDC wants cruise ships to require most passengers to be vaccinated for COVID-19. The cruise industry is OK with the idea, but not the Governor.

— On the Sunrise interview is Charlie Crist, the former Governor who wants to replace our current Governor.

— DeSantis hits the road to promote those $1,000 COVID-19 bonus checks for first responders.

— DeSantis presented a ceremonial "BIG CHECK" at a police station in Satellite Beach, a fire station in Temple Terrace and the Sheriff's Office in Fort Myers.

— And finally, the state Supreme Court hears an appeal from a Florida Man who claims he attacked his boss because he was standing his ground — with a hammer. And the story of a Florida Man busted in Nebraska with a van full of ATMs stuffed with marijuana.

Now that the Legislative Session is over, it's open season on Ron DeSantis. The Governor is up for re-election next year and Congressman Charlie Crist is the first Democrat to enter the race. Among other things, he says DeSantis fumbled the COVID-19 crisis.

Also on today’s Sunrise:

— DeSantis is also under attack by Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who is running for the job but hasn't made it official yet. She says the Session that just ended tells you everything you need to know about the Republican Governor.

— Fried also used Tuesday's Cabinet meeting to ask why she and other members of the Cabinet were never told about problems at the Piney Point phosphate wastewater pond that almost breached last month.

— The Governor says he's come up with a schedule to fill the Congressional seat of Alcee Hastings. The primary will be in November followed by the election in January.

— And DeSantis says don't blame him for that theme park exemption in the new bill to punish social media for de-platforming Donald Trump. It was done for Disney.

— And finally, two Florida Men in trouble with the Wildlife Commission for shark selfies.