Smash the vapes in Brevard schools?
At a recent Brevard School Board work session, ideas were floated on how to reduce student vaping during school hours. Board Vice Chairman Megan Wright jokingly suggested having school principals take a sledgehammer to confiscated vape pens. Aside from destroying vapes, board members talked about starting an anti-vape campaign.
Melbourne High School has already closed four of its 11 student bathrooms due to vaping and property damage. And the high school is using metal detectors outside bathrooms to curb student vaping. District leaders are considering additional measures, including vapor sensors. The CDC reported that vapes were the most commonly used tobacco product among youth nation-wide.
Ban on foreign faculty in Florida’s universities.
A one-year ban on hiring new foreign faculty through the H1-B visa system has been approved by the Florida Board of Governors, but the move didn't get the full support of all the board’s members. Board officials state the temporary pause is to collect data on the program's use and impact within the state university system. Some board members expressed concern that the ban could harm the reputation of Florida's universities and their ability to recruit top talent.
Feds block millions for Alligator Alcatraz.
When environmentalists sued over the damage immigrant detention center might do to the ecology in the Everglades, the DeSantis administration claimed if wasn’t subject to environmental review because it was paying for it without federal assistance. Meanwhile FEMA held up the assistance because of a lack of an environmental review. Internal documents obtained in discovery for that lawsuit spell out the details. Four times last year, FEMA told state officials that it wouldn’t release the full $600 million grant award until the environmental review was finalized. Meanwhile, a judge has ordered the state of Florida to turn over environmental records related to Alligator Alcatraz to the Stuart-based nonprofit Friends of the Everglades.
Bill to abolish HOAs moves forward in Tallahassee.
Last week, a bill that could dismantle homeowners associations moved forward in Tallahassee. It was unanimously approved by its fourth and final committee, meaning it can now go before the full House for consideration. If it passes the House, it’s then set to go through the Senate. And if the bill manages to clear both houses and gets Gov. DeSantis’ signature, it is set to take effect on July 1. Here’s how it could work: Under the bill, a homeowner who wants to terminate his/her respective HOA must provide the board a petition that includes signatures from at least half of the HOA’s voting members. The board must then hold a meeting within 60 days, with two-thirds of the total voting interests being required to approve the termination plan.
Florida legislative session may go into overtime.
Florida House Democratic leader Fentrice Driskell is predicting that the state’s legislative session will NOT finish on time this year.
"It's looking like the budget won't be finished on time… they’re expecting the governor to call us back for multiple special sessions. And it's just really unfortunate, because we should be able to do the people's work in 60 days.”
Last year’s session ran overtime as well. This session has been marked with clashes from the Florida House and Governor Ron DeSantis, as well as disagreements about when and how to handle some of the most pressing issues this session, like property tax changes and controversial mid-decade redistricting.
