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Florida abortion ballot initiative hits threshold for state  Supreme Court review

The group needs more than 800,000 signatures by February to get it in front of voters in 2024.

News

Citing issues with tenure, loss of DEI, Florida faculty members want out

Nearly half of Florida respondents said they planned to find jobs in other states within the year.

Latin tech accelerator seeks Tampa Bay talent

Tampa Bay's Latino and Hispanic population has boomed in the last decade along with the area's tech industry.

Business

Bite club: St. Petersburg's new Azúcar Cuban Café

The menu offers breakfast and lunch, along with an array of desserts and coffee.

Food and Drink

Tampa Bay property tax rates largely hold steady as budget talks wind down

The new fiscal year begins Sunday, and that means Tampa Bay governments are finalizing their annual budgets.Why it matters: County and city budgets include how much you&#x27;ll pay in taxes and how the government will use that money in the coming year.

Illustration of a dollar sign etched into the tip of a fountain pen. 

Dozens of Florida ethics cases await Ron DeSantis' signature

Fines against officials who violated Florida law cannot be collected until DeSantis signs off.

Forty-two ethics orders recommending penalties against Florida officials are awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis&#x27; signature, according to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="recent report" data-vars-click-url="https://ethics.state.fl.us/Documents/Ethics/MeetingAgendas/Sep23Materials/EDReport.pdf" data-vars-content-id="0b47ec42-d22b-48a4-90e6-e0a09df4c75c" data-vars-headline="Dozens of Florida ethics cases await Ron DeSantis&#x27; signature" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://ethics.state.fl.us/Documents/Ethics/MeetingAgendas/Sep23Materials/EDReport.pdf" target="_blank">recent report</a> from the Florida Ethics Commission.Why it matters: The state&#x27;s ethics board <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="doesn&#x27;t have the power" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ethics.state.fl.us/Documents/Publications/complaint_procedures.pdf" data-vars-content-id="0b47ec42-d22b-48a4-90e6-e0a09df4c75c" data-vars-headline="Dozens of Florida ethics cases await Ron DeSantis&#x27; signature" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ethics.state.fl.us/Documents/Publications/complaint_procedures.pdf" target="_blank">doesn&#x27;t have the power</a> to impose its recommended penalties, and fines against officials who violated Florida law cannot be collected until DeSantis signs off.

Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference in Wildwood, Florida.

Florida tries and fails to bring major gun manufacturer to the state

The pitch included $25 million in incentives like tax breaks and grants but ultimately flopped.

Gov. Ron DeSantis tried to bring a major gun manufacturer to Florida using millions in state money, according to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new report" data-vars-click-url="https://jasongarcia.substack.com/p/ron-desantis-tried-to-give-25-million" data-vars-content-id="c06928f4-9966-48dc-8e44-9f9b4de6ac82" data-vars-headline="Florida tries and fails to bring major gun manufacturer to the state" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://jasongarcia.substack.com/p/ron-desantis-tried-to-give-25-million" target="_blank">new report</a> from Orlando journalist Jason Garcia.Why it matters: The pitch included $25 million in incentives like tax breaks and grants but ultimately flopped because the CEO doubted that the Sunshine State could develop a skilled workforce, per the report in Garcia&#x27;s newsletter <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Seeking Rents" data-vars-click-url="https://jasongarcia.substack.com/" data-vars-content-id="c06928f4-9966-48dc-8e44-9f9b4de6ac82" data-vars-headline="Florida tries and fails to bring major gun manufacturer to the state" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://jasongarcia.substack.com/" target="_blank">Seeking Rents</a>.

Illustration of a suited person's hand pointing a finger gun with a one hundred dollar bill dropping from their finger

A new survey of more than 4,250 college faculty members, including about 640 in Florida, sheds light on concerns that political interference in higher education has hurt morale among professors.By the numbers: Nearly half of Florida respondents said they planned to find jobs in other states within the year. About a quarter said they&#x27;d interviewed for jobs in other states at some point since the beginning of 2021.

Tampa Bay residents vent frustrations at home insurance town hall

Floridians facing skyrocketing premiums are desperate for an urgent solution.

