Good Wednesday morning.

Red Dog Blue Dog 2025 is here.

The annual charity fundraiser runs from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Township. For the unfamiliar, Red Dog Blue Dog pits two teams of bartenders — one comprised of Republican lawmakers and the other Democrats — against each other in a friendly competition. Every dollar that goes into the tip jar supports local animal rescue operations.

This year’s Red Team lineup: Rep. Danny Alvarez, Rep. Adam Botana, Rep. Demi Busatta, Sen. Alexis Calatayud, Rep. Hillary Cassel, Rep. Tiffany Esposito, Rep. Mike Redondo and Rep. Kaylee Tuck.

Slinging for the Blue Team: Sen. Jason Pizzo, Sen. Tina Polsky, Sen. Kristen Arrington, Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, Rep. Christine Hunschofsky, Rep. Lindsay Cross, Rep. Tae Edmonds and Rep. Kevin Chambliss.

An addition to this year’s event is House of Rock, a band featuring Rep. Taylor Yarkosky on rhythm guitar and Rep. Chip LaMarca on drums. The three-piece is rounded out by Department of Business & Professional Regulation General Counsel David Axelman on lead guitar and vocals.

Just because the competition is friendly doesn’t mean it isn’t fierce — past Red Dog Blue Dog events have raised tens of thousands of dollars for local animal shelters, and on more than one occasion, Team Red and Team Blue finished the night just a few dollars apart.

RDBD 2025’s Presenting Sponsor is Lisa Miller & Associates, and the Bar Sponsor is Rubin Turnbull & Associates.

___

President Donald Trump is announcing the release of 80,000 previously unredacted files related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

As The Associated Press reports, Trump claims there will be no redactions and reporters will have “a lot of reading” to do.

Trump signed an order to release the files and handed the signing pen to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist who has questioned the official story of the assassination.

The assassination, which occurred Nov. 22, 1963, in Dallas, saw Lee Harvey Oswald shoot Kennedy from the Texas School Book Depository. Jack Ruby later killed Oswald. The Warren Commission concluded that Oswald acted alone, but conspiracy theories persist.

In the early 1990s, a mandate required all assassination-related documents to be housed in a single National Archives and Records Administration collection. Most of the collection, over 6 million pages, has already been released. Researchers estimate about 3,000 files remain fully or partially unreleased, while the FBI recently discovered 2,400 new records. Some documents, like tax returns, are exempt from disclosure.

Previously released documents revealed intelligence services’ operations, including Oswald’s visits to Soviet and Cuban embassies in Mexico City weeks before the assassination.

Researchers believe the new files will shed light on the Cold War era.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@EricLevitz: I spoke with @davidshor about his autopsy of the 2024 campaign. Based on voter file data, 26 million voter interviews and precinct returns, he reaches a few conclusions. One is that if all registered voters had turned out, Trump would have won a landslide:

—@RealDonaldTrump: This Radical Left Lunatic of a Judge, a troublemaker and agitator who was sadly appointed by Barack Hussein Obama, was not elected President — He didn’t WIN the popular VOTE (by a lot!), he didn’t WIN ALL SEVEN SWING STATES, he didn’t WIN 2,750 to 525 Counties, HE DIDN’T WIN ANYTHING! I WON FOR MANY REASONS, IN AN OVERWHELMING MANDATE, BUT FIGHTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION MAY HAVE BEEN THE NUMBER ONE REASON FOR THIS HISTORIC VICTORY. I’m just doing what the VOTERS wanted me to do. This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges’ I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!! WE DON’T WANT VICIOUS, VIOLENT, AND DEMENTED CRIMINALS, MANY OF THEM DERANGED MURDERERS, IN OUR COUNTRY. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!

—@SecRubio: Venezuela is obligated to accept its repatriated citizens from the U.S. This is not an issue for debate or negotiation. Nor does it merit any reward. Unless the Maduro regime accepts a consistent flow of deportation flights, without further excuses or delays, the U.S. will impose new, severe and escalating sanctions.

—@StateDept: U.S. visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued. We continuously check visa holders to ensure they follow all U.S. laws and immigration rules – and we will revoke their visas and deport them if they don’t.

—@GovRonDeSantis: Florida taxpayers have been hit by local property taxes as many local governments have increased their budgets significantly. Today, I am calling on all Florida counties and municipalities to voluntarily work with our Florida DOGE team to review local spending and financial practices. In Bay County, the County Commission will adopt a resolution to collaborate with the Florida DOGE and review finances. Thanks to @MyBayCountyFL for leading by example.

Tweet, tweet:

— DAYS UNTIL —

‘The Studio’ premieres on Apple TV+ — 7; Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day — 9; Special Election for CD one and Senate District 19 Special Primary — 13; Final season of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ premieres — 20; ‘Your Friends and Neighbors’ with Jon Hamm premieres on Apple+ — 23; Children’s Week begins at the Florida Capitol — 25; ‘The Last of Us’ season two premieres — 25; Children’s Day — 27; ‘Andor’ season two premieres — 34; ‘Carlos Alcaraz: My Way’ premieres on Netflix — 35; ‘The Accountant 2’ premieres — 37; Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Tour begins in Los Angeles — 40; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres – 44; Florida TaxWatch Spring Meeting — 55; Florida Chamber 2025 Leadership Conference on Safety; Health + Sustainability — 57; Epic Universe grand opening — 64; Disney’s ‘Lilo & Stitch’ premieres — 65; ‘Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning’ premieres — 65; Florida Chamber 2025 Florida Prosperity & Economic Opportunity Solution Summit — 71; ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ premieres — 72; 2025 Tony Awards — 81; Special Election for SD 19 — 83; Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet will meet — 84; Florida Chamber 2025 Florida Learners to Earners Workforce Solution Summit — 97; ‘Squid Game’ season three premieres — 100; James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ premieres — 114; ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ premieres on Netflix — 128; ‘Fantastic Four – First Steps’ premieres – 128; ‘Eyes of Wakanda’ premieres on Disney+ — 140; Florida Chamber 2025 Florida Technology & Innovation Solution Summit — 146; 2025 Emmys — 179; DeSantis and the Cabinet will meet — 182; 2025 Future of Florida Forum (F3) & Florida Chamber Annual Meeting — 222; ‘Wicked: Part 2’ premieres — 247; 2025 Florida Transportation, Growth & Infrastructure Solution Summit — 259; 2025 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit — 259; DeSantis and the Cabinet will meet — 273; ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ premieres – 275; Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic & Paralympic Games begin — 324; ‘Avengers 5’ premieres – 412; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 429; FIFA World Cup 26™ final – 450; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 640; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres – 780; ‘The Batman 2’ premieres – 926; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 1,213; 2028 U.S. Presidential Election — 1,329; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres – 1,729; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres – 2,460.

— TOP STORY —

“New book dishes on Donald Trump’s Ron DeSantis obsession: ‘Why doesn’t he just wait until 2028?’” via David Catanese of the Miami Herald — A new book, “Revenge,” reveals Trump’s intense focus on derailing DeSantis’ political ambitions. Alex Isenstadt details Trump’s disbelief at DeSantis challenging him in 2024, with Trump believing DeSantis was “done” after a poor campaign showing.

Trump’s team allegedly hatched a plan to portray DeSantis as “weird,” spreading unflattering anecdotes about his behavior, including bizarre eating habits and hygiene practices. Often thinly sourced, these stories found their way into news and social media, culminating in a viral ad focusing on DeSantis’s alleged pudding consumption.

Susie Wiles, a former DeSantis aide, played a key role in undermining him, leveraging his poor relationships with Florida’s congressional members to secure endorsements for Trump. Nearly a dozen Florida representatives backed Trump, leaving DeSantis with minimal support.

