The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has raised concerns over allegations that Apple is censoring conservative content on the Apple News app.
In a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, FTC chair Andrew Ferguson cited reports from Media Research Center, a right-leaning think tank, which accused Apple of excluding right-leaning outlets from the top 20 articles in the Apple News feed.
“These reports raise serious questions about whether Apple News is acting in accordance with its terms of service and its representations to consumers […] I abhor and condemn any attempt to censor content for ideological reasons,” Ferguson’s letter reads.
Ferguson, a Big Tech critic who Trump appointed to lead the competition regulator, noted the FTC doesn’t have any powers to require Apple to take ideological or political positions when curating news, but he said that if the company’s practices are “inconsistent” its terms of service or “reasonable expectations of consumers,” they may be in violation of the FTC Act.
Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (another Trump appointee critical of Big Tech), supported Ferguson’s stance, writing, “Apple has no right to suppress conservative viewpoints in violation of the FTC Act.”
Ferguson has urged Apple to conduct a “comprehensive review” of its terms of service and ensure that the content curated on Apple News is consistent with its policies, and “take corrective action swiftly” if the curation isn’t in line.
The letter comes a day after President Donald Trump shared the report by Media Research Center on his social media platform, Truth Social. Trump has repeatedly accused Big Tech companies of censoring right-leaning content, though many major platforms have rolled back several measures to curb fake news and disinformation they had imposed in the years prior to his second stint at the White House.
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Apple’s relationship with the Trump administration has oscillated between warm and cold over the past year. Trump has criticized Big Tech, especially Apple, for manufacturing its devices in China, but after Cook promised to spend more than $600 billion over the next four years Stateside and moved to mend fences, relations between the Administration and the company have improved. Apple also dodged planned tariffs on smartphones made overseas and imported into the U.S.
The FTC last year also launched an investigation into “censorship by tech platforms,” seeking input from the public who felt they were silenced due to their political ideologies or affiliations. “Tech firms should not be bullying their users,” Ferguson said at the time. “This inquiry will help the FTC better understand how these firms may have violated the law by silencing and intimidating Americans for speaking their minds.”
Apple did not immediately return a request for comment.
A woman died after riding Universal Orlando’s Revenge of the Mummy roller coaster in November, according to Florida’s quarterly theme park incident report released Thursday.
The report, which accounts for the final three months of 2025, says an unidentified 70-year-old woman was unresponsive and died after riding the coaster on Nov. 25.
It says she passed away at the hospital, but includes no further details.
The report includes all medical incidents and injuries that are recorded at Universal Orlando, Disney World, Legoland, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens.
It includes eight other non-fatal medical incidents at Universal and six at Disney World between October and December 2025. No other incidents were recorded on Revenge of the Mummy in the report.
The report notes it is “a compilation of data collected from the exempt facilities and reflects only the information reported at the time of the incident.”
Due to privacy concerns, the report says, “the Department does not receive updates to initial assessments of a patron’s condition.”
Revenge of the Mummy is an indoor coaster themed after The Mummy film that reaches 40 mph and includes a drop hill of 39 feet. It has appeared on past quarterly reports 21 times for nonfatal injuries and the death of a man who fell from the loading area onto the ride’s tracks in 2004 — the year it opened.
Other Universal rides that reported nonfatal incidents include Stardust Racers, Doctor Dooms Fearfall, Jurassic World: VelociCoaster, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, and Yoshi’s Adventure.
Stardust Racers appears twice in the report: once for a 78-year-old man who experienced chest pain and a 61-year-old man who experienced cardiac arrest.
The Epic Universe dual-launch coaster most notably made recent headlines over the Sept. 17 death of Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, a 32-year-old man found unresponsive after riding the coaster and later pronounced dead at the hospital. A final investigative report deemed the case accidental and the official cause of death as blunt impact injuries. Zavala used a wheelchair and did not have use of his legs. He also had undergone previous spine and hip surgeries.
Universal has not released a statement about the death.
The Florida House has again passed legislation (HB 133) dropping the minimum age to purchase rifles and other long guns from 21 to 18. The vote was 74-37, with five Republicans joining the majority of Democrats in opposing it and one Democrat (Jose Alvarez from Osceola County) supporting the measure.
Florida lawmakers raised the age to purchase a long gun from 18 to 21 as part of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, in the immediate aftermath of the mass shooting in Parkland that resulted in the deaths of 17 people.
The measure under debate also would allow a person 18 or older to purchase a handgun from a private seller, although a federal ban prohibits anyone under 21 from purchasing a handgun from a federal firearms licensee.
Rep. Robin Bartleman, D-Weston, said lowering the legal age would contribute further to what she said is an erosion of gun safety in Florida.
“We don’t require permits,” she said. “We don’t require training to own a gun. We don’t require safe gun storage, and now we allow everyone to open carry, so literally these 18 to 21 year olds who are not fully developed, who are not thinking rationally, who cannot think of consequences of the actions, actually can lawfully carry their AR-15 on their back and walk around. That’s a dangerous situation.”
Rep. Dean Black, R-Jacksonville, went on an extended discussion about how the debate about gun violence wasn’t about guns at all. The crisis is “with us,” he argued, adding that mass shootings became a phenomenon only over the past three decades. Instead, he said, the House could be talking about the breakdown of the two-parent family and the loss of faith.
“We could talk about things that really might get us somewhere, but we have this distraction, and history over centuries teaches us that that’s not the answer, because it didn’t happen back then, yet it happens today,” Black said.
Rep. Christine Hunschofsky, D-Parkland, was mayor of that city when the shooting happened in 2018. She said the bipartisan vote in the Legislature to raise the age was “because people decided then that the cost of doing nothing was too high and was something that they wouldn’t be able to live with.
“I feel that going back on what was done then, the political courage that was done then, would be devastating and heartbreaking, because it’s so hard to find that kind of bipartisan political courage these days,” she said.
The effort to raise the legal age has been supported by Gov. Ron DeSantis and gained momentum this spring when Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced he would not defend the law after a federal appeals court again upheld its constitutionality after it was challenged in federal court by the NRA.
“If the NRA decides to seek further review at SCOTUS, I am directing my office not to defend this law,” Uthmeier said in March, not long after DeSantis appointed him to his office. “Men and women old enough to fight and die for our country should be able to purchase firearms to defend themselves and their families.”
Twenty-one states have raised the age to purchase a long gun to 21 in America, according to Everytown for Gun Safety.
The bill sponsor, Rep. Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island, said he was attempting to correct an inequity in Florida law.
“This country has a problem with school shootings, but the answer to that is not to infringe upon the constitutional rights of law-abiding people,” he said.
Among those watching the debate from the gallery was De’ja Charles, 20, a student at Florida A&M University and a member of Students Demand Action, a gun safety group.
“We know that 18 to 20 year-olds are three times more likely to commit gun homicides, as opposed to those over 21,” she said, citing statistics compiled by Everytown for Gun Safety.
“We should be trying to make it safer in Florida for us to live our lives. There should be Parkland victims here today and it’s difficult to have the courage to express your views when you have representatives that are blatantly just going against it.”
Gideon’s Bakehouse started as a cult fave inside East End Market 10 years ago, then grew into an international phenomenon when owner Steve Lewis began hawking his half-pound cookie behemoths inside Disney Springs five years ago to the day. Lewis is now capitalizing on Gideon’s popularity with a concept called Six Ravens, a shop specializing in grab-and-go hand pies he’s calling “coffyns” — fluffy yeast rolls encasing a variety of savory fillings. Even better is that he’ll work with some local culinarians, like Eliot Hillis and Seth Parker of Red Panda Noodle and Bruno Zacchini of Pizza Bruno, on the hand pie offerings.
