A Republican state senator claimed Friday that state agencies misused millions of dollars in taxpayer money on a campaign to sway Floridians to vote “no” on Amendment 3, which would legalize the personal use of marijuana for those 21 years and older.

A Republican state senator claimed Friday that state agencies misused millions of dollars in taxpayer money on a campaign to sway Floridians to vote “no” on Amendment 3, which would legalize the personal use of marijuana for those 21 years and older.

Florida voters will vote “yes” or “no” to Amendment 3, the legalization of recreational marijuana use for adults 21 years or older.

Florida House of Representative Tom Leek defeated two challengers in the race for Senate District 7, which represents St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler and part of Volusia counties.

The major endorsements in the race for State Senate in Northeast Florida have been huge. They include former President Trump endorsing David Shoar while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has endorsed Tom Leek

Israel Abanikanda ran for 320 yards to break Tony Dorsett’s Pittsburgh record and scored six touchdowns in the Panthers’ 45-29 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday.

In the second increase under a 2020 constitutional amendment, Florida’s minimum wage will go to $11 an hour on Sept. 30.

Payton Thorne’s 22-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Reed gave No. 11 Michigan State the lead with less than three minutes remaining and the Spartans overcame an 11-point deficit to beat No. 13 Pittsburgh 31-21 on Thursday night in the Peach Bowl.

Minimum wage workers in Florida will get a voter-approved pay boost this week, while about two dozen new laws kick in, including a regulatory framework for electronic cigarettes.

Several dozen proposed amendments in Florida have been filed for the 2022 ballot, but new restrictions on contributions for initiatives are expected to slow any efforts to amend the state constitution.

Florida Republicans have succeeded in making it more difficult for voters to change the state constitution.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Republicans are once again trying to make it more difficult for citizens to amend the state constitution through petition drives, this time by limiting contributions to political committees proposing a ballot initiative. A bill setting the limit was approved by the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee on a party-line vote Tuesday. Medical marijuana was approved by voters in 2016 and a gradual increase of the minimum wage to $15 an hour was approved last year. “National and out-of-state political groups are not committed to Florida, but to their own special interests,” said Republican Sen. Ray Rodrigues, the bill's sponsor. Separately, Republicans are also seeking a ballot measure that would ask voters to raise the threshold to pass a constitutional amendment from 60% of the votes cast to two-thirds.

“It eliminates those that have over-influence and who can influence these ballot initiatives through their dollars,” Payne said. That is not what these ballot initiatives are,” Jenne, D-Dania Beach, said. Ad“The plain fact of it is that they don’t like these ballot initiatives that have passed,” she said. Lawmakers also made sweeping changes last year to the petition-gathering process to make it harder to put initiatives on the ballot. “Here and across the country, state legislators are attempting to dismantle democracy just because they haven’t liked the outcome of recent elections and ballot initiatives.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Floridians may have another minimum wage amendment to vote on in 2022 if a new proposal is approved. Even as the ink dries on an amendment to gradually raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour, a proposed amendment would allow the Florida Legislature to set a training wage below the minimum wage. Under the minimum wage amendment passed last year, the state’s minimum wage will rise to $10 an hour this September and by an additional dollar each year until reaching $15 in 2026. The training wage would apply to prisoners, people with felony convictions and Floridians ages 21 and younger. There is no House sponsor for the training wage amendment, which leaves its future uncertain.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Voting yes on Amendment 2 to boost Florida’s minimum wage will either give 2.5 million workers a pay raise or result in 158,000 jobs disappearing over the next few years. Supporters need to win approval from 60 percent of voters to increase the minimum wage, a proposal spearheaded by prominent Orlando attorney John Morgan. What I mean by that is that Democrats tend to favor increases in the minimum wage at higher rates than Republicans,” Wagner said. Florida TaxWatch and the Florida Chamber of Commerce are among groups that have released studies highly critical of the amendment. Susan MacManus, a University of South Florida' distinguished professor emerita of political analysis, isn’t impressed with the polling numbers.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Orlando attorney John Morgan and his firm Morgan & Morgan launched a fundraising campaign Monday to help felons regain the right to vote. As part of an effort to help the Florida Rights Restoration Coalitions Fines and Fees Fund, Morgan announced he will match the first $100,000 in donations to his Voice for Voters campaign. The money is expected to help felons pay court-ordered financial obligations that keep them from completing all terms of their sentences after they are released from prison. More than 65 percent of Florida voters in 2018 approved a constitutional amendment to restore the voting rights of felons who have completed their sentences. Last month, former Miami Heat superstar LeBron James committed $100,000 to the coalition, and Morgan at the time tweeted he was willing to match the effort.