“When DeSantis was a Congressman, he was distant and made no effort to establish relationships with them. When he became Governor, things didn’t get much better. Now, the Trump advisers realized if they could get the Florida [congressional] members to endorse the boss, it would be an embarrassment for the home state Governor. Wiles loved the idea,” Isenstadt writes.

The book also claims that Trump considered replacing Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth with DeSantis, which Wiles opposed. Furthermore, the Trump team reportedly blacklisted DeSantis staffers, preventing them from obtaining positions in a potential Trump administration.

During the campaign, Isenstadt writes that Trump’s aides had begun collecting names and taking screenshots of social media accounts of DeSantis staffers who were impugning Trump.

“If Trump took up residence in the White House, they would be blacklisted from getting a job in the administration,” reports Isenstadt.

— LEGISLATIVE —

“Obscene heckler doesn’t stop bill targeting ‘academic boycott’ of Israel from advancing in Senate” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — The Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee approved Sen. Tom Leek’s SB 1678, designed to combat anti-Israel actions in schools and non-governmental agencies by defining them as “academic boycotts.” The bill urges the cessation of state contracts and grants with offending entities, granting them 90 days to comply before facing divestment. An amendment clarified that public funds cannot invest in these companies and requires that Arts and Culture grants not go to support antisemitic work. The bill would also target agreements, like foreign exchange programs, with foreign universities deemed to be supporting antisemitism. Public comments were divided, with some criticizing restrictions on “academic freedom” and others, like Miami Beach City Commissioner David Suarez, supporting the measure to counter “hateful campaigns.”

“Bill expanding Bright Futures to more military families advances in Senate” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — The Senate Higher Education Appropriations Committee advanced legislation (SB 270) to make scholarships available to more children of military members who have been deployed overseas. If the bill becomes law, those who graduated from schools outside Florida may be eligible for the state scholarship program if a parent retired from the military within the last 12 months. “A local issue happened back home where a constituent ended their military service overseas, their son had gone to school overseas, and they wanted him to be able to complete his schooling over there, since he had basically grown up in that academic setting,” explained Sen. Danny Burgess. “But he, under the letter of the law, will have lost his Bright Futures eligibility that he otherwise is qualified for. We just want to give a military family a little more runway to be able to get home at a reasonable time and still qualify for something that they otherwise would qualify for.”

“Stan McClain’s whistleblower legislation moves forward” via Andrew Powell of Florida Politics — The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee advanced legislation that seeks to amend Florida’s whistleblower protections for employees of private employers. Ocala Republican Sen. McClain introduced the bill (SB 1776). The measure states that employers would be unable to retaliate against an employee who discloses illegal practices by their employer to the government or objects to or refuses to participate in an unlawful practice. “Senate Bill 1776 institutes a process for advanced notice to cure alleged violations,” McClain said. “Provides for consistency in the statute of limitations, adds additional specificity requirements for the claim, saves taxpayer dollars by avoiding duplication and expenditure of government resources, and prevents inconsistent legal precedence and ensures employees pursue a single statutory remedy.”

“Tom Leek’s employment agreements bill advances” via Andrew Powell of Florida Politics — The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee passed a measure Monday to protect employer trade secrets and confidential information from being shared by former employees. St. Augustine Republican Sen. Leek introduced the bill (SB 922). If passed, it would allow employers to enter into noncompete and Garden Leave agreements to protect their business interests. “The current law in Florida on restrictive covenants is insufficient to protect industries in which employees routinely access sensitive business information,” Leek said. “Under current law, if an employee with access to such information leaves for somewhere, employment with another company, an employer can go to court to seek to stop the former employee from using or disclosing the former employer sensitive business information.”

“Derelict vessel bill requiring increased registration sails through second Committee” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — Owners of boats adrift in Florida waters must be more careful about keeping their vessels moored if a bill moving through the Senate floor gets approved. The Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government gave preliminary approval to legislation (SB 164) that calls for increasing vessel regulations. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Anna Maria Rodriguez, would require new registrations for long-term anchoring of vessels through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The bill proposes “requiring the Commission to issue, at no cost, a permit for the long term anchoring of a vessel which includes specified information; requiring the Commission to use an electronic application and permitting system; requiring that a vessel subject to a specified number of violations within 24 months which result in certain dispositions be declared a public nuisance, etc.”

“Bill expanding health care options for Florida farmers advances” via Andrew Powell of Florida Politics — The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee advanced a measure that allows rural farmers and ranchers more access to health care coverage options. Sen. Nick DiCeglie introduced a bill (SB 480) that is part of a massive piece of legislation geared toward improving infrastructure, health care access and other critical projects in rural communities in Florida. “This bill helps to provide affordable health coverage options for Florida farmers and ranchers, who face challenges to find affordable health care options in today’s market,” DiCeglie said. “This coverage is part of the ‘Rural Renaissance‘ of Florida’s smaller and less densely populated regions where access to health care may be an issue.” Sen. Kristen Arrington asked if the plans were meant to be supplemental or the only form of insurance.

“Florida could soon raise the speed limit on its highways” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — DiCeglie filed an amendment to a transportation bill (SB 462) to hike speed limits on major roads by 5 miles per hour. Should the amendment pass, the bill would set a minimum speed on all highways, meaning those roads with at least four lanes of traffic. The exact speed allowed would depend on other factors. DiCeglie’s legislation would call for the maximum speed limit on limited access highways to jump from 70 miles per hour to 75 mph. For any other highways outside urban areas, meaning those with populations of 5,000 or more, the speed limit would ramp up from 65 mph to 70 mph, so long as there was a median strip dividing the lanes of traffic. The language filed by DiCeglie would also allow the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to set maximum speeds for other roads deemed as safe and advisable as high as 65 mph.

“‘Chemtrails’ bill gets approved by Senate Committee” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — A Senate bill designed to halt “geoengineering and weather modification” in Florida advanced in another step toward full consideration of what many conspiracy theorists call “chemtrails” in the skies. The Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government reviewed the bill (SB 56) before approving it in a 10-2 vote. The measure now advances to the Senate Rules Committee. Sen. Ileana García initially filed the bill to end human-made weather changes in the state. Florida currently allows state-licensed cloud seeding and other “artificial weather interference.” García spoke before the Senate Committee Tuesday and acknowledged that the chemtrail conspiracies are often considered a “rabbit hole.” But she said she has heard “a lot of skepticism involved with this.”

— MORE LEGISLATIVE —

“Lawmakers move again to ban delta-8, restrict hemp marketplace” via Romy Ellenbogen of the Tampa Bay Times — Less than a year after DeSantis vetoed legislation that would overhaul Florida’s hemp marketplace, Florida Senators are trying again. On Monday, a bill that would reform the hemp marketplace moved through its first Committee meeting in the Senate. The House hasn’t heard any companion legislation yet. Some ideas in the package Senators moved forward are the same as in the bill DeSantis vetoed last year. Others are new. When DeSantis vetoed last year‘s bill, he said it would impose too harsh a burden on small businesses. However, the sponsor of this year’s legislation and the vetoed bill said lawmakers also need to weigh concerns about the health and safety of hemp products.

“County Clerks and Elections Supervisors could appeal county budget decisions under bill” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — A Senate panel backed a bill to give County Clerks and Elections Supervisors a path to appeal budget disputes with the state if they are fighting a Board of County Commissioners over money. If that happens, DeSantis’ Executive Office will hold a budget hearing on the appeals and then recommend the appeals to the Administration Commission, which would issue the final ruling. SB 1260 cleared the Senate Community Affairs Committee with an 8-0 vote before it heads to the Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee and the Fiscal Policy Committee. Some Democrats asked questions during the debate before voting in favor of it.