Steve Lewis Credit: courtesy photo
“Six Ravens is the result of collaborating with the family we’ve created at Gideon’s, and our friendships within the community, ” Lewis says. “We look forward to being a gateway to local flavors on the international stage by spotlighting our Orlando superstars.”
Lewis says he spent years tinkering and experimenting with various coffyn fillings in his downtime with friends and peers from Orlando’s food scene, so spreading the wealth and affording local outfits with some powerhouse exposure, was always the plan.
“I got my start at Disney Springs as a secret menu item at the Polite Pig,” he says. “It’s important to pay it forward and bring more local flavors to the international crowds we meet every day.”
Six Ravens will open in the building previously occupied by The Art of Shaving just a few doors down from Gideon’s Bakehouse. Lewis says the space might be small, but promises to “pack your world with flavors and the escapism that comes with the world of Gideon’s.”
Gideon’s Bakehouse art director Michael Reyes will curate the design and imagery of the space while Studio 407 will oversee the buildout.
As far as the name is concerned, “The Six Ravens” first appeared on Gideon’s bill of fare in November 2023, and the menu card featuring a cloaked figure with a conspiracy of those feathered croakers has since become a collectible item. “I’ve been hinting for years that some of the Gideon’s characters are meant to venture off and create their own adventures.”
From a historical perspective, ravens have long been tied to the lore of the Tower of London. Legend claims that should the six resident ravens ever leave, the kingdom will crumble.
Caw! Caw! Caw! Caw!
Smashed Potato with Honey Mustard Credit: Six Ravens
Accompanying those coffyns will be smashed potato fritters with dips ranging from sweet heat to a storied honey mustard that Lewis has been serving to his friends for decades. Six Ravens will also collaborate with Sideward Brewing and the The Ravenous Pig Brewing Co. on beer offerings. And, yes, there will be sweet treats.
Lewis hasn’t finalized the menu as yet, but he’ll reveal the flavors and collaborations bit by bit as the opening date nears, which should be sometime in Q3. That said, Hillis teased that his coffyn contribution may include chicken curry.
Will we see four-and-20 blackbirds baked into one of those pies? Follow @six.ravens to find out.
Six Ravens Credit: Six Ravens
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The Florida House has again passed legislation to drop the minimum age to purchase rifles and other long guns from 21 to 18
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ popularity has dipped in the newest public opinion survey conducted by veteran polling firm Mason-Dixon.
The survey of 625 registered Florida voters shows the governor at 50% approval and 46% disapproval. That’s down from a Mason-Dixon survey taken last March, when he was at 53%, and the lowest ranking taken by Mason-Dixon since July 2020, when he was just at just 45%, following his opening up the state during the height of the COVID crisis.
The survey was conducted from Jan. 8 through Jan. 12. The margin for error was at +/- 4 percent.
Brad Coker, the Mason-Dixon pollster, pointed to “notable drops” among several voter groups from a 2025 survey. Among voters with no party affiliation, DeSantis approval rating has dropped 10 points, from 51% to 41%. He’s dropped with Hispanic voters as well, declining from 57% to 49%, and among black voters from 16% to 7%.
He is also now under water with women, with 49% disapproving and only 45% approving.
Coker says there are several reasons why the governor’s numbers might be dropping, including national trends for Republicans and voter fatigue as he begins his eighth and final year in office.
“With no immediate announced political plans, DeSantis’ popularity drop probably has no immediate impact,” Coker writes. “Overall, a 50% approval rating is not bad — it is simply somewhat lower than what he has enjoyed throughout his tenure.”
The poll results are being released as the governor enters his last year in office. On Tuesday, he presented his final State of the State address.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday that the state’s insurer of last resort has half a million fewer policyholders and will slash rates for its remaining users.
Policyholders with Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state-backed program providing insurance to high-risk Floridians, will see their rates reduced in the spring by 8.7% statewide. South Florida counties like Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm-Beach will see the largest decrease in rates, averaging roughly 13.4%.
Moreover, the number of policies held by Citizens dropped to its lowest level in 14 years: from 1.3 million in 2023 to 400,000. This is considered a good sign for Florida’s insurance market because, generally, the larger Citizens is, the worse the market is doing.
“So, you’ve never really seen, I don’t think, rate reductions — certainly with Citizens — at this level anytime in modern memory that anyone can talk about,” DeSantis said during a press conference in Davie Monday morning. “And so today, we are happy to announce historic reductions. … The vast, vast majority of Citizens policyholders will receive a significant reduction.”
Citizens Insurance has faced its share of controversy, particularly after it expanded following major hurricanes after 2018 as private companies fled the market. Premiums have since skyrocketed, leaving Citizens the sole option for many.
And in 2023, a new state law allowed Citizens to steer claim disputes to the Division of Administrative Hearings instead of going into state trial courts, Politico reported. Citizens had a staggering win rate of 90% of challenged claims through this hearing process, compared to winning just 55% of the time when claims would be battled out in circuit court, ProPublica reported.
By county, here are the four that will see the largest rate reductions:
Broward: 27,000 homeowners will see an average reduction of 14.1%.
Miami-Dade: 42,000 homeowners will see an average reduction of nearly 14%.
Palm Beach: 26,000 homeowners will see an average reduction of 11.9%.
Monroe: Homeowners with full coverage will see an average reduction of 11.3%.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Contact Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.
The announcement Monday comes after months of speculation he would join the race
From further eroding abortion rights to making it harder to access the state’s meager unemployment benefits, Florida lawmakers have filed a number of bills they hope to turn into law this year.
When voters are informed that Donalds has already been endorsed by President Donald Trump, his lead swells to 58 points
“Jay’s a good guy. He served this country admirably as a Green Beret. He has a great conservative record in the Florida Senate,” DeSantis said during an appearance in Davie. “I don’t know what he’s going to announce or not announce. You know, my role, obviously, I’m focused on the State of the State (address, which will be given Tuesday) and some other things. If I get involved in the primary, you know, you’ll know it. It’ll be at a time and place of my choosing, and so we’ll see.”
When he made the lieutenant governor appointment, DeSantis praised Collins for supporting issues such as combating illegal immigration and revamping election laws, while also calling him a “warrior” for assisting rescue workers in areas of the state hit by hurricanes and participating in efforts to rescue Floridians in Israel.
“I think he’s been one of the most productive senators we have had in modern Florida history,” DeSantis said in August. “And on all the big issues, he not only was an ally of mine, he was standing up for you.”
The lieutenant governor position had been vacant since February when Jeanette Nuñez — DeSantis’ 2018 and 2022 running mate — was named interim president of Florida International University. She was later named president.
A political committee led by Collins, Quiet Professionals FL, had just over $922,000 in cash on hand as of Sept. 30. A separate Collins-chaired political committee, Keep Florida Strong PC, opened in August but had not raised money as of Dec. 31, according to information posted on the state Division of Elections website.
By comparison, as of Sept. 30, Donalds had about $27 million in cash on hand in his Friends of Byron Donalds political committee.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and former Congressman David Jolly are the highest-profile Democrats running for governor.
