Jim Saunders | News Service of Florida

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a death warrant for a man convicted in the 1990 murders of a couple in Miami-Dade County, as the state continues a record-setting year for executions.

FPL quickly criticized the new proposal, which was filed Tuesday by the state Office of Public Counsel — an agency designated in law to represent consumers in utility issues — and four groups that are parties in the FPL case.

The state filed a notice of appealing a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams that prevents additional construction and bringing additional detainees to the facility, which the state has dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.” Williams also ordered the removal within 60 days of temporary fencing, detention-center lighting and such things as generators.

FPL reached the proposed settlement with the Florida Industrial Power Users Group; the Florida Retail Federation; Americans for Affordable Clean Energy; the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy; Walmart Inc. and others.

Details of the potential settlement have not been released, and some parties in the case — including the state Office of Public Counsel, which is designated by law to represent consumers — have not signed on.

The developments late Friday afternoon added uncertainty to a closely watched case that has involved FPL seeking rate increases that would lead to customers paying billions of dollars in the coming years.

The case centered on Congressional District 5, which in the past stretched from Jacksonville to west of Tallahassee, and elected Black Democrat Al Lawson. During the 2022 redistricting process, DeSantis argued that keeping such a district would be an unconstitutional racial gerrymander and successfully pressured lawmakers to overhaul the district.

As Minnesota reels from the murder of one state lawmaker and the shooting of another, Florida could shield from public disclosure the home addresses of legislators, other elected officials and their family members.

A presidential-search committee recommended that the UF Board of Trustees approve Ono after a search that began last year following the abrupt resignation of former President Ben Sasse.

The Florida House on Tuesday gave final approval to a bill that would prevent local governments from adding fluoride to water supplies and take aim at labeling of plant-based products as milk, meat and eggs.

The Republican-controlled House voted 78-34 to pass the bill (HB 759), though it remains unclear whether the Senate will take up the issue. The House passed repeal bills in 2023 and 2024, but they did not get through the Senate.

The proposal provide “medical benefit plans” that would not be subject to the same state and federal regulations as health insurance.