“Autism spectrum alert legislation advances” via Andrew Powell of Florida Politics — The House Government Operations Subcommittee advanced a bill that seeks to alert law enforcement when a child on the autism spectrum goes missing. Rep. David Borrero and Rep. Daryl Campbell introduced the bipartisan measure (HB 711) in hopes of ensuring that children who go missing are safely brought home while law enforcement is equipped to deal with these situations. Borrero said that as a new father, he was shocked to learn that almost half of all children on the autism spectrum go missing at some point. “I became mortified just at the idea of my children being missing,” Borrero said. “I was shocked to learn that there’s a statistic by the … American Academy of Pediatrics, that nearly half of children on the autism spectrum disorder, at some point, they become missing, or they stray from their environment. Half of them.”

The ‘world’s deadliest animal’ gets its day at the Capitol — Members of the Florida Mosquito Control Association visited lawmakers Tuesday and shared the cutting-edge technology and scientific innovations they are using to keep “the world’s deadliest animal” in check. FMCA’s displays included a high-tech Skydio drone, which can ID mosquito breeding grounds from above, which helps association members implement control measures in otherwise difficult-to-reach areas. “We appreciate the opportunity to thank all members of the Florida Legislature for their support,” said FMCA President and UF professor Jorge Rey. “While there are 15 independent mosquito control districts as well as municipal and county programs, we operate as one team – sharing best practices to keep the state safe.”

— FOR YOUR RADAR —

“Citrus County roars into Tallahassee for Legislative Days” via Mike Wright of Florida Politics — Citrus County’s March Madness is a full-court press. Over 100 Citrus politicians, business owners and community leaders pour into Tallahassee this week for the annual Citrus County Legislative Days. During a jam-packed two days, Citrus Countians will meet with legislators, agency directors and potentially even First Lady Casey DeSantis to shore up support for local projects and issues of local concern. The Citrus County Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Citrus sponsors the event. “One hundred twenty Citrus County residents will converge on Tallahassee to advocate for everything from the environment to mental health,” Chamber President and CEO Josh Wooten said.

Happening today — Reps. Vanessa Oliver and Vicki Lopez, co-sponsors of HB 289, Lucy’s Law, will join Lucy’s parents Andy and Melissa Fernandez, to urge the Legislature to pass more substantial requirements for boater safety during a news conference in the Capitol: 1:30 p.m., 4th Floor, Capitol Rotunda.

9 a.m.

Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs, Room 301, Senate Office Building.

— SB 0894 Faith-based Content in Batterers’ Intervention Programs (Rodriguez).

— SB 1240 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Care (Calatayud).

— SB 1286 Harming or Neglecting Children (Grall).

— SB 1736 Insulin Administration by Direct-support Professionals and Relatives (Grall).

Senate Judiciary, Room 110, Senate Office Building.

— SB 0008 Relief of Marcus Button by the Pasco County School Board (Simon).

— SB 0010 Relief of Sidney Holmes by the State of Florida (Pizzo).

— SB 0014 Relief of the Estate of Peniel Janvier by the City of Miami Beach (Jones).

— SB 0020 Relief of J.N., a Minor, by Hillsborough County (Burgess).

— SB 0022 Relief of Eric Miles, Jr., and Jennifer Miles by the South Broward Hospital District (Rodriguez).

— SB 0026 Relief of Kristen and Lia McIntosh by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Gruters).

— SB 0248 Student Participation in Interscholastic and Intrascholastic Extracurricular Sports (Simon).

— SB 0316 Limited Liability Companies (Berman).

— SB 0362 Reusable Tenant Screening Reports (Osgood).

— SB 0386 Self-storage Spaces (Harrell).

— SB 0520 Curators of Estates (Burgess).

— SB 1650 Vexatious Litigants (Grall).

— SB 1652 Public Records/Pleadings, Requests for Relief, or Other Documents Stricken by a Court (Grall).

Senate Regulated Industries, Room 412, Knott Building.

— SB 0638 Home Inspectors (Martin).

— SB 0940 Third-party Restaurant Reservation Platforms (McClain).

— SB 1298 Building Construction (Simon).

— SB 1418 Heated Tobacco Products (DiCeglie).

— SB 0196 Foods Containing Vaccines or Vaccine Materials (Gruters).

— SB 0960 Elevator Accessibility Requirements (Bernard).

— SB 1262 Construction Contracting (Burgess).

— SB 1304 Solar Facilities (Bradley).

— SB 1742 Condominium and Cooperative Associations (Bradley).

Senate Transportation, Room 37, Senate Office Building.

— SB 0462 Department of Transportation (DiCeglie).

— SB 0666 Specialty License Plates/Miami Northwestern Alumni Association (Jones).

— SB 0824 Specialty License Plates/Supporting FHP Troopers (Pizzo).

— SB 0916 Indemnification of Commuter Rail Transportation Providers (Rodriguez).

— SB 1024 Specialty License Plates/United States Naval Academy (Burgess).

— SB 1290 Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (Collins).

— SB 1292 Public Records/E-mail Addresses/DHSMV (Collins).

— SB 1408 Transportation Facility Designations (Collins).

— SB 1502 Special Mobile Equipment (Collins).

10:30 a.m.

House Education Administration Subcommittee — Room 102, House Office Building.

— HB 0571 Career Planning Opportunities for Students (Kendall).

— HB 1079 Students Enrolled in Dropout Retrieval Programs (Botana).

— HB 1245 Hunger-Free Campus Pilot Program (Chambliss).

— HB 1321 Higher Education (Salzman).

— HB 1367 School Attendance (Booth).

— HB 1483 School Grades (Valdés).

— HB 0261 Middle School and High School Start Times (Gerwig).

— HB 0969 Reporting of Student Mental Health Outcomes (Cassel).

House Health Care Facilities & Systems Subcommittee — Room 404, House Office Building.

— HB 0797 Veteran and Spouse Nursing Home Beds (LaMarca).

— HB 1085 Children’s Medical Services Program (Oliver).

— HB 1101 Out-of-network Providers (Albert).

— HB 1353 Home Health Care Services (Franklin II).

— HB 0475 Ambulatory Surgical Centers (Esposito).

House State Administration Budget Subcommittee — Room 17, House Office Building.

House Transportation & Economic Development Budget Subcommittee — Room 314, House Office Building.

— HB 0313 Toll Exemptions for Purple Heart Medal Recipients (Fabricio).

— HB 0793 Aerospace Innovation Funding (Kendall).

11:30 a.m.

Senate Rules — Room 412, Knott Building.

— SB 0088 Utility Terrain Vehicles (Wright).

— SB 0106 Exploitation of Vulnerable Adults (Martin).

— SB 0262 Trusts (Berman).

— SB 0280 Candidate Qualification (Arrington).

— SB 0282 Warranty Associations (Truenow).

— SB 0402 Unlawful Use of Uniforms, Medals or Insignia (Wright).

— SB 7000 OGSR/Site-specific Location Information for Endangered and Threatened Species (Environment and Natural Resources).

— SB 7004 OGSR/Applicants or Participants in Certain Federal, State, or Local Housing Assistance Programs (Community Affairs).

— SB 7006 Public Records and Meetings/NG911 Systems (Regulated Industries).

1 p.m.

House Criminal Justice Subcommittee — Room 404, House Office Building.

— HB 0139 Pawn Broker Transaction Forms (López J).

— HB 0847 Expedited DNA Testing Grant Program (Johnson).

— HB 1099 Arrest and Detention of Individuals with Significant Medical Conditions (Canady).

— HB 1121 Unmanned Aircraft and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Canady).

— HB 1171 Statute of Limitations Period for Violations Involving Required Reports Concerning Children (Duggan).

— HB 1207 Mental Health (Cobb).

— HB 1351 Registration of Sexual Predators and Sexual Offenders (Baker).