Democratic Governors Association spokesman Kevin Donohoe said in a news release that “Collins and his Republican opponents only offer more of the failed status quo that has left working families behind and turned Florida into one of the least affordable states in the country.”
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Orlando City Hall on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, to protest ICE killing Minneapolis resident Renee Good. Credit: McKenna Schueler
A group of about 300 or so people peacefully rallied at Orlando City Hall on Sunday (with at least a couple dozen cops on standby) to denounce the killing of Minneapolis resident Renee Good by a federal immigration enforcement agent last week, and to demand state and local governments end their collaboration with U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement.
The rally in Orlando, organized by anti-Trump group Orlando 50501, was part of a coordinated weekend of peaceful protest actions and vigils across the U.S. in protest of the Trump administration’s deadly mass deportation agenda. According to Time magazine, at least 1,000 anti-ICE demonstrations across the U.S. happened over the weekend, from Orlando to New York City, Chicago, Minneapolis, Tuscon and the not-exactly-bright-blue Treasure Coast city of Stuart, Florida.
Protesters in Orlando held signs and banners that read “ICE agents are paid agitators,” “Fuck ICE,” “ICE Out 4 Good” and “Public safety doesn’t require body bags.”
“When Renee Good was murdered, this was far from the only killing that ICE has done,” said Corey Hill of Orlando 50501, speaking to a crowd gathered outside of Orlando City Hall early Sunday afternoon. “Thirty-two people were killed in ICE custody last year,” he pointed out. According to The Guardian, 2025 was the deadliest year on record for ICE in decades. At least six of the deaths in ICE custody last year occurred in Florida.
“They are engaging in kidnapping and violence from coast to coast, using our money to brutalize our people,” said Hill, who encouraged attendees to get plugged into local organizing work in solidarity with immigrant communities. “This is not a moment, this is a movement … Say it loud, say it clear: Immigrants are welcome here.”
The protest Sunday was spurred by the death of Good, a 37-year-old mother of three who was fatally shot by an ICE officer last Wednesday in Minneapolis, just about a mile from where George Floyd was murdered by police in 2020. Good was a U.S. citizen born in Colorado and an award-winning poet. Minneapolis leaders say she was serving as a legal observer of ICE activities when she encountered the agent who killed her, identified by media as Jonathan Ross.
Good had just dropped off her kid at school shortly before she was shot at multiple times by an ICE officer as she was fleeing the scene in her Honda Pilot, her dog in the backseat. The Trump administration has described her as a “domestic terrorist,” claiming she was trying to ram into agents with her car.
“We are here because our state keeps asking us to accept the unacceptable, because our leaders keep calling violence policy, because they keep saying, ‘We’re just complying,’” said Fi Gomez Jr., a LGBTQ+ immigrant justice organizer with the Apopka-based Hope CommUnity Center. “But let’s be clear: Compliance with violence is still fucking violence,” they said, earning roars of agreement from the crowd.
“Compliance with violence is still fucking violence”
“When the state cooperates with systems that cage, disappear and brutalize our people, it’s not neutrality, it’s not just the law. It’s complacency. And we are here to say no more.”
Florida reportedly leads the nation in the number of agreements that the state and local governments have signed with ICE, including Orange County and Orlando. Orange County has a controversial agreement with ICE that county leaders say is mandated under state law that allows federal immigration enforcement to detain people in the Orange County Jail temporarily before sending them to a long-term detention facility.
It’s cost the county more than $300,000 since Trump took office, so far, since the federal government has failed to fully reimburse the county for the cost of jailing people accused of being in the country illegally. The Orlando Police Department also has an agreement with ICE, allowing local police officers “limited immigration authority” alongside their normal duties.
Credit: McKenna Schueler
Organizers of the rally in Orlando on Sunday are calling on state and local elected officials to end their collaboration with ICE. With the 60-day state legislative session beginning Tuesday, advocates are also calling on state lawmakers to pass legislation (SB 316) that would prohibit ICE agents and other members of law enforcement from wearing masks during public immigration enforcement activities. It would also require them to wear visible identification.
The proposal, dubbed the “VISIBLE Act,” is sponsored by Democratic state Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith of Orlando and Jacksonville Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon.
The Immigrants Are Welcome Here coalition, made up of more than 60 Central Florida legal aid and advocacy groups, put together a petition through ActionNetwork with their call to action for elected officials to end agreements with ICE, distributed through the crowd on Sunday via a QR code.
“To the officials that can hear us today, history is watching you,” said Gomez. “Your silence is a decision, and ‘I was just following orders’ has never been an excuse that history forgives.”
The 34-page bill would presume certain non-citizens are at fault in car accidents, severely restrict their employment, and prevent Florida banks from loaning them money
The tribe is part of a lawsuit against Florida which claims “Alligator Alcatraz” planners failed to follow federal environmental regulations
Trump claimed the tribe worked against his immigration efforts, the basis he used to veto a flood protection project in the Florida Everglades
Credit: Photo via Congressman Byron Donalds/Facebook
A new public opinion survey of 600 likely Republican primary voters shows Naples U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds is running away with the 2026 Republican race for governor.
Donalds, who was elected to Florida’s 19th Congressional District in 2020, leads Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis — who has not declared a candidacy for governor — by “only” 13 points, 39%-26%, in a poll conducted by Fabrizio, Lee & Associates, a GOP political polling firm.
However, when voters are informed that Donalds has already been endorsed by President Donald Trump, his lead swells to 58 points, 68%-10%.
When GOP voters were asked how they would vote were the gubernatorial race held today, Donalds leads investment firm CEO James Fishback, 47%-5%. His lead leaps to 76%-6% over Fishback when voters are informed about the Trump endorsement. Former House Speaker Paul Renner gets 4%, but that number drops to 1% when informed about the Trump endorsement.
Lt. Gov. Jay Collins has discussed entering the race, but has yet to do so. The pollsters write that despite a high-profile series of television ads promoting him that aired in the last part of 2025, the needle hasn’t moved at all for the LG.
“Any sugar high from Jay Collins’ multimillion ad buy has completely dissipated,” they write. “Virtually no RPVs [Republican primary voters] recall seeing anything about Collins (only 16%) and Donalds crushes him in every ballot permutation.”
There have been no major polls of the Democratic primary race, which features former GOP U.S. Rep. David Jolly and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings.
Fabrizio, Lee & Associates conducted the survey of 600 likely GOP Florida voters from Jan. 4-6. The margin of error is +4.0%.
The state says the testing results show that the heavy metals included mercury, arsenic, lead, and cadmium.
The 34-page bill would presume certain non-citizens are at fault in car accidents, severely restrict their employment, and prevent Florida banks from loaning them money
HB 991 is sponsored by state Reps. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers, and Dana Trabulsy, R- Fort Pierce
We’ve wrapped up what felt like an eternity of a year in the City Beautiful, and now we’re already looking forward to some of the biggest new things and positive changes coming to Orlando in 2026. It’s so far shaping up to be another huge year for live music, the arts, theme park happenings, hometown drag heroes, sports, food and all the rest.