The human toll of Florida&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="property insurance crisis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2023/08/03/citizens-insurance-policies-shift-tampa-based-slide" data-vars-content-id="c51df3a2-4176-420e-a6b3-a5b8c89d7552" data-vars-headline="Tampa Bay residents vent frustrations at home insurance town hall" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2023/08/03/citizens-insurance-policies-shift-tampa-based-slide" target="_self">property insurance crisis</a> came into sharp focus last week during a town hall organized by a Tampa Bay lawmaker.Driving the news: Democratic state Rep. Michele Rayner held meetings in Tampa and St. Petersburg to explain how Florida&#x27;s insurance market unraveled and answer questions about the rising cost of premiums that <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="many Floridians are experiencing" data-vars-click-url="https://www.reddit.com/r/florida/comments/14lrsgr/what_the_heck_is_going_on_with_home_insurance/" data-vars-content-id="c51df3a2-4176-420e-a6b3-a5b8c89d7552" data-vars-headline="Tampa Bay residents vent frustrations at home insurance town hall" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/florida/comments/14lrsgr/what_the_heck_is_going_on_with_home_insurance/" target="_blank">many Floridians are experiencing</a>.

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Gov. Ron DeSantis changes tactic to remove Central Florida prosecutor

The governor bashed Worrell for policies that, he said, allowed criminals to evade incarceration.

Politics

Gov. Ron DeSantis removed Monique Worrell, the top prosecutor in Central Florida, from her elected office almost exactly a year <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="after he ousted" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2022/08/04/ron-desantis-hillsborough-county-state-attorney" data-vars-content-id="47e2980f-0564-47a2-b2f7-f2fc65dc8314" data-vars-headline="Gov. Ron DeSantis changes tactic to remove Central Florida prosecutor" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2022/08/04/ron-desantis-hillsborough-county-state-attorney" target="_self">after he ousted</a> then-Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren.Yes, but: DeSantis chose a different tactic for Worrell&#x27;s removal — emphasizing policy choices instead of far-right cultural issues, like abortion or gender-affirming care.

The Florida lawmakers behind the push for UFO transparency

A representative from Tampa Bay is among Floridian members of Congress who want answers from the government on unidentified flying objects.

Floridian members of Congress, including a representative from Tampa Bay, are at the forefront of the ongoing congressional inquiry into unidentified flying objects.Driving the news: Members of the House Oversight Committee heard Wednesday from a former military intelligence officer and two pilots who said they had encounters with unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), the government name for UFOs.

Illustration of a hand holding a magnifying glass that is stylized as a UFO with it's beam lit up. 

Training for potential LGBTQ+ candidates in Florida attracts Tampa Bay residents

Victory Institute is helping build a slate of LGBTQ+ candidates who can usher in new and representative leadership.

University of South Florida business professor Kell Cameron never saw himself going into politics. The South Tampa resident is a self-identified nerd who loves research and teaching.Yes, but: A few years ago, a student approached him at the end of a semester and told him that he was the first openly gay teacher he&#x27;d ever had.<ul><li>&quot;It&#x27;s that moment when you realize how important representation is,&quot; Cameron, 35, told Axios. </li></ul>

Illustration of an LGBTQ+ flag pin on the lapel of a business suit.

Florida invalidated some out-of-state licenses. Here's what that means

Tampa Bay is home to an estimated 81,000 undocumented immigrants.

Florida&#x27;s effort to dispel confusion around a provision of its immigration reform law has led to, well, more questions. Catch up quick: In early July, the state&#x27;s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="published a list" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2023/07/06/florida-first-batch-voided-out-of-state-driver-licenses" data-vars-content-id="f07eef34-d513-4f6f-9971-49fddf06b08c" data-vars-headline="Florida invalidated some out-of-state licenses. Here&#x27;s what that means" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2023/07/06/florida-first-batch-voided-out-of-state-driver-licenses" target="_self">published a list</a> of out-of-state license classes no longer accepted in Florida.

Illustration of the Florida State Capitol building with lines radiating from it. 

Florida medical boards issue new rules for trans health care

The rules mandate that adults undergo psychological evaluations every two years to continue hormone treatment.

Health

Transgender people in Florida are facing more restrictions to their medical care, even after two recent court rulings lambasted the state&#x27;s approach to gender-affirming health care regulation.Driving the news: The state boards of medicine and osteopathic medicine issued <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new rules" data-vars-click-url="https://flboardofmedicine.gov/resources/" data-vars-content-id="530567b5-1937-425f-981b-b4ebf1c0b012" data-vars-headline="Florida medical boards issue new rules for trans health care" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://flboardofmedicine.gov/resources/" target="_blank">new rules</a> last week for trans adults to undergo hormone replacement therapy and surgery. The guidance is part of an informed consent process required by <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Senate Bill 254" data-vars-click-url="https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/254" data-vars-content-id="530567b5-1937-425f-981b-b4ebf1c0b012" data-vars-headline="Florida medical boards issue new rules for trans health care" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/254" target="_blank">Senate Bill 254</a>, which went into effect in May.

Illustration of a red circle, with the state of Florida forming a bar across it, with the transgender pride flag underneath.

Politics 🇺🇸