— HB 1403 Safety of Students (Yeager).

— HB 1479 Pub. Rec./Lethality Assessment Forms (Baker).

— HB 1525 Prearranged Transportation Services (Busatta).

— HB 4015 Broward County Narcotics and Dangerous Drug Intelligence and Enforcement Unit, Broward County (Woodson).

— HB 0687 Driving and Boating Under the Influence (Kendall).

— HB 0757 Sexual Images (Redondo).

— HB 0781 Cyberintimidation by Publication (Gottlieb).

— HB 1007 Offenses Involving Gift Cards (Greco).

— HB 1283 Capital Sex Trafficking (Jacques).

House Health Care Budget Subcommittee — Room 314, House Office Building.

— HB 0027 Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact (Hunschofsky).

— HB 1127 Child Welfare (Weinberger).

House Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee — Room 212, Knott Building.

— HB 0311 Repair of Motorized Wheelchairs (Eskamani).

— HB 0717 Unlawful Demolition of Historical Buildings and Structures (Greco).

— HB 0799 Special Alcoholic Beverage Licenses Issued to Residential Condominiums (LaMarca).

— HB 0869 Underground Utility and Excavation Contractors (Sapp).

— HB 1035 Building Permits for Single-family Dwellings (Esposito).

— HB 1071 Alternative Plans Reviews and Inspections (Benarroch).

— HB 1161 Removal of Altered Sexual Depictions Posted Without Consent (Duggan).

— HB 4031 City of Oviedo, Seminole County (Plasencia).

— HB 4053 Duval County (Duggan).

— HB 0743 Social Media Use by Minors (Salzman).

— HB 0801 Construction of Air-Conditioning Systems (Albert).

— HB 0981 Athlete Representation and Compensation (Benarroch).

— HB 1219 Employment Agreements (Koster).

House Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee — Room 17, House Office Building.

— HB 0275 Annexing State-owned Lands (Albert).

— HB 0277 Veterans’ Benefits Assistance (Albert).

— HB 0503 Local Business Taxes (Botana).

— HB 0577 County Price Controls for Removal and Storage of Electric Vehicles (Nix, Jr.).

— HB 0593 Dangerous Dogs (Sapp).

— HB 0679 Term Limits for Members of County Commissions and District School Boards (Salzman).

— HB 0929 Firefighter Health and Safety (Booth).

— HB 1123 Sewer Collection Systems (Cassel).

— HB 1343 Fines for Public Nuisance Abatement (Booth).

— HB 1523 Utility Services (Busatta).

— HB 4011 Palm Beach County (Skidmore).

— HB 4013 Citrus County (Grow).

— HB 4039 Broward County (LaMarca).

— HB 4041 Collier County (Melo).

— HB 4043 Osceola County (Booth).

— HB 4059 Sunbridge Stewardship District, Osceola County (Booth).

— HB 4067 Special Beverage Licenses for Equestrian Sport Facilities in Marion County (Chamberlin).

— HB 4073 Leon County Career Services Employment Act (Tant).

— HB 4075 Leon County (Franklin II).

2:30 p.m.

Senate Session – Senate Chambers.

— SB 0036 Florida Statutes (Passidomo).

— SB 0038 Florida Statutes (Passidomo).

— SB 0040 Florida Statutes (Passidomo).

— SB 0042 Florida Statutes (Passidomo).

— SB 0050 Nature-based Methods for Improving Coastal Resilience (García).

— SB 0108 Administrative Procedures (Grall).

— SB 0110 Rural Communities (Simon).

— SB 0116 Veterans (Burgess).

— SB 0118 Regulation of Presidential Libraries (Brodeur).

— SB 0126 Prescription Hearing Aids (Bradley).

— SB 0150 Abandoning Restrained Animals During Natural Disasters (Gaetz).

— SB 0160 Public Accountancy (Gruters).

— SB 0294 Collaborative Pharmacy Practice for Chronic Health Conditions (Harrell).

— SB 0314 Florida National Guard Increased Force Structure (Wright).

— SB 0322 Property Rights (Rodriguez).

— SB 0348 Ethics (Gaetz).

— SB 7012 Child Welfare (Children, Families and Elder Affairs).

4:30 p.m.

House Careers & Workforce Subcommittee — Room 17, House Office Building.

— HB 0809 School Social Workers (Hunschofsky).

— HB 0919 Nursing Education Programs (Overdorf).

— HB 1261 Smart Living Course (Valdés).

House Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee — Room 102, House Office Building.

— HB 0177 Transportation Facility Designations (Harris).

— HB 0279 Misuse of Emergency Communications Systems (Partington).

— HB 1165 Mobile Cranes and Accessory Support Vehicles (Owen).

House Information Technology Budget & Policy Subcommittee — Room 404, House Office Building.

— HB 0369 Provenance of Digital Content (McFarland).

— LOBBY REGS —

New and renewed lobbying registrations:

Miguel Abad, CCC Miami: Omni Redevelopment District Community Redevelopment Agency

Kylee Anzueto, GrayRobinson: Gulf County

Laurette Balinsky, Luks Santaniello Petrillo Cohen & Peterfriend: Florida Justice Reform Institute

Brian Ballard, Christopher Hansen, Ballard Partners: St. Francis Reflections Lifestage Care, Florida Rising

Letitia Harmon: Florida Rising

Shannon Belmont: GeneDx

Rosanna Catalano, Arrow Group Consulting: Hillel Jewish Student Center of Tampa

Colleen Daley: Alibaba Group Holding Limited

Savannah Clarkston: National Elevator Industry

Hayden Dempsey, Greenberg Traurig, Sparks Pediatrics

Anna DePaolo, Metz Husband & Daughton: City of Holly Hill, City of South Daytona

Michael Dobson: Baldwin Risk Partners

Katie Edwards-Walpole: Arion Holdings

Candice Ericks, TSE Consulting: Green Sentry Holdings

Andrew Gonzalez: Airbnb

Ron Greenstein: Golden Hour Medical

Robert Hawken, Leath Consulting: Anastasia Mosquito Control District

Nick Iarossi, Ron LaFace, Megan Fay, Kenneth Granger, Ashley Kalifeh, Joseph Mongiovi, Jared Rosenstein, Scott Ross, Chris Schoonover, Capital City Consulting: Coral Rock Development Group, Field of Dreams, SHI International, Coalition for Home Equity Partnership, Omni Redevelopment District Community Redevelopment Agency

Nicole Kelly, The Southern Group: Dream Finders Homes

Deandrea Newsome: Susan G. Komen

Carolyn Nolte: Samuel Morley

Meredith Snowden: Anastasia Mosquito Control District

Brooke Steele, Jared Willis, The Mayernick Group: Florida Medical Association, Manatee County Mosquito Control District

Heather Turnbull, Rubin Turnbull & Associates: Rebirth South

Jason Welty: Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation

— 100 DAYS —

“Trump’s promise to release JFK files sets off all-night scramble by DOJ’s National Security Division” via Mike Levine, Katherine Faulders, and Alexander Mallin of ABC News — The Justice Department’s National Security Division has been in a scramble trying to meet Trump’s promise Monday to release declassified information from the JFK assassination investigation today. Trump, during a visit Monday to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, announced the government would be releasing all the files on Kennedy’s assassination Tuesday afternoon. Less than a half-hour after that announcement, sources said the Justice Department’s office that handles foreign surveillance requests and other intelligence-related operations began to shift resources to focus on the task.