Vans Warped Tour 2026 Nov. 14 and 15 After Orlando was graced with being one of only three cities to host a revamped Vans Warped Tour in 2025, the music fest is set to come back to the Camping World Stadium grounds again this year. Expect nostalgic alternative music, up-and-coming artists, huge crowds, crowdsurfers, not-so cheap beer and endless Liquid Death. Credit: Ian SuarezHalloween Horror Nights Select nights Aug. 28-Nov. 1 While exact dates have yet to be announced, we do know when this year’s Halloween Horror Nights kicks off and wraps up. Dates, haunted house and scare zones themes, and other details will be announced in the coming months, Universal says. Credit: Halloween Horror Nights/FacebookFree parking in downtown All year (or until funds run out) Park DTO offers free two-hour parking (when users enter a code in the ParkMobile app) at all metered and non-metered parking spaces downtown. It’s part of an effort to encourage locals and visitors to patronize businesses and explore the city’s center. And as of early January, it’s been extended until Dec. 31, 2026, or until allocated funding is expended, the city says. Credit: Downtown Orlando/FacebookMyki Meeks reps Orlando on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 18 Season airing now Maybe you’ve seen her perform as one of the core members of Best of Orlando-winning drag night Off the Record. Maybe you’ve seen her hosting Orlando’s own take on Drag Race, YouTube series The Gig. Maybe you caught her as part of the Ren’s Nosferatu aftershow, V-Bar. Myki Meeks is one of the busiest drag artists in the City Beautiful, and her calendar got a hell of a lot more full with her recently becoming a contestant on Season 18 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Credit: CourtesyRolling Loud 2026 May 8-10 Hip-hop music festival Rolling Loud is rolling out of Miami for the first time ever, and it’s heading into Orlando for its only U.S. event of the year. Rolling Loud 2026 is set to take place at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium May 8 through 10. Presale tickets are on sale now at rollingloud.com. Credit: Rolling Loud/FacebookSpooky Empire May 29-31 Spooky Empire returns to Orlando for a weekend of chills and pop-culture fun. Founded back in 2003, the event has grown from a small gathering into one of the largest horror conventions in the country. Fans can meet celebrity guests, show off impressive cosplay and geek out all weekend. Credit: Houda EletrEola Food Hall opens April Eola Food Hall, the two-story venue across the street from the downtown Orlando Public Library, is on target for an April 2026 opening. The 15,000-square-foot space will house 10 vendors, a “small fine dining restaurant,” a wine room/speakeasy and a cocktail bar, not to mention panoramic, floor-to-ceiling views of Lake Eola Park. Credit: Image via Eola Food HallOrange County’s mayoral race Primary election: Aug. 18 | General election: Nov. 3 The electoral showdown for Orange County’s next mayor is set to take place this year. Current county Mayor Jerry Demings is term-limited from seeking re-election. Candidates so far include Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe, Tiffany Moore-Russell (who currently serves as Orange County Clerk) and local tech entrepreneur Christopher Messina, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2022. Credit: Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings/FacebookOrlando Museum of art hosts a David LaChapelle retrospective Jan. 31 to May 3 Famed celebrity photographer David LaChapelle is getting the retrospective treatment in the City Beautiful next year, courtesy of the Orlando Museum of Art. David LaChapelle: As the World Turns — opening Jan. 31, 2026 — will reportedly be the largest U.S. museum retrospective of the photographer’s works to date, presenting more than 100 of his photographs. The works featured will include well-known works and fantastical portraits of the likes of Amy Winehouse, David Bowie, Madonna, Muhammed Ali, Charli XCX, TuPac Shakur and Doja Cat, as well as a number of previously unseen shots. Credit: Courtesy OMADoja Cat Nov. 14 Speaking of Grammy-winning rapper Doja Cat, she’ll be spending much of next year out on tour and that includes an arena show in Orlando. Her “Tour Ma Vie” World Tour kicks off in November in New Zealand, and a year later will land in Florida for shows in Tampa, Miami and at Orlando’s Kia Center on Nov. 14. Credit: via Live NationFlorida’s minimum wage increases to $15 Sept. 30 After Florida’s minimum wage was raised to $14 last September, the state standard is on schedule to increase yet again this year due to inflation. Starting Sept. 30 this year, Florida’s minimum wage will rise to $15 per hour. Credit: by Monivette CordeiroWelcome to Rockville May 7-10 Heavyweight music festival Welcome to Rockville is confirmed to rock out for a 15th year in Daytona this spring. The lineup with a lineup features more than 160 bands including Guns N’ Roses, Foo Fighters, My Chemical Romance, Five Finger Death Punch, Godsmack, Staind, Turnstile, The Offspring, Parkway Drive, Bring Me the Horizon, Breaking Benjamin, Motionless in White, Lamb of God, A Day to Remember, Rise Against and many more. Credit: Jacquelin GoldbergEpcot International Food & Wine Festival Dates not yet announced The signature Epcot food and bevs event kicks off in the coming months and is expected to continue providing international sips and eats through the fall. The extensive food-focused festival features more than 25 Global Marketplaces (food stalls) serving up international cuisine from six continents, including Canada, Spain and India. Credit: Photo via Walt Disney World/Instagram“Weird Al” Yankovic May 29 “Weird Al” Yankovic takes the stage at Orlando’s Kia Center this spring. Bring your listening ears and be ready to laugh (and maybe cringe a little). Credit: “Weird Al” Yankovic/FacebookFlorida’s gubernatorial race Nov. 3 The race to elect Florida’s next governor will take place this fall as Ron DeSantis’ term ends. Naples Republican Byron Donalds is a front-runner with the backing of Donald Trump and Rick Scott, while leading Democratic contenders include Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and politician David Jolly. Credit: Byron Donalds/FacebookBlue Man Group open in Orlando May 1 After a welcome ceremony and groundbreaking in September 2024 for the blue-hued international entertainment group’s return to Orlando, the Blue Man Group will now open at its new 580-seat Icon Park theater this spring. Tickets go on sale Jan 16. and the show starts May 1, according to the Blue Man Group website. Credit: Photo via Blue Man Group/FacebookJack in the Box makes its Florida return in Orlando Timeline not yet announced California burger chain Jack in the Box announced in 2024 plans for a whopping 10 new locations in Florida, the first time the chain will call the Sunshine State home in more than 30 years. And one of those locations is set to be right here in Orlando. Credit: ShutterstockOrlando Fringe May 12-25 Orlando’s metric ton of local and national underground theater is heading back to town this spring. There’ll be shows for everyone and all interests, plus live music performances, interactive events and much more. Stay tuned. Credit: Photo via Orlando Fringe/FacebookOrlando Weekly events Various dates Orlando Weekly is looking at yet another year packed full of our bites- and bev-heavy annual events like Whiskey Business, Brunch in the Park and Orlando Beer Fest. Credit:Patrick Scott Barnes and Jesse AnnOrlando’s getting a UFL team Spring The Orlando Storm is set to debut in spring 2026, alongside two other new franchises in Columbus, Ohio, and Louisville, Kentucky. Home games will be played at Inter&Co Stadium, the 25,000-seat venue that serves as the home to both Orlando City and Orlando Pride (who also play football, but not American football, as the UFL does). Credit: via Inter&Co Stadium/FacebookEDC Nov. 6-8 Orlando’s premier electro music fest comes back to town this fall at Tinker Field. This year’s lineup has yet to be announced, but we know last year’s more than 100 artists — including Zedd, Tiësto, Armin van Buuren and Green Velvet — got loud, weird and freaky. There will also likely be the return of a trippy Ferris wheel, interactive art installations, themed environments, and a sea of fans dripping in neon, glitter and more than a little sweat. Credit: by Matt Keller LehmanWaymo Timeline not yet announced Self-driving taxis from the Alphabet-owned company Waymo are coming to the streets of Orlando in the coming months. This will make Orlando one of the first 10 cities in the country to offer the autonomous vehicle service. According to a city spokesperson, Waymo “has been keeping the city in the loop about their plans” to expand to the City Beautiful, but said that there are no city approvals needed for them to operate. The company, at the same time, announced plans to expand to Dallas, Houston, Miami and San Antonio this year. The cost of a Waymo ride can vary based on factors such as distance and duration. Credit:WaymoPeaches Feb. 21 Musician, director, performance artist and icon Peaches heads to Orlando’s Beacham this February on the “No Lube So Rude” tour, which follows the release of her first new album in more than a decade. Credit: LiveNationFinding out whether Epic Universe is actually planning an expansion Unknown After only a few months in existence, Universal Orlando’s newest park Epic Universe may already be looking toward making some changes, according to permits hinting an expansion. Universal Orlando filed for a permit on Nov. 7 detailing plans for utility and foundation work on a 150,000-square-foot building. The address listed is 1001 Epic Blvd., the official address for Epic Universe. But it is unclear whether the building is located within the park or just on Universal Boulevard property. We’re keeping our eyes peeled. Credit: Epic Universe/Facebook
A midcentury modern Orlando-area home (and piece of Florida’s architectural history) has hit the market yet again.
