Tallahassee Update.
With less than two days left in the regular 2026 Florida legislative session, an AI regulation bill may be back in play. The Florida House on Wednesday watered down some requirements in the Senate's data center regulation bill, and sent the new version of the bill back to the Senate for consideration. While Gov. Ron DeSantis has championed this bill, the House version moves away from DeSantis and toward the Trump administration, which has embraced the rapid growth of artificial intelligence. DeSantis has cautioned against AI. The House’s rewrite of this bill comes amid reports of the White House contacting the Florida House to oppose over-regulation of AI.
In other legislative news from Tallahassee, the Florida Senate moved to provide stopgap funding for HIV/AIDS drug programs. The funding would help the 16,000 people who were cut out of the program in January, but the legislation still needs approval from the House.
The Florida legislature has approved a bill that will allow high school head coaches to use personal funds to support their players with things like food, transportation physical therapy and rehabilitation services. The bill was inspired by the suspension of a former Miami High School football coach, after he paid for meals and uber rides for his players. Under the bill, head coaches would be able to spend up to 15 thousand on their players a year.
SpaceX launch now scheduled for Friday.
You didn’t miss an early morning rocket launch today. SpaceX delayed the Falcon 9 mission until Friday morning. The four hour launch window opens at 6AM tomorrow.
In other space news, NASA’s Office of the Inspector General has warned of potential astronaut safety and schedule delays for the Artemis moon landings. The audit expressed concerns about both the SpaceX and Blue Origin lunar landers.
After dropping plans for enhancing the SLS rocket, NASA is proposed a sole source contract with ULA. NASA claims the ULA Centaur 5 upper stage is the only option available to replace the SLS upper stage.
SNAP, no Crackle or Pop.
Starting in April, millions of Floridians who receive SNAP assistance will no longer be permitted to use those benefits to buy soda, candy, and other sweets. WFIT’s Terri Wright shares the specifics.
Following recent cuts to SNAP funding and stricter work requirements for beneficiaries, Florida is one of 22 states, mostly Republican-led, that have requested waivers from the USDA to restrict certain foods.
Critics say the restrictions could increase stigma for SNAP recipients and create confusion at checkout counters, while also affecting unhoused people who cannot store unprepared foods and residents in food deserts with limited access to fresh groceries.
The average SNAP benefit is roughly $6 per day but the exact amount depends on income and household size. About 2.98 million Floridians received SNAP during fiscal year 2024, about 12.7% of the state's population. The national average is 12.3%.
Man not kidnapped by dolphins.
And finally, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office says it ain’t true. Social media posts claims a Florida man was arrested after being kidnapped by dolphins. The post claimed the man was found on the Sanibel causeway, wet and sketching blueprints in the sand for an underwater city for the dolphins. Authorities insist the story is fake news.