“Elon Musk’s role in dismantling aid agency likely violated Constitution, the judge finds” via Zach Montague of The New York Times — Efforts by Musk and his team to permanently shutter the United States Agency for International Development likely violated the Constitution “in multiple ways.” They robbed Congress of its authority to oversee the dissolution of an agency it created, a federal judge found Tuesday. The ruling by Judge Theodore D. Chuang of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland appeared to be the first time a judge has moved to rein in Musk and DOGE directly. It was based on the finding that Musk has acted as an officer of the United States without being correctly appointed to that role by Trump. Judge Chuang wrote that a group of unnamed aid workers who had sued to stop the demolition of U.S.A.I.D. and its programs were likely to succeed in the lawsuit.

“Trump fires Democratic FTC Commissioners” via Ashley Gold of Axios — Trump on Tuesday fired Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Slaughter, the two Democrats serving as Commissioners at the Federal Trade Commission, both announced. Republican FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson has pledged to keep up Big Tech cases but is taking a much more MAGA approach to antitrust, as Axios previously reported. It’s the latest in Trump’s numerous attempts to weaken independent agencies, which he sees as standing in the way of his fast-moving MAGA agenda. “Today, the President illegally fired me from my position as a Federal Trade Commissioner, violating the plain language of a statute and clear Supreme Court precedent,” Slaughter said in an emailed statement.

“Rebuking talk from Trump, John Roberts calls impeaching Judges over rulings improper” via Adam Liptak of The New York Times — Just hours after Trump called for the impeachment of a judge who sought to pause the removal of more than 200 migrants to El Salvador, Chief Justice Roberts issued a rare public statement. “For more than two centuries,” the Chief Justice said, “it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.” Trump had called the judge, James E. Boasberg, a “Radical Left Lunatic” in a social media post and said he should be impeached. On Saturday, Judge Boasberg ordered the administration to return planes carrying migrants said to be members of a Venezuelan gang to the United States while he considered whether their removal was lawful. The planes did not turn around.

— STATEWIDE —

“Erika Donalds says she’d back a ‘parent-directed’ education system as First Lady” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Donalds, a school choice advocate, envisions a future Florida where education dollars are parent-directed, aiming to break the public school monopoly. Her comments followed a roundtable with U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, who seeks to empower states before potentially shuttering the USDOE. McMahon and Trump support school choice but limit the federal role in expansion. Erika and Byron Donalds advocate for abolishing the USDOE, with the Congressman cosponsoring legislation to that effect. Erika Donalds highlighted concern for fourth grade reading proficiency rates. Byron Donalds is a leading candidate for the 2026 Republican Gubernatorial Primary, and internal polls show that Trump’s endorsement gives him a substantial lead over Casey DeSantis. Other potential candidates include Wilton Simpson, Francis Suarez, Matt Gaetz, and Ashton Hayward.

“The upstart ‘Classic Learning Test’ gets a testy welcome From the SAT” via Real Clear Investigations — The battle over the CLT reflects the profound forces transforming K-12 education. As growing numbers of Americans seek alternatives to traditional public education, an infrastructure of charter, private and home schools have expanded to support them. The CLT, which grew out of the classical education movement, is a recent addition to that infrastructure, a bridge between high school and college. The CLT broke out of its religious bubble in 2023 when Florida became the first state to approve its use in high schools and public universities. The test suddenly became a more serious player in the market, firing a shot across the bow of the College Board. Thanks to Florida, CLT test takers soared sevenfold to 182,000 last year. The biggest surprise was that the surge in Florida mainly came from public school students, evidence of the CLT’s broadening appeal.

Student-led nonprofit lands grant from Aetna Better Health — Aetna Better Health of Florida presented a grant to the South Florida nonprofit Virtutem Populo to support its Student School Board Member Initiative, which is advocating for student representation on county school boards throughout the state. “Supporting students and families is a top priority for us. We understand the importance of personal empowerment and how self-advocation and well-rounded educational experiences can serve to uplift students to become productive members of society,” said Aetna Better Health of Florida CEO Jennifer Sweet. “These are messages and values that Virtutem Populo’s Student School Board Member Initiative embodies through its student-led and student-driven efforts to engage Florida’s youth.” Virtutem Populo Executive Director Maurits Acosta added, “We are incredibly grateful to Aetna Better Health of Florida for recognizing the importance of youth civic engagement and supporting our mission to empower students across the state.” The grant was announced during a Tuesday event at the Town of Miami Lakes Government Center.

— MORE D.C. MATTERS —

“Eric Green is out as head of National Human Genome Research Institute” via Megan Molteni, Anil Oza, Jason Mast, Matthew Herper, and Lizzy Lawrence of State News — Green, longtime director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, has abruptly left his role, according to two NHGRI employees with knowledge of the situation and internal communications reviewed by STAT. Green held that role for 16 years and is the first director of one of the National Institutes of Health’s 27 institutes to leave his position in Trump’s second term. The move comes as the NIH braces for more layoffs and restructuring to centralize some of the agency’s core functions. Republicans in Congress have floated a plan to reorganize the NIH from 27 institutes to 15, establishing director term limits and restricting specific infectious disease research.

“‘Totally unacceptable’: Linda McMahon says colleges that tolerate antisemitism will suffer continued defunding” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Higher education institutions that fail to tamp down on antisemitism effectively will face continued defunding until they correct course, U.S. Department of Education Secretary McMahon says. “Discrimination in any form is not to be tolerated on any campus,” she said. “It’s totally unacceptable.” McMahon is doubling down on actions Trump’s administration took to address violence and discrimination against Jewish students at schools across the country, including canceling $400 million from Columbia University early this month. McMahon said Columbia Interim President Katrina Armstrong has since asked for a list of actions the school must take to regain the funding. She described Armstrong’s request as “incredibly sincere.”

“McMahon says school choice expansion is ‘a continuing process,’ but will be up to states” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — McMahon says she and her boss in the White House are both “strong proponents” of school choice, but the federal government’s role in expanding it will be limited under Trump. “It’s a continuing process” that must be pursued at the state level, not mandated by Washington, she said. “The rub is that teacher unions say it’s going to bankrupt the public schools (and serve only students with no other options). I think we’re clearly proving that is not the case.” McMahon’s comments came Tuesday afternoon during a roundtable discussion on education at the Kendall campus of True North Classical Academy, a charter network in Miami-Dade. It was one of multiple school visits she had planned in the county that day.

“University doctor resigns after unearthed audio exposes him boasting about skirting anti-DEI laws” via Andrew Mark Miller of Fox News — A university doctor has resigned from his position after Fox News Digital reported on unearthed audio where he touted how he has been avoiding anti-diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) laws in Florida while attacking state and federal officials, including top White House official Stephen Miller. “Shortly after learning of Dr. (Haywood) Brown’s comments, the university decided to place him on administrative leave to allow for a thorough review of the matter,” a University of South Florida representative said. “In response, he has chosen to resign effective immediately.”

— ELECTIONS —

“‘Fearless conservative’: Florida delegation leader Vern Buchanan backs Donalds for Governor” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — U.S. Rep. Buchanan, co-Chair of Florida’s congressional delegation, says he wants U.S. Rep. Donalds as Florida’s next Governor. The Longboat Key Republican told Florida Politics he is endorsing his Naples colleague. “My friend, Byron Donalds, is a fearless Conservative and MAGA patriot,” Buchanan said. “I have worked closely with him in Congress and know from personal experience his fight, tenacity and effectiveness. He will be a great executive for our Sunshine State.” Donalds announced last month that he will run to be the state’s chief executive. He has served alongside Buchanan in the U.S. House since his election to Congress in 2020.

“AOC, David Hogg say Florida fundraiser for Josh Weil used their words without permission” via Mark Harper of the Daytona Beach News-Journal — U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Hogg, Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee, are complaining about the tactics of a Weil campaign fundraiser. Weil, the Democratic candidate in the April 1 Special Election for Florida’s 6th District congressional seat, has employed Jackson McMillan of Key Lime Strategies to raise funds. As of Friday night, the campaign said it had pulled in $9.5 million — a prolific amount for a Democrat in a congressional district won by Republican Michael Waltz in November by 33 percentage points. Gay Valimont, a Democrat running in a similar long shot race in northwest Florida, has also used Key Lime Strategies.