Located at 812 Sweetwater Club Blvd. in Longwood, the home is dubbed “The Fortress.” It was originally custom-designed and built in 1979 for the billionaire founders of Publishers Clearing House, Harold and LuEsther Mertz.
The couple enlisted world-renowned Orlando-based architect firm Helman Hurley Charvat Peacock/Architects, Inc. to create the home.
It offers nine bedrooms, 13 bathrooms and spans a total 14,623 square feet. The home is set on nearly 12 acres and the property centers around a 5-acre private lake spring fed by Wekiva Springs State Park. The exterior is sprinkled with imported European fountains, bronze sculptures and koi fish ponds.
Some other knockout features include the eight-car garage, resort-style outdoor entertainment area and the home’s very own tennis court.
The home is listed for $9,950,000 and the agent is Lisell Melo with Serhant Florida.
All photos via Realtor.com.
Every house has a story, and our mission is to tell Orlando’s story through the lens of our community’s most exceptional and historic homes. Orlando Weekly’s real estate features are not ads and are assembled by our editorial department. But we love public input. Do you know of a unique Florida home we should highlight? Let us know, and email cgreenberg@orlandoweekly.com.
Universal Orlando announced Thursday its full slate of annual events and experiences set for 2026, including Mardi Gras, Volcano Bay Nights, holidays at the park and Halloween Horror Nights.
Halloween Horror Nights this year celebrates a 35th birthday that’ll kick off Aug. 28 and run through Nov. 1. It’s set to run on select nights, which will be announced at a later date, Universal says.
The park has also yet to begin to tease haunted house and scare zone themes. Last year’s widely well-received 10 franchise-based and original houses included Five Nights at Freddy’s; WWE Presents: The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks; Terrifier; Jason Universe; Fallout; Hatchets and Chains: Demon Bounty Hunters; Dolls: Let’s Play Dead; Grave of Flesh; Gálkn: Monsters of the North; and El Artista: A Spanish Haunting.
Also announced for 2026 was Universal’s Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval, set to return Feb. 7 through April 4. Expect sky-high parade floats, live music performances and plenty of New Orleans-themed eats.
The park says its still new(ish) Volcano Bay Nights will return this year, although exact dates have yet to be shared. The nighttime waterpark event was first launched in early 2025 and came back again in the fall. It offered guests access to the limited-capacity park at night, with character meet-and-greets, live entertainment and treats.
Holidays at Universal Orlando kick off just days after HHN on Nov. 14 and will run through Jan. 3. The park will see the return of annual traditions like Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Grinchmas, and Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s. There will also be a slate of New Year’s Eve festivities at the parks and Universal CityWalk, which will be announced in the coming months.
Florida businesses that purposely ignore whether employees are legally in the United States could face hefty fines or even criminal charges if they hire more than 50 undocumented immigrants, according to a sweeping new immigration package.
Filed Wednesday by Republican Sen. Jonathan Martin, the 34-page bill would presume certain non-citizens are at fault in car accidents, severely restrict their employment, and prevent state banks from loaning them money.
It’s the most wide-ranging immigration bundle proposed so far ahead of the 2026 session, and would extend a 2025 crackdown that removed in-state tuition for undocumented students, imposed state-level penalties for illegally entering Florida, and required all counties to partner with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The nationwide push to quash all avenues for undocumented immigration has been exemplified in Florida, the first state to create a state-run migrant detention center. Since President Donald Trump’s inauguration last January, Sunshine State officials have mirrored his anti-illegal immigration agenda.
This includes deputizing hundreds of state and local officials to act as immigration officers; Florida is the only state to have all of its (67) counties entering into 287(g) agreements, which are partnerships with ICE.
Martin didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
E-Verify penalties
SB 1380 would create civil penalties for employers who fail to properly use E-Verify, a federal database that checks whether new hires are legally authorized to work in the country. This builds off of another Martin bill, which would require all businesses to use E-Verify.
Employers who fail to check workers’ immigration status through E-Verify before submitting workers’ compensation claims would be personally liable for any costs, expenses, or benefits for undocumented employees.
Purposely not checking their status, however, would result in suspension of business licenses for one year and fines up to $10,000. Doing it again would result in a five-year license suspension alongside a $100,000 fine, and a third violation would mean permanent license revocation and a $250,000 fine.
If the employer purposely flouts this section and the undocumented worker then ends up injuring another person, the employer’s license would be suspended for five years with a $100,000 fine. If the worker kills another person, the licenses would be permanently revoked with a $500,000 fine.
In a similar vein, the bill would impose a third-degree felony charge for an employer who knowingly hires more than 50 undocumented workers. The business would permanently lose its license. The bill would create a cause of action against the employer for any person injured or the next of kin of a person killed by the actions of an undocumented worker.
These provisions evoke a recently closed, two-year federal investigation into Archer Western, a road-building company hired by the state that employed undocumented immigrants for years, as the Tampa Bay Times has reported.
Officials opened the investigation after an undocumented Archer Western employee driving heavy machinery in 2022 hit and killed a PinellasCounty deputy. At least 18 of his coworkers on that state-funded construction site were also undocumented.
Car accidents, foreign remittances, and licensing
SB 1380 would create a rebuttable presumption of fault in car accidents involving undocumented immigrants from other states. This means if an out-of-state driver who is undocumented is involved in a car accident in Florida, authorities could presume he or she was at fault — as long as the other motorist wasn’t driving recklessly, under the influence, or clearly at fault.
Insurers could not pay benefits or settle claims with an unauthorized out-of-state driver, the bill says.
Additionally, the bill requires law enforcement officers investigating car accidents to verify whether the parties are legally in the country.
Other provisions would ban the state Division of Risk Management from approving a claim submitted by an adult undocumented immigrant. Unauthorized immigrants would be barred from sending money to other countries and state banks could not accept IDs traditionally used by undocumented immigrants or those illegally in the state with down payments or loans.
All licensing procedures, relicensing instruction, and licensing testing must be conducted in English, the bill says. Interpreters, translators, or alternate language accommodations would be banned.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday called a special legislative session in April to redraw congressional districts, as Republicans seek to maintain control of the U.S. House in this year’s elections.
