Florida Legislature

House Speaker-designate Sam Garrison on Monday announced the names of the state representatives who will chair committees during his two-year term.

Senate President-Designate Jim Boyd released on Thursday released details about his planned inner circle during his two-year rein as leader of the Florida Senate and confirmed an organizational session will be held in Tallahassee on Tuesday, Nov. 17.

Florida House Democratic Leader-designate Christine Hunschofsky said breaking the supermajority means Republicans can no longer act alone on certain major decisions, including overriding a governor’s veto or bypassing legislative rules, which require a two-thirds vote.

Democrat gubernatorial candidate David Jolly and Democratic Attorney General candidate Jose Javier Rodriguez were the top endorsements for statewide office.

Among the new laws taking effect Oct. 1 are changes in how police identify criminal gang members, a new penalty for those who involve minors in animal fighting, and a clarification on license plate frame rules.

State lawmakers received an accounting less than an hour before a budget meeting to decide whether to hand over more tax dollars.

In his resignation letter, Perez, a Cuban-American Republican from Miami, said he would leave his legislative office on Friday, Aug. 21.

A Florida circuit court judge has ordered Attorney General James Uthmeier to rewrite significant portions of the ballot and summary title of Amendment 3, ruling the words “Save our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes” are “akin to a political slogan” in violation of state law.

The proposed constitutional amendment (HJR 1F) would increase the current $50,000 homestead exemption to $150,000 next year and $250,000 the following year.

The state legislator had been accused of creating an environment of pervasive sexual harassment. The allegations were made by the two young men, who used to work in his office.

The League of Women Voters of Broward County is holding as series of state legislative, school board and county commission candidate forums before the Aug. 18 election.

Florida’s bid to dramatically change its property tax system is being hit with another legal challenge, this one from a bipartisan duo of former elected officials who maintain a proposed constitutional amendment is full of “political platitudes” and not factual statements informing the public what it would do.