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Tom Leek refiles ‘Office Jason Raynor Act’ after last year’s bill stalled over wording dispute

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2 months ago

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Sen. Tom Leek is renewing his push to toughen penalties for crimes against police officers.

He just refiled a 2026 version of the “Officer Jason Raynor Act” after the measure fell just short of passage last Session.

The bill (SB 156) is named for 26-year-old Daytona Beach Police officer Jason Raynor, who was fatally shot in 2021 while investigating a suspicious vehicle and its occupant.

If passed, the measure would mandate life sentences without parole for defendants convicted of manslaughter in the death of a law enforcement officer.

“Those who choose to attack our brave men and women first responders with deadly force must face the consequences of their actions and be held accountable and prosecuted to the highest extent of the law,” Leek, an Ormond Beach Republican, said in a statement.

“I am proud to have the strong support of our law enforcement community on this significant legislative proposal, so they know we have their back, as they lay their lives on the line each and every day.”

SB 156 revises Florida’s prohibition on using or threatening force to resist arrest. In addition to its enhanced penalties for manslaughter of officers and other first responders, the bill also stiffens punishment for assault and battery against law enforcement, correctional and probation officers.

Rep. Jessica Baker, a Jacksonville Republican and former Assistant State Attorney, filed the bill’s House companion (HB 17) last month.

Leek and Baker collaborated on a similarly written and identically titled proposal last Session that died one vote from passage due to minor wording differences and procedural limits on how many times legislation could cross the rotunda.

At issue was whether Florida law should prohibit the use of force in resisting “any” arrest, Baker’s preferred phrasing last Session, or the standard of a “lawful or an unlawful” arrest in Leek’s bill — a semantic dispute that ultimately doomed the 2025 version despite unanimous votes in both chambers.

This year, both sponsors appear determined to avoid a repeat. Baker told Florida Politics last month that she and Leek had already coordinated on a unified draft and expect their respective 2026 versions to “closely mirror” each other’s language. That, she said, should eliminate the friction that killed the legislation last time.

The “Officer Jason Raynor Act” is meant to honor Officer Raynor, who was shot in the head by Othal Wallace in June 2021 during a brief encounter behind an apartment building. Wallace was convicted of manslaughter in 2023 and sentenced to 30 years in prison, a punishment many law enforcement advocates and the bill’s sponsors considered far too lenient.

As was the case with last year’s legislation, SB 156 and HB 17 both contain a “good faith” standard for police conduct, a compromise Leek included to address concerns he heard in March from the Senate Black Caucus while maintaining accountability in officer-citizen encounters.

Leek’s Office said his bill has already received support from the Fraternal Order of Police, Police Benevolent Association and Florida Police Chiefs Association.

The Florida Sheriffs Association and Florida Carry Inc., a nonprofit that advocates for Second Amendment rights, have both registered to lobby on the House bill, which has been referred to the chamber’s Criminal Justice Subcommittee and Judiciary Committee.

The Senate bill awaits committee assignments.

SB 156 and HB 17 are the first — and, so far, only — bills Leek and Baker filed for the 2026 Session, which begins regular meetings Jan. 13.

Interim committee meetings are ongoing.



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South Florida home sales show upbeat increases for Palm Beach and Broward counties, Miami-Dade still struggling

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3 hours ago

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December 7, 2025

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Condominium closings also increased in Palm Beach and Broward counties in October.

South Florida single-family home sales for November saw some notable improvement in the year-over-year comparisons while Miami-Dade County is still lagging in the back of the pack.

The monthly analysis of the three coastal counties from the Elliman Report in South Florida was released in the past week and it shows solid property sales in Palm Beach and Broward counties. Both of those counties showed notable upticks in signed contracts on single-family home closings last month with Broward leading the way.

There were 387 homes sold in Broward in November. That’s a 98.5% jump in closing contracts over November 2024 when there 195 houses sold. While the annual comparison is upbeat, Broward saw a slight downturn in monthly sales. There were 466 homes sold in October, accounting for an 18.52% decrease in the monthly sales.

“All property types showed a combined annual gain in new signed contracts for the third time (this year), with outsized annual increases observed in both property types” of homes and condominiums, Elliman real estate analysts concluded about Broward property sales. “New listings across all property types combined have increased annually at a rising rate for the past three months. The number of new contracts signed above the $1 million threshold has shown annual growth for the sixth time in seven months.”

Palm Beach County also witnessed an increase in annual home sales. But it was more modest than Broward with 321 single-family contracts signed in November. That’s a 27.9% hike over November 2024 when there were 251 closings. But the monthly sales were down in Palm Beach County, too. There were 347 closings in October meaning November’s sales posed a 7.49% drop on the monthly ledger.

Miami-Dade is still struggling in home sales, though, as the county has lagged behind its northern neighbors for most of the year. There were 406 home closings in Miami-Dade in November, a 30.6% decline from November 2024 when there were 585. The monthly comparison was also off for Miami-Dade as there were 487 homes sold in October, representing a 16.63% drop in sales.