“Shaboozey not joining Killer Mike to support Democratic congressional candidate in DeLand” via Mark Harper of the Daytona Beach News-Journal — Weil, a Democrat running to become the next U.S. House Representative from Florida’s 6th Congressional District, has scheduled a town hall which will feature rapper Killer Mike. Shaboozey was initially expected to perform, but it was announced that he would not attend the event. Weil will tap into the star power at the Sanborn Activity Center in DeLand at 6 p.m. Thursday. The event is billed as “a no-holds-barred discussion on our rights, culture and the power of our voices.” Killer Mike, a rapper from Atlanta, is one-half of Run the Jewels along with El-P.

Florida Family Action backs Brian Hodgers for HD 32 — Florida Family Action, one of the state’s most prominent social conservative groups, is endorsing Republican Hodgers in the Special Election for House District 32. “As a father and an America-First conservative, I’m committed to preserving and protecting Florida, restoring common sense and efficiency to state government, and standing up for our God-given, constitutional rights to life and private property,” said Hodgers. “I’m honored to have the support of Florida Family Action in this race for State Representative.” Hodgers is one of three Republicans vying for the Space Coast seat. A Primary will be held on April 1, the winner of which will face Democratic nominee Juan Hinojosa on June 10.

— LOCAL: S. FL —

“Fort Pierce makes it official, finalizes contract with new City Manager pick Richard Chess” via Wicker Perlis of Treasure Coast Newspapers — The Sunrise City officially has its next City Manager, after a seven-month process that began after former City Manager Nick Mimms was arrested in August. Richard Chess, Broward County assistant general manager of transportation and finance, will begin as City Manager on April 2, six weeks after City Commissioners picked him in a 3-2 vote. The final contract agreement with Chess came one week after he agreed to lower his salary ask from $235,000 to $200,000, $15,000 less than he currently makes in Broward County. According to the contract approved by the City Commission in a 4-1 vote, Chess would receive a 5% pay increase after six months if his performance is deemed “satisfactory.”

“Fort Pierce man charged with threatening to harm Trump on social media” via Olivia Franklin of Treasure Coast Newspapers — A Fort Pierce man is in jail on charges related to threats St. Lucie County Sheriff’s officials say he made on social media against Trump. Kendall Aaron Todd, 42, faces one count of issuing “written threats to kill or do bodily harm” to Trump and is being held at the St. Lucie County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bond, jail records show. The threats were made on a Facebook account, Sheriff Richard Del Toro said in a video posted on the agency’s Facebook page. Members of the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office Special Weapons and Tactics Team partnered with the U.S. Secret Service to conduct a search warrant in the 3500 block of Metzger Road in Fort Pierce.

“Palm Beach County plans on overhauling hotel to offer affordable housing to seniors and veterans” via Abigail Hasebroock of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A hotel building will be transformed into a center offering affordable housing for seniors and veterans in the most recent effort by Palm Beach County officials to address the housing and homelessness crisis. County Commissioners narrowly agreed to purchase the La Quinta Inn at 5981 Okeechobee Blvd., in an unincorporated part of the county, just east of Florida’s Turnpike and not far from West Palm Beach. The 114-room inn would be turned into “permanent supportive housing,” according to county documents. During a public meeting, James Green, the county’s community services department director, clarified the difference between “supportive housing” and a homeless shelter.

“New courthouse will be named for Cuban American who fought Miami-Dade’s English-only law” via Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald — Miami-Dade’s new civil courthouse will be named after Osvaldo Soto, a Cuban American lawyer who led the fight in the 1980s to repeal the county’s English-only ordinance that, among other things, stopped clerks from conducting courthouse weddings in Spanish. County Commissioners unanimously approved naming the downtown building after Soto, who died in 2021 at 91. A crusader for Hispanic rights amid a backlash against Cuban migrants fleeing to Miami during the 1980 Mariel boatlift, Soto pushed county leaders to accept the booming immigrant population as a vital part of the community.

— LOCAL: C. FL —

“Osceola to kick in $500K for study on SunRail extension from Orlando airport to theme parks” via Natalia Jaramillo of the Orlando Sentinel — After initial reluctance, Osceola County Commissioners have decided to kick in $500,000 toward a study on the feasibility of a SunRail extension from Orlando’s airport to the theme parks. Commissioners voted unanimously and without discussion to contribute toward the $6 million study of the Sunshine Corridor — the long-awaited east-west extension reaching Universal Studios, the Orange County Convention Center and Disney Springs. The Commission’s decision brings the project, seen as vital to reversing SunRail’s struggling ridership, another step closer to reality. The Florida Department of Transportation estimates Sunshine Corridor will increase SunRail ridership to 6.4 million during its opening year. Ridership has been a point of contention as it never recovered after the pandemic.

“Dentists concerned over Volusia cities removing fluoride from water” via Brenno Carillo of the Daytona Beach News-Journal — With more and more cities following Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo’s advice to remove fluoride from their water supplies, some local dentists say the move might have significant consequences for Volusia County residents’ (especially children’s) oral health. Since Ladapo voiced his concerns over water fluoridation in Florida cities last November, several municipalities have heeded his advice to discontinue the practice — including Volusia’s Ormond Beach and New Smyrna Beach. In 1945, Grand Rapids, Michigan, became the first city in the world to fluoridate its drinking water, according to the National Institutes of Health. After 11 years of monitoring 30,000 school children in the city, officials found that cavity rates among the group “dropped more than 60%.”

“Political consultant, publisher avoids federal prison in pandemic-era loan case” via J.D. Gallop of Florida Today — A federal judge sentenced political consultant and Space Coast Rocket publisher Robert Burns to three years of probation after pleading guilty to taking a federal pandemic-era relief loan and using the funds to gamble and buy cryptocurrency. The hearing occurred before Judge Paul G. Bryron at the U.S. Middle District Court in Orlando. Burns had pleaded guilty to scheming to defraud the federal government after receiving more than $57,000 in small business loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Bryon adjudicated Burns guilty on count one of the indictment and then dismissed counts two and three during the 36-minute-long hearing, court records show.

“Why are so many sea turtles washing up this year in Brevard and Volusia counties?” via Jim Waymer of Florida Today — The good news is that endangered green sea turtles have been growing back like gangbusters for over two decades. The recent not-so-good news is that the greens have been stranding at more than double the usual rate in Brevard County. So far this year, 148 stranded sea turtles have been reported from Brevard, according to data from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. That’s about double the usual rate of stranded turtles in Brevard. But most (91 or 61%) were alive when found. Scientists aren’t sure why so many more turtles are washing up here.

— LOCAL: TB —

“Democrats call out Anna Paulina Luna as ‘coward’ in new billboard campaign” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Days after Democrats invited U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna to a town hall in her district, billboards call out Congresswoman as a no-show. National Democrats purchased billboards this week in Florida’s 13th Congressional District that criticize the St. Petersburg Republican for failing to meet with constituents. The message “Rep. Luna = Coward” appears in large red type alongside a photo of the second-term Representative.

“Fishermen describe rescue of missing teens who spent 16 hours adrift overnight off Gulf Coast” via Fresh Take Florida — Cutting through the waters and chilly temperatures off Florida’s Gulf Coast just after sunrise early Tuesday, a trio of fishermen aboard a small boat experienced the catch of a lifetime: They spotted two 16-year-old friends who had spent the night adrift on a paddleboard waving down their rescuers from atop an oyster bar miles from shore. The teens, identified by family and friends on social media as Eva Aponte and Avery Bryan, survived 16 hours on the water in temperatures that dipped into the low 40s. Rescuers described them as shivering cold with cuts to their hands and feet from razor-sharp oyster shells but otherwise OK. The teens were blown off course on Monday at about 4:30 p.m. near the fishing village of Cedar Key by strong winds while wearing just shorts and sweatshirts with no life jackets. As darkness fell — and temperatures dropped — so did the odds of survival.