With Florida’s regular 60-day session starting next week, DeSantis called the special session for the week of April 20, at least in part to give the U.S. Supreme Court time to rule in a pending Louisiana redistricting case. The DeSantis administration also rescheduled a qualifying period for Florida congressional candidates.
“I know there’s a lot of people that are excited in both the (Florida) House and the Senate to be able to do it (redraw the districts). So, they’re going to get their chance to do it,” DeSantis said during an appearance in Steinhatchee. “But realistically, you can’t do it now. The Supreme Court hasn’t ruled. So, we’ve got to give some time for that.”
The call came after the Florida House, whose leaders have clashed with DeSantis on a variety of issues during the past year, started a redistricting review. Redrawing lines in the middle of the decade would be highly unusual, as redistricting traditionally occurs after the U.S. census is released.
Amelia Angleton, a spokeswoman for House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, said in an email that the House was “made aware of the (special session) proclamation this morning.”
Senate President Ben Albritton, a Wauchula Republican who had previously expressed support for delaying redistricting until after the regular session, said in a memo to senators Wednesday that there is “no ongoing work regarding mid-decade redistricting taking place in the Senate at this time. I’ll continue to monitor legal developments and will keep you updated.”
President Donald Trump has pushed several Republican-controlled states to redraw districts in advance of the 2026 elections. Democratic-dominated California has responded with its own redistricting effort.
Democrats, who are far outnumbered by Republicans in the Florida House and Senate, and groups such as the League of Women Voters of Florida have warned that a mid-decade redistricting process would lead to costly litigation. Such litigation likely would focus, at least in part, on 2010 state constitutional amendments — known as the Fair Districts amendments — that created standards for redistricting.
“Florida’s Fair Districts Amendment strictly prohibits any maps from being drawn for partisan reasons, and regardless of any bluster from the governor’s office, the only reason we’re having this unprecedented conversation about drawing new maps is because Donald Trump demanded it,” state Senate Minority Leader Lori Berman, D-Boca Raton, said in a statement.
Lawmakers will start the regular session on Tuesday, and it is scheduled to end March 13.
DeSantis, who said he also might seek a special session to address his priority of cutting property taxes, has said he expects the U.S. Supreme Court in the Louisiana case to make changes related to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. That could help bolster efforts to redraw districts. The case, Louisiana v. Callais, involves issues about the creation of two majority-Black districts and the Voting Rights Act.
Wednesday’s proclamation for the special session said “the Legislature should wait as long as is feasible for conducting the 2026 elections before redrawing Florida’s congressional district boundaries in order to take advantage of any further guidance from the United States Supreme Court, which is expected in early 2026, on the use of race in drawing electoral districts.”
DeSantis also contends new congressional district lines would better reflect Florida’s increased population since the 2020 census was conducted.
But state House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, said the governor’s goal is to draw maps that favor Republicans, who already hold 20 of the state’s 28 congressional seats.
“Florida’s government should not be rigging elections. That’s what they do in places like Cuba and Venezuela, not America,” Driskell said in a conference call with reporters. “This is a cynical swamp-like behavior that makes people hate politics.”
In conjunction with DeSantis’ special-session proclamation, Secretary of State Cord Byrd issued a separate directive to county elections supervisors that, in part, moved back the congressional-candidate qualifying period, which had been scheduled the week of April 20. It was moved back to June 8 to June 12, the same qualifying period for candidates seeking state offices.
As part of the regular post-census redistricting process in 2022, DeSantis pressured lawmakers to revamp North Florida’s Congressional District 5, which in the past stretched from Jacksonville to west of Tallahassee and elected Black Democrat Al Lawson. Lawmakers redrew the district in the Jacksonville area, with Republicans then winning it and all other North Florida districts.
DeSantis argued that keeping the previous design of the district would have been an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. Voting-rights groups challenged the constitutionality of the redrawn district, but the Florida Supreme Court upheld it.
A House Republican is charging back into a continuing fight over vaccines and doctors that created a huge rift during last year’s legislative session.
Rep. Jeff Holcomb late last month filed HB 917, a proposal that takes aim at doctors who refuse to treat patients based on their vaccination schedule while also delving into other contentious health care treatment disputes.
The administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis backed a similar bill last year championed by Department of Health Secretary and State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Ladapo, but the vaccine provision was stripped from the bill.
In an email to the Florida Phoenix, Holcomb said he “feels strongly” the bill will pass this year.
“We saw during the Covid pandemic that medical decisions were made without proper safety measures. We have a similar situation with the childhood vaccine schedule. The vaccines our children are mandated to have do not have sufficient safety studies. This was confirmed yesterday with CDC shrinking the recommended childhood vaccine schedule,” he said, referencing the decision Monday to shrink the recommended number of childhood vaccines from 17 to 11.
Holcomb’s bill doesn’t eliminate any vaccine mandate now in Florida statute or rule.
The bill does amend Florida’s Patient’s Bill of Rights and Responsibilities to make clear that a health care provider or facility cannot discriminate against a patient based upon the patient’s vaccination status.
Additionally, Holcomb’s bill would add “vaccine status” to the list of reasons protected in law why patients cannot be discriminated against. That list now includes race, national origin, handicap, and source of payment.
The bill would allow the DOH or the appropriate licensing board to discipline providers who discriminate against patients based on vaccine status. The penalties in law vary from restricting, suspending, or revoking a license to imposing administrative fines or both.
Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics President Rana Alissa, a Jacksonville physician, said the association does not support HB 917.
“When you have somebody that is unvaccinated and coming with fever, what if that patient has measles? If they are going to come and be in the waiting room with people who have leukemia, or for any reason they do have a lower immune system, they are going to expose them to measles,” Alissa said.
Physician’s offices aren’t designed to safely accommodate unvaccinated patients, she said.
“You have to change the way clinics are built. You have to have a different waiting room, you have to have a different stairs, you have to have a different elevator. You have to have negative-pressure rooms to accommodate these unvaccinated kids when they have signs and symptoms of the illness,” she said.
“You want to force them to take unvaccinated kids? Then you have to help them reconstruct their clinics and you have to basically accommodate them accordingly.”
The language is identical to what the DeSantis administration pushed for last year in a far-reaching bill that addressed an array of Department of Health-related issues, from background screening requirements for staff at medical marijuana treatment centers to physician licensure requirements.
While HB 1299 ultimately passed and was signed into law by the governor, it didn’t contain the anti-discrimination language the DeSantis administration wanted.
Another vaccine-related provision in HB 917 left over from the 2025 session addresses messenger ribonucelic acid (mRNA) vaccines.
The Legislature in 2023 passed a law that banned governmental entities, business establishments, and educational institutions from discriminating against someone based on mRNA vaccination status. Essentially, the law banned the use of vaccine passports in Florida. But it was valid only through June 2025.
The DeSantis administration tried unsuccessfully last year to make the ban permanent in HB 1299, but the Legislature refused to go along. Lawmakers did agree, however, to extend the ban through June 2027. HB 917 would make the ban permanent.
DeSantis in September criticized the Legislature for refusing to go along with his health-care proposals. Specifically regarding the mRNA provisions, DeSantis said: “That’s got to be made permanent. I mean, everyone is glad that we did that. Even the far left, I don’t hear them, at least publicly they won’t admit they’re for vaccine passports. It doesn’t make sense. So, they need to do that.”