Condominium sales, which have been struggling in much of South Florida this year, showed some improvement. There were 354 condos sold in Broward in November, a 41.6% jump from a year ago. Palm Beach posted 309 condo sales last month, a 33.2% increase from November 2024. Miami-Dade was the only South Florida county with a dip in condo sales with 406 closings in November, a 30.6% decline from a year ago.



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University of Florida breaks ground on College of Dentistry building facelift and overhaul

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December 7, 2025

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The original College of Dentistry building was errected half a century ago at UF.

The University of Florida (UF) College of Dentistry building is undergoing major renovations and a multi-phase overhaul that will add more than 100,000 square feet to the facility.

UF officials announced this month that the 11-story college “dental tower” is undergoing waterproofing and insulation upgrades. There is also a modernization of key spaces in the existing building and a new building addition that will tack on a new area that will cover the 100,0000 of additional space. The original building was erected 50 years ago and the new additions and upgrades are expected to be completed in five years.

“This project represents the largest investment made by the state of Florida in a medical science building at any state university,” said Mori Hosseini, UF Board of Trustees Chair in a news release. “We fought for this because we understand what it will deliver for our community – for our students, our faculty and families across Florida.”

Some of the brick exterior of the original building is being removed. Crews are “sealing” the structure with work that is designed to prevent water intrusion. When that’s complete they’ll modernize the front of the building with a panel system that blend with the new addition. Work on that element is set to begin in August.

“The transformation helps ensure that the College of Dentistry remains at the forefront of academic distinction education, research and clinical innovation for decades to come,” said c, Dean of the college in Gainesville.

When completed, the College of Dentistry will see every room modernized within the building. Technological upgrades will accompany the physical overhaul as well.

“The College of Dentistry faculty and students deserve a space that allows them to focus on the patient, and the patients deserve a building that puts them at ease,” said UF Interim President Donald Landry. “The research done here will be transformative and add to the glory of this institution.”



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Monica Matteo-Salinas, Monique Pardo Pope square off in Miami Beach Commission runoff

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8 hours ago

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December 7, 2025

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Early voting is underway in Miami Beach ahead of a Dec. 9 runoff that will decide the city’s only open Commission seat — a head-to-head contest between Monica Matteo-Salinas and Monique Pardo Pope for the Group 1 seat.

Matteo-Salinas, a Democrat and longtime City Hall aide, finished first last month with 23.2% of the vote. Pardo Pope, a Republican lawyer, advanced with 20.1%.

They outpaced four other candidates competing to succeed outgoing Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez last month, but neither captured a large enough share of the vote — more than 50% — to win outright.

The runoff has sharpened into a choice between two contrasting résumés, platforms and campaign narratives along with a late-cycle revelation about Pardo Pope that has drawn national headlines.

Voters are heading to the polls for the second time in just over a month as Miami Beach faces turbulence on multiple fronts, from state scrutiny over finances and charges that a local ordinance conflicts with Florida’s homelessness law to the removal of cultural landmarks due to their so-called “woke” significance and accusations of pay-for-play policymaking.

Matteo-Salinas, 46, has consolidated establishment support for her campaign, which centers on a promise to work on expanding trolley service, increasing the city’s affordable housing index and establishing a new “water czar” position in the city, paid by resort taxes.

She’s earned endorsements from several local pols, including Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Miami Beach Commissioners Alex Fernandez, Laura Dominguez and Tanya Bhatt; and former Miami Beach Dan Gelber.

Groups backing her bid include the Miami Beach Fraternal Order of Police, LGBTQ groups SAVE Action PAC and Equality Florida Action PAC, and the public-safety-focused neighborhood group SOBESafe.

Pardo Pope, 45, has centered her messaging on public safety, investing in mental health, backing school choice initiatives, supporting homelessness services, encouraging “smart, thoughtful development” that preserves Miami Beach’s character while addressing flooding and roadway congestion, and alleviating cost-of-living issues for longtime residents and first-time homebuyers through “fair taxation.”

Though she has touted her guardian ad litem work as evidence of her temperament and commitment to service, that part of her record has drawn renewed scrutiny in recent weeks. A review of Pardo Pope’s case records with the Miami-Dade Clerk’s Office shows her listed as a guardian ad litem on just three cases — one of which she was discharged from after trying to get the mother in the case jailed.

She’s also been the subject of negative attention for omitting that her father was the convicted, Nazi-adoring serial killer Manuel Pardo, to whom she wrote several loving social media posts.

Pardo Pope has said that she forgave him in order to move forward with her life and asked voters to judge her on her own life and work.

Her backing includes the Miami-Dade Republican Party, Miami-Dade Commissioner René García, state Rep. Alex Rizo, former Miami Beach City Attorney Jose Smith, Miami Realtors PAC, the Venezuelan American Republican Club and Teach Florida PAC, a Jewish education group.

Two of her former Group 1 opponents, Daniel Ciraldo and Omar Gimenez, are also backing her.

Matteo-Salinas raised about $133,000 and spent $82,000 by Dec. 4. Pardo Pope raised about $190,000 — of which 29% was self-given — and spent close to $170,000.

Early voting runs through Sunday at four locations citywide. Election Day is Monday, Dec. 9.



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