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“NASA Astronauts splash down after nine-month odyssey in orbit” via Kenneth Chang and Thomas Fuller of The New York Times — Two NASA astronauts splashed down off Florida’s Gulf Coast on Tuesday, returning to Earth after a stay on the International Space Station that lasted some nine months longer than initially planned. After traveling to Earth at speeds of 17,000 miles per hour, a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying those two astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, set down in calm, azure waters off Florida’s Gulf Coast south of Tallahassee at 5:57 p.m. Eastern time. The return of Williams and Wilmore after 286 days in space completed a voyage that began in June and was supposed to have lasted as few as eight days.

“’Takedown Tesla’ protesters gather outside of newly opened dealership” via Elliot Tritto of The Gainesville Sun — Some protest signs read “Deport Elon Immediately,” “Musk Must Go,” “Swasticars,” and “Jan. 6 rioters are criminals” while some waived small rainbow flags with several passing cars honking in support. Wearing a yellow T-shirt reading “Badass Feminists Gainesville,” Monique Costantino is one of the protest organizers. She said she wants Musk to leave the government agencies alone and wants Gainesville to thrive. “People are losing so much under this administration. Kat Cammack has voted against NIH funding for the University of Florida, the city’s biggest employer. If that funding dies out, then our city will,” Costantino said. The protest included enhanced police protection requested by Constantino for this protest and future protests planned to happen weekly.

“Pensacola considering downtown stadium to host pro soccer, football and festivals” via Jim Little of the Pensacola News-Journal — Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves announced a partnership with the United Soccer League to explore the possibility of bringing a professional soccer team to downtown Pensacola. The one-year agreement gives the league the right of first refusal to be a master developer of a multi-purpose stadium and entertainment district in the city to host a men’s and women’s professional soccer team. “I believe the USL’s strong interest and willingness to invest significant capital into this exploration in Pensacola is a testament to our growth, our city’s trajectory and our people,” Reeves said Tuesday. “Our citizens are passionate sports fans, and the great success of the Pensacola Bue Wahoos and the Pensacola Ice Flyers show that our residents, our visitors and our active-duty military members, thousands of those see Pensacola as a sports town.”

— LOCAL: SW. FL —

“Fort Myers Council deadlocks, rejects ICE cooperation agreement” via Charlie Whitehead of the Fort Myers News-Press — There was considerable passion. There were strong arguments. There were tears. And that was just among the Council members. The Fort Myers City Council deadlocked on an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), rejecting a memorandum of agreement by a 3-3 vote. The agreement would have provided for training of city police officers to act as ICE agents, calling for them to detain and even arrest people for being in the country without authorization. Council member Teresa Watkins Brown attended the meeting through Zoom and was ineligible to vote. The Legislature requires local law enforcement to honor the agreement.

“James Uthmeier calls Fort Myers ‘sanctuary city,’ warns City Council risks removal” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Attorney General Uthmeier says Fort Myers made itself a sanctuary city by rejecting an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In a letter to city leaders, he said the Council now risks suspension from office. “Sanctuary policies are not tolerated or lawful in Florida,” Uthmeier wrote. “Failure to correct the Council’s actions will result in the enforcement of all applicable civil and criminal penalties, including but not limited to being held in contempt, declaratory or injunctive relief, and removal from office by the Governor.” The missive from the state’s top legal officer came a day after the City Council split 3-3 on approving an agreement with ICE. Such agreements allow local law enforcement to perform specific immigration officer functions under federal direction and oversight.

“Over 80 pounds of drugs seized: 52 arrests in drug bust operation by Lee Sheriff’s office” via Tayeba Hussein of the Fort Myers News-Press — Lee County deputies made 52 arrests in a long-term investigation that targeted drug dealers and narcotics sales, the office announced Monday. The investigation, dubbed “Operation Out of Luck,” the Lee County Sheriff’s Office removed large quantities of “deadly poison” over several months. The Sheriff’s Office said the seized goods include 40 pounds of cocaine, 42 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 6 pounds of fentanyl, six firearms, two vehicles, $136,308 in U.S. currency and multiple pieces of high-end jewelry. The Sheriff’s Office executed more than 30 search warrants in the process of this investigation. “My team is dedicated to pursuing an aggressive, no-nonsense approach to fighting crime and ridding the streets of dangerous drugs,” Sheriff Carmine Marceno said.

“Destroyed by Helene and Milton, Anna Maria city pier needs funding for reconstruction” via Jesse Mendoza of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The city of Anna Maria has essentially returned to normal following heavy impacts from Hurricanes Helene and Milton last year, but repairs to the city pier could still be a long way off. Mayor Mark Short told the Herald-Tribune that preliminary inspection work for repairs to the Anna Maria city pier was completed over the past two months. The city will soon advertise the job of demolishing and removing debris and pilings from the destroyed pier walkway that remains in the water. However, Short said funding is the biggest obstacle to repair work for the city’s famed pier, and a timeline for that work cannot be established until the city lines up financial support for the project.

“‘A terrific legacy.’ Bill Evers, Bradenton Mayor who brought big changes, dies at 90” via Ryan Ballogg of the Bradenton Herald — Evers, who served as Bradenton’s Mayor for two decades, died Friday at age 90. Evers was born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1934. As a child, he moved to Cortez with his family and graduated from Manatee High School in 1952. After serving as a merchant mariner and in the U.S. Army, Evers launched a career in law enforcement with stints as a Florida Highway Patrol trooper and a lieutenant at the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. After several unsuccessful bids for county offices, including a run for Sheriff, Evers found his future with the city of Bradenton. Voters elected him to Bradenton City Council in 1973 and 1977 and then to the Mayor’s Office in 1979.

— TOP OPINION —

“The political fight of the century” via Derek Thompson of The Atlantic — Trump’s “golden age of America” promises clash with his policies, prioritizing scarcity over expansive vision. Throughout his administration, existing shortages are cited to justify sacrifices, from health care for the poor to trade and immigration. This “less-is-less” approach, exemplified by potential tariffs and anti-immigrant policies exacerbating construction material costs and labor shortages, fuels public anger.

However, Democrats aren’t immune to scarcity politics. Blue cities often face restrictive regulations hindering housing and transit construction, leading to soaring prices and homelessness. As the cost of living rises in blue states, Democrats are losing people. They have become a coalition of Kindness Is Everything signs in front yards zoned for single-family homes. They risk becoming the party of language over outcomes, further alienating working-class families.

To counter Trumpism, a new political movement focused on abundance is needed. This movement should merge progressive care for the working class, a traditionally conservative celebration of national greatness and libertarian principles of deregulation. Specific goals should include abundant housing, clean energy, a revitalized science policy and a national invention agenda.

Achieving abundance requires overcoming special interests and entrenched incumbents, but Democrats must also address their shortcomings. New Deal liberalism built a growth machine, which was transformed into a peacetime growth machine after World War II. Now, growth has become an anti-growth machine. There’s too much bureaucracy, too many lawsuits, and a loss of public trust.

To win, Democrats must demonstrate the effectiveness of liberal policies by ensuring the government can deliver tangible results. They need to guarantee that the government can build what it intends to, as the failures of high-speed rail in California and affordable housing initiatives in Chicago illustrate the party’s message needs to be an institutional renewal.