The governor and Ladapo said over the summer that they want to eliminate all vaccine mandates from Florida statutes. That would require legislative buy-in that isn’t clear the governor and Ladapo, his state health czar, can expect.
In the meantime, the DOH has proposed changing its rules regarding vaccine requirement for school and day care, specifically removing requirements for children to receive the hepatitis B, varicella (chicken pox), and haemophilus influenza B or Hib vaccine. The DOH is proposing to also eliminate those vaccines, along with the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for admission to a licensed day care facility.
HB 917 wouldn’t eliminate any vaccine mandate from statute. But the legislation would require every licensed health care provider authorized to vaccinate children to advise parents and legal guardians of the “unique risks, benefits, safety, and efficacy of each vaccine included on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule.”
Holcomb’s bill would require health care providers to give parents and legal guardians the option of following “alternative vaccination schedules that may consist of not more than one injection or oral administration at each encounter.”
Parent and legal guardians would be required to sign a document attesting they have been provided the requisite immunization information.
Behind-the-counter ivermectin
HB 917 would authorize pharmacists to sell ivermectin “behind the counter,” which means pharmacy assistance wouldn’t needed to obtain the product.
Ivermectin is an effective treatment for parasites in animals and for use by humans to treat parasites such as head lice and scabies, according to the National Institutes of Health. The FDA has not approved Ivermectin for treatment or prevention of COVID-19, and so far recommends against taking it for COVID-19, instead suggesting people get vaccinated for protection.
Nevertheless, there was buzz during the pandemic about using it for treatment for COVID-19.
HB 917 provides pharmacists who sell ivermectin from behind the counter with immunity from civil and criminal liability as well as disciplinary protections.
Specifically, HB 917 would authorize pharmacists to provide ivermectin to patients and customers as long as the pharmacist provides written information about the indications and contraindications of the use of ivermectin and the appropriate dosage for using ivermectin. The information must advise the person to seek follow up care from a primary care physician.
There is no age restriction in HB 917 for the purchase of ivermectin. Holcomb has also filed HB 29, to legalize over-the-counter sale of ivermectin. That means it wouldn’t be limited but freely accessible.
HB 29 has been referred to three House committees. There is no Senate companion.
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A Florida bill banning drivers from holding their phones on the road was re-filed Tuesday, one week before the start of the 2026 legislative session.
Republican Sen. Erin Grall’s bill, revived from last session, would expand the Sunshine State’s ban on texting while driving to cover holding or “supporting” a handheld device while on the road.
This means drivers would not be able to make calls from their phone, hold it, or even rest it on their laps if the bill becomes law. If passed, it would take effect on Oct. 1.
“‘Handheld manner’ means holding a wireless communications device in one or both hands or physically supporting the device with any other part of the body,” SB 1152 reads. These devices could range from phones to laptops to gaming devices.
The bill would not apply to first responders or include small radios or in-vehicle systems.
Drivers who violate the law while moving through either a school zone or past construction workers would be slapped with a $150 fine and 3 points off their licenses. A subsequent offense would include a $250 fine and 3 more points against the license, and a third offense would include a $500 fine, 4 points against the license, and a 90-day license suspension.
Where did the bill come from?
Tallahassee resident Demetrius Branca has been a leading advocate for a hands-free driving law, which would mirror those of 30 other states plus Washington, D.C. In 2014, Branca’s 19-year-old son Anthony while on his way to Tallahassee State College was killed by a distracted Comcast driver.
During the 2024 session, when the measure passed the House but was never scheduled in the Senate, Branca blasted then-chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, Nick DiCeglie, during a Pinellas County legislative delegation meeting. The two engaged in a sharp exchange, but DiCeglie changed course when the bill reemerged during the 2025 legislative session, the Phoenix previously reported.
“I looked at the statistics,” DiCeglie said at the time. “I looked at the data, and I looked at what 31 other states did. And I thought of you and I thought of your son, Anthony.”
Although it passed the Senate that time around, the legislation was never scheduled in the House — a reversal from the year before. Branca blamed Rep. Linda Chaney, who chaired one of the committees that was supposed to see the bill.
“You stopped it cold,” Branca told her at a Pinellas County legislative meeting. “After all the work, all the testimony, all the grieving parents who begged you to act. You chose to not let it through. That was not leadership, that was political cowardice and I’m standing here to look you in the eye and tell you to your face.”
Undocumented immigrants in Florida won’t be able to attend public universities if a sweeping new education bill passes the state Legislature.
The 32-page SB 1052, filed Monday by Vero Beach Republican Sen. Erin Grall, instructs public colleges and universities to exclusively admit students who are “citizen[s] of the United States” or “lawfully present therein.”
It also would prevent migrants illegally in the country from participating in state-funded adult general education programs, which include classes for GED and English as a second language that help “adult learners gain the knowledge and skills they need to enter and succeed in postsecondary education,” as defined on the Department of Education’s website.
This builds off of a provision in a Feb. 2025 law that nixed all in-state tuition for undocumented college students.
Grall’s bill comes amid a crackdown on undocumented immigration that surged in early 2025 when President Donald Trump re-took office. Trump’s administration soon imposed a deportation quota for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, increased the cost for certain work visas, and supported states like Florida that are building their own detention centers.
Florida became the first and only state to require all 67 counties to enter into 287(g) agreements, which are state- and local-level partnerships with ICE.
SB 1052, which doesn’t have a companion measure in the House yet, also would strike the requirement for a gender-equity plan in intercollegiate athletics.
Although the measure still demands universities comply with the Title IX prohibition on discrimination in athletic programs, the Florida College System would not have to draw up plans to consider equity in sports offerings, participation, availability of facilities, scholarship offerings, and funds allocated for administration, recruitment, comparable coaching, publicity and promotion, and other support costs.
This would rewrite a 2001 state law requiring these plans as extensions of Title IX protections.
Grall’s bill includes a waiver certain tuition fees for active members of the Florida State Guard.
Grall’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A Leon County circuit judge has rejected a lawsuit filed by five Democratic lawmakers who sought access to the immigrant-detention center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” saying laws about access to state prisons and local jails do not apply to the Everglades facility.
Judge Jonathan Sjostrom on Friday sided with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration in the lawsuit filed after lawmakers made an unannounced visit to the detention center in July but were denied access. The Democrats contended in the lawsuit the denial violated laws allowing access by legislators to correctional institutions.
Sjostrom, in a five-page ruling, wrote that the laws allow access to facilities such as state prisons and county jails — but not to the immigrant-detention center run by the state.
“The (immigrant detention) facility does not meet the statutory definition of a state correctional institution because no prisoner is housed in the facility under the jurisdiction of the Florida Department of Corrections,” Sjostrom wrote. “Likewise, the facility does not meet the statutory definition of a county or municipal detention facility because there is no allegation that the (immigrant detention) facility is operated by any county or municipal government or related entity.”
The state drew national attention when it opened the facility last year at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport as DeSantis and other Florida Republican leaders sought to assist President Donald Trump’s mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. The facility, which is surrounded by the Everglades and Big Cypress National Preserve, also has led to separate legal battles in federal court. The airport had long been used for flight training.
Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville, and Rep. Michele Rayner, D-St. Petersburg, went to the center on July 3 “to inspect the state detention facility, evaluate the use of taxpayer funds and assess safety pursuant to Florida statutory guidelines,” the lawsuit said.
