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Thoroughbred racing ‘decoupling’ bill gets an overhaul aimed at preserving the industry

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A bill aimed at saving thoroughbred horse racing in Florida and leveling the playing field for the parimutuel industry has undergone significant changes, aimed at alleviating fears from the thoroughbred industry that the measure could end racing.

A proposed committee substitute (PCS) maintains what is known as decoupling — which eliminates the requirement that thoroughbred racing facilities host live races in order to maintain permits for ancillary activities such as slot machines and card rooms — while adding a new commitment to maintain thoroughbred racing in the state.

The PCS to Rep. Adam Anderson’s measure (HB 105) adds language confirming that a track cannot stop racing unless they provide a three-year notice to the thoroughbred industry. It goes further by mandating that such notice cannot be given until 2027. The revision is meant to ensure the state’s two existing thoroughbred tracks, Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream Park, continue racing into the future.

Additionally, the PCS provides the ability to move existing thoroughbred race permits to different facilities, providing flexibility and new possibilities for the thoroughbred race industry.

The original bill easily cleared its first committee hearing last month, with a 12-4 favorable vote by the House Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee.

The bill, as it was originally written and under the new PCS, would allow Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach to continue operating its on-site casino without a contingency that it also operate horse racing. The measure is meant to align thoroughbred tracks with other parimutuel facilities that were decoupled from ancillary activities under a 2021 law (SB 2A).

Supporters of the legislation say it is necessary to level the playing field for horse race tracks, by giving them the option to maintain certain gambling activities even without live horse races. It would make each activity independent.

But the measure is not without opposition. Critics have been concerned about the continuation of horse racing. This PCS addresses those concerns and seeks to provide stability to the industry with the guarantee of racing into the future.

Horse racing is declining, but Gulfstream Park is making efforts to preserve it as a significant industry. The park hopes to attract more attention to its racing activities by making necessary improvements to its facility.

The decline of the racing industry is apparent through horse breeding statistics.

In 2002, about 4,500 foals were bred. By last year, that number had dropped to just around 1,000. The PCS aims to provide significant support to Florida’s breeding industry. With these additional incentives in place, supporters hope the breeding industry will not only recover, but emerge more resilient and stronger than before.


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James Uthmeier says Andrew and Tristan Tate keep digging themselves ‘deeper into a hole’

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The investigation continues.

Attorney General James Uthmeier says Andrew and Tristan Tate are continuing to push their luck amid a probe into potentially illegal activities launched when they came to Florida a few weeks ago.

During an appearance on “The Dana Show,” Uthmeier condemned the brothers’ “weakness and sickness,” and suggested that a case against them continues to build.

“Every time these guys open their mouths, it gets them deeper in a hole,” the Gov. Ron DeSantis-appointed legal officer said.

“If we can show that they committed crimes on Florida soil, then we will continue to pursue them, you know, at all costs.”

Uthmeier said the two are “charged with horrific things around the world” and “go public and they make jokes about being with girls that are 15 or 16.”

“They make jokes about not knowing the age of consent in Florida, in the United States. When you have victims coming forward, when you have public admissions, when you have criminal investigations around the world, there are clearly reasons why we, as a state, have a duty to investigate and protect our citizenry. And we will continue to do that,” Uthmeier promised.

“When it comes to human trafficking and preying upon, you know, our women and girls that are not at the age of majority, we will stop at nothing to protect them.”

While the Tates have been accused of human trafficking in Romania and face civil action for sexual abuse from four women in Britain, they have not been convicted there or anywhere else, despite a wide array of sordid soundbites and lurid anecdotes about them.

Andrew Tate continues to bait Florida into arresting him, and recently trolled First Lady Casey DeSantis by suggesting that she won’t be elected Governor if the state lets him run free.


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Rick Scott likes Byron Donalds over Casey DeSantis for Governor

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‘I’m going to do everything I can to be helpful to him. I think he’ll be a phenomenal Governor.’

The most recent former Governor is ready for change in the Governor’s Mansion.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott says he prefers U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds over First Lady Casey DeSantis in the 2026 Governor’s race.

Scott is closely aligned with President Donald Trump and has had a distant relationship with current Gov. Ron DeSantis. New comments from Scott are the latest indication that the First Lady may be the underdog if she runs in the Republican Primary next August.

“Byron’s a friend. He’s my Congressman,” Scott told radio host Brian Kilmeade Monday when asked if he would endorse Donalds. “I’m going to do everything I can to be helpful to him. I think he’ll be a phenomenal Governor. I think he’s going to win. I’m glad that Trump endorsed him.”

Asked about Casey DeSantis entering the race, Scott reiterated that “Byron Donalds is going to win.”

Scott said Donalds has a “track record,” that he “works his butt off,” and that he “believes in the right things.”

Scott offered yet another reminder of who Trump backs, meanwhile, describing the President’s endorsement as “golden in this state.”

The dynamic between Scott and the current Governor has been rough since DeSantis’ inauguration. The two have squabbled about issues ranging from the state’s unemployment website to the need to return unspent COVID stimulus money to the federal government, and they have not visibly cooperated on much of anything in the last six-plus years.

Gov. DeSantis has yet to respond to Scott backing Donalds, but when the Senator endorsed Trump over him in the 2024 Republican Primary, DeSantis accused Scott of trying to “short-circuit” voters.


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Florida unemployment rate in January shows first increase in months

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Florida’s jobless rate increased for the first time in about a half year to start 2025.

FloridaCommerce released the January figures showing that the unemployment rate came in at 3.5%. That’s the first increase in about a half year.

The rate held steady at 3.4% for the back half of 2024. Prior to that, the rate remained at 3.3% for most of early last year.

There were 390,000 people out of work in January in Florida out of a total labor force of 11,188,000 people in the state. That total labor force figure is the highest number Florida has ever seen.

“Florida continues to prove that leadership and conservative fiscal policies drive success,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis. “We will keep the momentum going by insisting on reducing government spending, continuing to eliminate bureaucracy, and finding more tax reductions for Floridians.”

While Florida’s jobless rate increased in January, it still remains lower than the national rate, which is 4%. The Sunshine State has maintained a lower jobless figure than the national number for 51 straight months.

Miami-Dade County had the lowest unemployment rate in the state for January at 2.4%, slightly down from December’s 2.5%. But compared to a year ago, January’s unemployment rate saw a 0.5-percentage-point increase from last year.

Sumter County had the highest unemployment rate in the state in January at 6.9%.

Among major metropolitan areas in Florida, Fort Myers and Pensacola shared the dubious distinction of having 4% unemployment rates in January, the highest among large metro areas. Both were increases month-to-month and compared to January 2024.

Jacksonville and Tampa each had a 3.8% unemployment rate in January. Both were increases from a year ago, and each had an increase from the December unemployment rate.

Palm Beach County registered a 3.7% jobless figure in January. That figure was also up for the month and the year-over-year comparison.

The Orlando area also had an increase in the jobless figure, coming in at 3.6%. As was the same with other major metro areas, that figure was an increase for the month and the year.


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