ATLANTA, Ga. – Chandler Parsons' attorneys say the Atlanta Hawks forward suffered “severe and permanent injuries" in a car wreck last week that could jeopardize his career. Attorneys John Morgan and Nick Panagakis of the firm Morgan & Morgan say the injuries Parsons suffered in Wednesday's crash include a traumatic brain injury, disk herniation and a torn labrum. Parsons was leaving practice when he was hit by a driver who the attorneys say was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. The Hawks said last week that Parsons suffered a concussion and whiplash. Parsons' attorneys said in a statement released Monday that the other driver “admitted drinking, had alcohol in the car with him” and “passed out” following the crash.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Backers of a proposed constitutional amendment that would gradually increase Floridas minimum wage to $15 an hour have topped the required number of valid petition signatures to get on the November 2020 ballot. Meanwhile, a proposed amendment that would overhaul the states primary-election system is on the verge of meeting the signature requirement. If the Florida Supreme Court signs off on the proposed amendments wording, the measure will be eligible to go on the 2020 ballot. Meanwhile, the political committee All Voters Vote was at 751,596 valid signatures Wednesday, 14,604 short of the requirement, for its proposal to revamp the primary system. Under the proposal, registered voters would be able to cast ballots in primaries regardless of political affiliation.

Ron DeSantis on Monday questioned a proposal to increase Florida's minimum wage through the constitutional amendment process, warning about effects on the restaurant industry. "If you're going to amend the Constitution it should be provisions similar to what we've seen with the federal Constitution," DeSantis said. Orlando attorney John Morgan, who chairs and has largely bankrolled the political committee Florida For A Fair Wage, strongly disagreed with DeSantis' assessment of the process. "He (DeSantis) has a chance to have a fair minimum wage enacted in the next session. The state's minimum wage this year is $8.46 an hour, with tipped employees at $5.44 an hour.

Photo via PixabayTALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Backers of a proposed constitutional amendment that would gradually increase Floridas minimum wage to $15 an hour are on the verge of submitting enough petition signatures to get on the November 2020 ballot. The political committee Florida For A Fair Wage had submitted 763,330 valid petition signatures to the state as of mid-day Monday, just under the 766,200-signature threshold to reach the ballot, according to the Florida Division of Elections website. Political committees face a February deadline for submitting signatures. The proposed amendment would increase the states minimum wage to $10 an hour on Sept. 30, 2021, and increase it by $1 each year until it hits $15 an hour on Sept. 30, 2026. The states minimum wage this year is $8.46 an hour.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Orlando attorney John Morgan plowed another $374,000 last month into a proposed constitutional amendment that would raise the minimum wage in Florida, as the effort gets close to meeting a petition-signature requirement. contributed $374,357 to the political committee Florida For A Fair Wage, which is chaired by Morgan, according to a newly filed finance report. and Morgan and Morgan P.A. The proposed amendment, if approved by voters, would increase the state's minimum wage to $10 an hour on Sept. 30, 2021 and increase it by $1 each year until it hits $15 an hour on Sept. 30, 2026. The state's minimum wage this year is $8.46 an hour.

Make it Legal Florida is the newest and richest kid on the block when it comes to pushing for legal marijuana. In its first month, it's received contributions of just over $1 million, all coming from two marijuana growers. A recent poll found bipartisan support for recreational marijuana at 67% with little drop off when voters were tested with opponents' likely arguments. "A super majority of Floridians want access -- safe and legal access -- to cannabis," Hansen said. Like the other 11 states with legal marijuana, both petitions limit pot sales to people over 21.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Prominent Orlando attorney John Morgan continues to put his money behind a proposed constitutional amendment that would gradually raise Floridas minimum wage to $15 an hour. The Morgan Firm P.A. and Morgan & Morgan P.A. The states minimum wage this year is $8.46 an hour. Florida For A Fair Wage spent nearly $947,000 in July, with virtually all of the money going to petition-related expenses.