INSIDER
Republicans in Florida's Capitol restart push to lower the gun-buying age to 18
Read full article: Republicans in Florida's Capitol restart push to lower the gun-buying age to 18Gun rights advocates have been fighting to overturn a Florida law setting the minimum age to buy a gun at 21 since the day the measure was signed, in the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida in 2018.
Florida bill proposes lowering firearm purchase age from 21 to 18 with no exceptions
Read full article: Florida bill proposes lowering firearm purchase age from 21 to 18 with no exceptionsSenator Randy Fine has introduced a bill for the 2025 Florida legislative session that would permit individuals under 21 to purchase firearms. Senate Bill 94, aims to repeal a law that currently prohibits licensed firearms dealers from selling or transferring firearms to those younger than 21.
Florida is rushing to enforce new immigration laws. Here's what to know
Read full article: Florida is rushing to enforce new immigration laws. Here's what to knowAn architect of a controversial bid to fly migrants from Texas to a Massachusetts resort town in 2022 has been named to guide Florida's new state board of immigration enforcement.
Here’s what to know about Florida’s special session on immigration
Read full article: Here’s what to know about Florida’s special session on immigrationFlorida lawmakers are gaveling in another special legislative session on immigration, aimed at leveraging state and local resources to carry out President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
New Florida special session on immigration begins after Legislature, DeSantis compromise on package of bills
Read full article: New Florida special session on immigration begins after Legislature, DeSantis compromise on package of billsAfter a special session late last month spiraled into a clash between Republican legislative leaders and Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida lawmakers will meet in another special session this week to pass a package of bills targeting illegal immigration — with DeSantis’ support.
Florida lawmakers to kick off week with special session addressing illegal immigration, condo regulation and more
Read full article: Florida lawmakers to kick off week with special session addressing illegal immigration, condo regulation and moreOn the eve of a special legislative session called by Gov. Ron DeSantis, Republican lawmakers Sunday filed a flurry of bills to crack down on undocumented immigrants and place additional restrictions on the ballot initiative process.
Florida Senate president proposes phasing out in-state tuition for ‘Dreamers’
Read full article: Florida Senate president proposes phasing out in-state tuition for ‘Dreamers’Senate President Ben Albritton on Monday suggested phasing out a decade-old law that allows some undocumented immigrant students, known as “Dreamers,” to receive in-state tuition rates at Florida universities and colleges.
Florida state senators have started filing bills for 2025. The new laws that could be coming
Read full article: Florida state senators have started filing bills for 2025. The new laws that could be comingState senators are off to a quick start filing bills as they gear up for the 2025 legislative session, which begins March 4.
Incoming Florida Senate president calls for David Shoar to drop out of race against Tom Leek
Read full article: Incoming Florida Senate president calls for David Shoar to drop out of race against Tom LeekOn Tuesday at the RNC in Milwaukee, the incoming head of the Florida Senate called on former St. Johns County sheriff David Shoar to drop out of a Florida Senate race.

House anti-fracking bill emerges
Read full article: House anti-fracking bill emergesThe proposal (HB 547) by Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen, R-Fort Myers, seeks to ban hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking. On Monday, the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee unanimously backed a similar proposal (SB 200) by its chairman Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee. Lawmakers did not pass similar bills during the 2019 session, with Republican leaders balking at the proposal to ban matrix acidization. Other proposals that would have only banned hydraulic fracturing went further but did not ultimately pass. Senate Agriculture Chairman Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, said Monday he hasn't seen enough change to warrant refiling the bill that would only address hydraulic fracturing for the 2020 session.

Fracking ban could run into roadblocks
Read full article: Fracking ban could run into roadblocksTALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A proposal backed by environmentalists to ban fracking in Florida eased through a Senate committee Monday. The proposal (SB 200), approved unanimously by the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee, would ban hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking. A separate proposal to ban fracking without addressing matrix acidization may not even return in the Senate for the 2020 session, which begins Jan. 14. Opponents of fracking also argue that banning fracking without targeting matrix acidization would create a loophole for oil companies. A House version to ban fracking without addressing matrix acidization also did not make it through all its assigned committees.

Florida eyes Washington on hemp rules
Read full article: Florida eyes Washington on hemp rulesTALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida farmers might not be held back from planting hemp next year even if the federal government has not signed off on long-awaited rule changes. State lawmakers this year approved a measure (SB 1020) that created a program to regulate cultivation of hemp, addressing issues such as the licensing of growers. Many farmers view hemp as a potentially lucrative new crop after Congress in 2018 legalized industrial hemp as an agricultural product. Hemp, which hasn't been grown in Florida legally since the 1940s, has already attracted interest from more than 1,000 farmers. State rules will not cap the number of growers or the allowed acreage for hemp, which could replace or be rotated with existing crops, Bell said.