The Florida Supreme Court upheld the state’s 15-week abortion ban April 1, concluding the years-long legal challenge and instituting a new six-week ban. On the same day, the court also approved an opposing state constitutional amendment to appear on the November general election ballot, leaving the fate of abortion access in the hands of Florida voters.
This election season reminds Alachua County residents to inform themselves about new legislation and be mindful of deadlines. Turnout for primaries tends to be lower because citizens may not participate as often as the general elections due to a lack of knowledge on the candidacy, policies and importance of their vote. The process can also be overwhelming, eliciting fear rather than advocacy.
In light of the quickly approaching election season, UF students, professors and Gainesville residents have begun examining the impacts of political polarization and weighing the most likely presidential candidates to emerge from the primaries: President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Florida’s primary election is slated for March 19, with 22 others remaining nationwide before the finalization of which Republican and Democrat candidates will advance to the November general election.
Senate Bill 1122 — cited as the “Historic Florida Monuments and Memorials Protection Act” — was filed by Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, in December 2023. If enacted, it would protect historic monuments and memorials from removal, holding local governments legally liable for enforcing ordinances or rules around those withdrawals.
Various education reform bills have altered curriculum and cut funding to certain programs in public K-12 schools and universities since the beginning of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration. The initiatives have targeted a wide variety of subject matter including diversity, equity and inclusion programs as well as all critical theory, a blanket term that encompasses the idea of critical race theory. The passage of new legislation, both in support and opposition of past initiatives, faces the state legislature in 2024.
House Bill 757 titled “Defamation, False Light, and Unauthorized Publication of Name or Likeness” seeks to lower the bar for public figures filing these lawsuits. Proposed by Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, the initiative would widen the scope of actual malice, work to discredit anonymous sources, limit the use of artificial intelligence, establish 60-day veracity hearings and authorize venue expansion.
As the legislative session ramps up, newly proposed bills that could alter the higher education landscape have faculty and students bracing themselves after last year’s education regulations. Following the state’s 2023 move to defund public universities’ diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, the Florida State Board of Education prohibited the usage of public funds for DEI programs in Florida’s 28 public state colleges, according to a Florida Department of Education news release Jan. 17.
Faced with the upcoming 2024 Republican primary election, Gov. Ron DeSantis has suspended his presidential campaign. Former President Donald Trump and former Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina will compete head-to-head for the Republican nomination.
Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered the State of the State address Tuesday, Jan. 9. A joint session of the Florida legislature received his remarks in the House of Representatives Chamber.
The 2024 Florida regular legislative session begins Jan. 9 with over 1,000 bills filed. The proposed legislation has sparked discussions on a wide range of issues including abortion access, firearm regulations, education reform, environmental protection, insurance rates and hurricane relief.
On Nov. 16, the United States Supreme Court refused the state of Florida’s request to re-enact a law punishing businesses for allowing children into drag shows. Artists like Garrepy are taking the opportunity to celebrate the rare legal victory, which follows a flurry of Florida anti-LGBTQ laws passed over recent legislative terms.
Florida chapters of the pro-Palestine organization, Students for Justice in Palestine, have not been deactivated by Gov. Ron DeSantis, despite the order released by State University System’s chancellor Ray Rodrigues more than three weeks ago.
Roughly one month after Hamas attacked Israel Oct. 7, Florida lawmakers convened in Tallahassee for a special session focused on showing support for Israel in its war against the Palestinian militant group.
Andrew Scholberg has been arrested 13 times. But that doesn’t deter the 71-year-old freelance writer and pro-life activist from continuing the work he’s been doing for almost 50 years — standing outside abortion clinics to pray and offer alternatives to women entering the building. A MoveOn petition created Nov. 2 asks the Gainesville City Commission to deter abortion critics like Scholberg from gathering outside Bread & Roses, one of Gainesville’s two abortion clinics. The petition, which gathered over 700 signatures in the week and a half since its creation, encourages signers to ask the commission for “No Loitering or Solicitation” signs along Northwest 10th Avenue.
Car horns blared at South First Avenue and South Main Street Saturday afternoon, when oncoming traffic found the road blocked by a crowd of 150 pro-Palestinian protestors standing in the middle of the intersection. Of the crowd, some carried roses, while others carried children on their shoulders — all chanting in unison for an end to the siege of Gaza.
Solutions by The State News