Abundance, by embracing institutional renewal, offers a compelling alternative to Trump’s demolition and deprivation. It defines freedom for our time through building, mobility and scientific breakthroughs

— OPINIONS —

“The upstart ‘Classic Learning Test’ gets a testy welcome From the SAT” via Real Clear Investigations — The battle over the CLT reflects the profound forces transforming K-12 education. As growing numbers of Americans seek alternatives to traditional public education, an infrastructure of charter, private and home schools have expanded to support them. The CLT, which grew out of the classical education movement, is a recent addition to that infrastructure, a bridge between high school and college. The CLT broke out of its religious bubble in 2023 when Florida became the first state to approve of its use in high schools and public universities. The test suddenly became a more serious player in the market, firing a shot across the bow of the College Board. Thanks to Florida, CLT test takers soared sevenfold to 182,000 last year. The biggest surprise was that the surge in Florida mainly came from public school students, evidence of the CLT’s broadening appeal.

“Floridians got two minutes each to defend their right to amend the Constitution” via the Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial boards — Three dozen people lined up to try and rescue Florida democracy, making their arguments two minutes at a time. A bill kneecapping Floridians’ right to amend the state constitution passed anyway last Monday. Along party lines, the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee passed Senate Bill 7016 on a 6 to 3 vote, with Republicans voting yes and Democrats no. The three defenders of democracy were Sens. Tina Polsky of Boca Raton, Mack Bernard of West Palm Beach and Darryl Rouson of St. Petersburg. Gathering the nearly 1 million signatures needed to get a citizen-led amendment on the ballot is already a Herculean task. SB 7016 makes it impossible.

“Lawmakers should incentivize switch to less harmful tobacco products” via Dominic Calabro for Florida Politics — Florida faces a smoking crisis: 32,000 annual deaths and $10 billion in health care costs. Experts urge lawmakers to incentivize switching to heated tobacco products (HTPs) as less harmful alternatives. HTPs heat tobacco without burning, significantly reducing harmful chemicals. Florida bills SB 1418 and HB 785 propose different tax treatments for HTPs. Citing a 50% cigarette sales drop in Japan after the HTP introduction, analysts suggest a risk-based tax policy in Florida could improve public health and reduce taxpayer burden. Florida TaxWatch advocates for this shift.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

— ALOE —

“Sanibel’s comeback from hurricanes gets boost. Southern Living names island ‘top beach town’” via Mark H. Bickel of the Fort Myers News-Press — What’s a “best beach towns” list without mentioning Sanibel Island? Not credible. At least, that is our opinion. So, kudos to Southern Living for getting the job done with its “The 50 best beach towns in the South 2025” list. The experts at Southern Living narrowed things down and beautiful Sanibel is No. 6 in the rankings. This also puts Sanibel at the top of all Florida beach towns on the list. To its credit, Southern Living put a disclaimer at the top of the Sanibel section on the list, saying: “Sanibel Island is still recovering from damage sustained during Hurricane Ian in September 2022 and Hurricanes Milton and Helene in 2024. Please check mysanibel.com for updates on reopening and recovery efforts.”

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Best wishes to Johanna Cervone, Jay Galbraith, Allison North Jones, and Justin York.

___

Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.

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Attorney General James Uthmeier says Fort Myers made itself a sanctuary city by rejecting an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In a letter to city leaders, he said the Council now risks suspension from office.

“Sanctuary policies are not tolerated or lawful in Florida,” Uthmeier wrote in a letter to Fort Myers City Council members. “Failure to correct the Council’s actions will result in the enforcement of all applicable civil and criminal penalties, including but not limited to being held in contempt, declaratory or injunctive relief, and removal from office by the Governor.”

The missive from the state’s top legal officer came a day after the City Council split 3-3 on approving a 287(g) agreement with ICE. Such agreements grant local law enforcement the authority to perform specific immigration officer functions under federal direction and oversight.

The city negotiated a deal with the federal agency after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation requiring state law enforcement coordinate with the federal government on implementing immigration laws.

Uthmeier’s letter also alludes to a ban on sanctuary cities signed by DeSantis during his first year in office. Critics at the time noted Florida had no sanctuary cities when the state banned them. But Uthmeier said if Fort Myers refuses to comply with requirements to cooperate with ICE, that would make the municipality fall within the parameters outlined in state law.

“Prohibiting city police officers from receiving the necessary federal training to adequately enforce U.S. immigration laws not only prevents city police from enforcing current federal immigration law but effectively prevents the city police department from participating in federal immigration operations.”

Uthmeier’s letter came hours after U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, a Republican representing Fort Myers in Congress, publicly called for the removal of Fort Myers City Council members who struck down the agreement.

Lee County Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass, a Republican, also said City Council members were violating the law and risking suspension. He sent an email on Tuesday to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Lee County Port Authority calling for those agencies to ensure immigration laws were being enforced by local authorities even if Fort Myers would not comply with the law.

“The county has been doing it,” Pendergrass said. His email, he said, was to let county law enforcement know the Lee County Commission “support 100%” that policy throughout Lee County.

“LCSO does have countywide authority and will utilize it,” Pendergrass said. “Any inmate coming into jail from any agency will be processed under the federal guidelines.”

Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson, who voted for the agreement, said he had seen the letter.

“I am in receipt of the AG’s letter and am working with City Manager and City Attorney to correct the matter,” Anderson told Florida Politics. “While I do not want to see the removal I would have no choice to support the decision if so made.”

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The House Government Operations Subcommittee advanced a bill that seeks to alert law enforcement when a child on the autism spectrum goes missing.

Doral Republican Rep. David Borrero and Fort Lauderdale Democratic Rep. Daryl Campbell introduced the bipartisan measure (HB 711) in hopes of ensuring that children who go missing are safely brought home, while law enforcement is equipped to deal with these situations.

Borrero said that as a new father, he was shocked to learn that almost half of all children on the autism spectrum go missing at some point.

“I became mortified just at the idea of my children being missing,” Borrero said. “I was shocked to learn that there’s a statistic by the … American Academy of Pediatrics, that nearly half of children on the autism spectrum disorder, at some point, they become missing, or they stray from their environment. Half of them.”

Borrero added that it’s important for law enforcement to be aware of how to deal with these situations.

“What this bill does is, it’s two-fold,” Borrero said. “One, it creates a state-wide spectrum alert, so that when children with autism go missing, that there’s an alert that’s placed out there in the public so that law enforcement and the general public is aware. The second, and very importantly, is that law enforcement receives training.”

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement would be required to work with different departments, including the Florida Department of Transportation, the Department of the Lottery, and the Department of Motor Vehicles to create best practices and develop a program that would be available for local law enforcement agencies to educate on how to handle autistic children.

“Do law enforcement know that children with autism spectrum disorder, they flee from bright lights, and heavy sounds, or that they gravitate towards bodies of water? … The leading cause of death for children with autism is drowning,” Borrero said. “This is important I think for law enforcement to be aware of and receive this training.”

North Miami Democratic Rep. Wallace Aristide, who is an educator, supported the bill and thanked both Borrero and Campbell for bringing it forward.

“I want to thank you for bringing this bill, I work with so many autistic students, I get it, I fully understand it, and I’m so appreciative because you are gonna do a lot to make their lives a lot better, so I want to thank you both for bringing this bill to the floor,” Aristide said.

In closing, Campbell said the bill will help law enforcement ensure children with autism get home safely.

“As you all are aware, I’m a social worker, and one of the things that we try to do is meet individuals where they’re at,” Campbell said. “In this bill, I’m proud to say, this allows us to meet kids on the spectrum where they’re at, by providing training amongst our law enforcement but also ensuring that if one child goes missing, all eyes will be on alert and making sure that child gets home safely back to their family.”

The bill passed committee by a vote of 16 to 0 and will now go to the Health & Human Services Committee.

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