“The petitioners (the lawmakers) attempted to arrive unannounced so that they could observe the unadulterated conditions of the facility,” the lawsuit said. “The unannounced inspection of the facility falls squarely within the petitioners’ purview and oversight duties as state officers and members of the Florida Legislature.”
After they were turned away, the lawmakers filed the case at the Florida Supreme Court on July 10 seeking what is known as a “writ of quo warranto” directing DeSantis and state Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie to allow lawmakers unannounced access to the facility. The Supreme Court, without offering an opinion about the lawmakers’ arguments, sent the case to circuit court.
Amid the controversy, state lawmakers and members of Congress were allowed to visit the facility, though Democrats said the visit was tightly controlled and left unanswered questions.
In a November response to the lawsuit, attorneys for DeSantis and Guthrie wrote that the laws cited by the Democrats “do not entitle them as individual legislators to enter Alligator Alcatraz at their pleasure.”
“The facility is not a ‘state correctional institution’ because it is not a ‘prison’ or ‘other correctional facility,’” the response said, partially quoting one law. “‘Prisons’ and ‘correctional facilities’ describe facilities that are part of the criminal justice system. … Instead, Alligator Alcatraz is a short-term civil detention facility in which illegal aliens are held under the authority of the federal government and processed for deportation.”
In addition to citing the laws about legislators having access to correctional facilities, the lawsuit also raised constitutional separation-of-powers arguments.
“The denial of the petitioners’ access to the ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ detention facility was an unconstitutional executive overreach because it prevented the duly elected members of the Florida Legislature from exercising their powers,” the lawsuit said. “The petitioners’ denial of entry and access restricted the Legislature’s independence as a co-equal branch of government.”
But in the November response, the DeSantis administration attorneys said the state Constitution gives the Legislature oversight authority and a law authorizes legislative committees to carry out investigations. But the administration attorneys said individual lawmakers don’t have such powers.
“Far from the governor or FDEM (the Division of Emergency Management) usurping the authority of another branch of government, it is petitioners who attempt to usurp the authority of the Legislature and its committees by taking matters into their own hands,” the response said.
Without directly praising President Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis Monday at Florida’s “Deportation Depot” condemned the “destructive” Nicolás Maduro government days after U.S. military forces captured him.
It was the Florida governor’s first public comments on Maduro’s seizure, which happened late Saturday night at his Caracas compound.
DeSantis, often hyperactive on social media, was one of the few state leaders who’d stayed quiet in the first days following the operation — even though the Sunshine State boasts the largest Venezuelan community in the nation.
On Monday, he broke his silence.
“We’ve seen the country of Venezuela suffering under the yoke of Marxist ideology, first with Hugo Chávez and then with Nicolás Maduro,” DeSantis said, speaking alongside members of the Florida Cabinet at the entrance to the detention facility his administration has been calling “Deportation Depot” to announce more than 10,000 arrests of undocumented migrants.
“You will be hard pressed to find a reign as destructive as the Chávez-Maduro reign has been; taking a country that has been prosperous with an abundance of resources and basically destroying it and making it so that it’s miserable, repressed, and now one of the poorest countries,” he added.
Late Saturday night, American forces captured Maduro and his wife and brought them to New York. Both were arraigned in federal court on drug trafficking charges.
Doral in South Florida is home to the largest Venezuelan community in the United States. More than 34,000 of its 81,000 residents are of Venezuelan descent.
What was the conference about?
DeSantis called the news conference to celebrate the continuance of Operation Tidal Wave, a detention round-up launched in late April that initially captured more than 1,000 undocumented migrants. Of the updated total as of Monday, DeSantis said, 63% had past criminal charges.
Built at the defunct Baker Correctional Institution in Sanderson — midway between Gainesville and Jacksonville — the state opened “Deportation Depot” mid-September to assist in mass detentions and deportations. It can accommodate 1,310 beds and is expected to hold as many as 2,000 people in a temporary capacity.
It’s been the launch point for 93 deportation flights containing 2,926 people since the center’s opening, DeSantis said.
The North Florida facility came two months after President Donald Trump joined Florida Republicans in opening “Alligator Alcatraz” in the Everglades, the nation’s first state-run detention center.
The state has also been planning for months to open a third center called the “Panhandle Pokey,” but DeSantis said Florida officials are “still waiting” for the Department of Homeland Security to approve it.
He added that Florida may open a fourth detention center in southern Florida. The governor said he’s looking at a number of options but wants to make sure it would “make sense” both in terms of finances and capacity.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded Florida in September a $608 million reimbursement grant for costs associated with the detention and deportation of migrants. This came months after Florida became the first — and only — state to require all 67 counties to partner with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The anti-undocumented immigration sentiment sweeping Florida politics was both inspired by and mirrored in the White House after Trump took office in January 2025. Trump, beginning his second term, emphasized sealing the southern border as a top priority for his administration and removing migrants in the country without official permission.
Florida Republicans heartily agreed. The GOP-dominated Legislature passed a comprehensive law in early 2025 — weeks after Trump’s inauguration — creating state-level penalties for illegally entering Florida, mandating the death penalty for noncitizens who commit capital crimes, and nixing in-state tuition for undocumented college students.
A divided Florida Supreme Court ruling this week on assisted reproduction methods raises the prospect of children having three parents — or at least raises a new complication for couples seeking to have kids with outside help.
By a narrow 4-2 margin, the state’s high court on Wednesday concluded that under Florida statute a sperm donor did not automatically relinquish his parental rights because the artificial insemination was done at home instead of at a fertility clinic.
A majority of justices agreed to overturn two lower court decisions that had previously found that Angel Rivera had given up his parental rights when he agreed to provide his sperm to Ashley Brito and Jennifer Salas.
Brito used an at-home artificial insemination kit. According to court documents, Brito and Salas got married after confirming the pregnancy and began raising the child together. However, they separated a little more than a year later. Soon afterward, Rivera filed a petition seeking recognition as the child’s legal father.
The majority justices stressed that they were not concluding that Rivera is entitled to parental rights. Rather, the opinion focused on whether the governing state law, passed in 1993 and amended in 2020, applies to people who artificially inseminate outside a clinic setting.
Justice Jaime Grosshans, writing for the majority, said the law did not apply to Rivera.
“Taken together, it is clear that this section of newly enacted statutes, as well as the one amended statute, focused almost exclusively on providing a legal framework for gestational surrogacy issues and laboratory-based reproductive procedures — i.e. ART, [assistive reproductive technology],” Grosshans wrote.
Joining Grosshans in the decision were outgoing Justice Charles Canady as well as Justice Jorge Labarga and Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz.
Justice John Couriel, who wrote a dissenting opinion that Justices Meredith Sasso and Renatha Francis concurred with, said the majority “gets that job wrong” and that it was clear that Rivera was clearly a donor whose actions were covered by the law.
And Couriel argued that the court’s decision opens the door to circumstances not authorized by the Legislature.
“But now, the majority authorizes Rivera to become parent number three,” Couriel wrote. “This might be good or bad policy by the Court’s lights, but it is not our law.”
Couriel added, “The Court seems bashful about the full import of its reasoning, stopping one step short of what it knows will be an odd result indeed under Florida law: declaring Rivera a child’s third legal parent. And that is understandable. Whatever hoops Rivera and other donors in his position will have to jump through, so too will people who have relied on their donations as they await the courts’ sorting out of claims that the statute on its face resolves.”
