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WEATHER ALERT

A coastal flood advisory and a rip current statement in effect for 9 regions in the area

RICK SCOTT


Sen. McConnell plans to serve his full term as Republican leader despite questions about his health

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has repeatedly said he is โ€œfineโ€ since he froze up midsentence during a press conference on Wednesday.

Inflation drops to 3% and Biden hopes to turn a weakness with voters into a strength

The politics of inflation took a sharp turn with a new report showing consumer prices rose at the slowest pace since the early months of Joe Bidenโ€™s presidency.

Drama shifts to Senate after House passes debt ceiling bill

With the June 5 deadline looming, the bill to suspend the debt ceiling and limit spending easily passed the House, and it's now up to the Senate to avoid a funding crunch.

AG Moody hits back at Florida travel advisories issued by civil rights groups

Three separate civil rights groups have issued their own travel warning for tourists visiting Florida citing recently passed legislation that the groups say has created a shadow of fear in Florida.

Senators back solar tariffs, oppose prairie bird safeguards

The Senate has approved a measure that would reinstate tariffs on solar panel imports from several Southeast Asian countries after President Joe Biden paused them in a bid to boost solar installations in the U.S. Lawmakers also approved a separate plan late Wednesday to undo federal protections for the lesser prairie chicken, a rare grouse thatโ€™s found in parts of the Midwest and Southwest, including one of the countryโ€™s most prolific oil and gas fields.

Texas bill proposes up to $25K for armed school 'sentinels'

Texas schools could offer up to $25,000 stipends to teachers and staff who accept the dual role of being armed campus โ€œsentinelsโ€ with specialized mental health training under a proposal that state lawmakers advanced Tuesday in response to the Uvalde classroom shooting.

DeSantis signs bill to carry concealed guns without a permit

Floridians will be able to carry concealed guns without a permit under a bill signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Haley wants entitlement program changes for younger people

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is proposing changes to entitlement programs for younger generations, opening the door to potential cuts to Social Security and Medicare if elected.

Djokovic withdraws after failed bid to play Indian Wells

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the upcoming BNP Paribas Open after losing his bid to enter the United States unvaccinated to play in the Southern California event.

GOP leaders, stung by losses, plan to wade into Senate races

Senate Republicans' campaign operation is taking steps to avoid a repeat of their party's disastrous showing in last year's midterms.

Florida executes Donald Dillbeck for 1990 Florida murder while a fugitive

Florida executed a man on Thursday for murdering a woman in 1990 after he escaped from prison, stabbing her to death in a shopping mall parking lot in an attempted carjacking.

Social Security and Medicare: Troubling math, tough politics

It seems no one wants to cut Social Security or Medicare benefits.

Sen. Rick Scott alters policy plan causing heartburn for GOP

Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida has amended a plan to overhaul how the federal government works after Democrats repeatedly seized on it to accuse Republicans of looking to cut Medicare and Social Security.

In GOP-held Florida, Biden vows no cuts to Social Security

President Joe Biden is taking direct aim at Republicans who have floated cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

Biden warns of GOP plans for Medicare, Social Security cuts

When President Joe Biden suggested that Republicans want to slash Medicare and Social Security it brought howls of protests from the GOP side of the aisle during the State of the Union address.

Focused on education, Sen. Rick Scott speaks with leaders in Jacksonville

Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott hosted a roundtable Monday in Jacksonville that was focused on education. Itโ€™s part of a tour through Florida that his team calls โ€œMake Washington Work.โ€

Lawmakers face serious hurdles to pass sweeping defense bill, keep government funded

It's that time of year again, when Congress tends to rush to fund the government. This year, two major spending bills are hitting snags with the clock ticking.

Schumer reelected Senate leader after Dems expand majority

Sen. Chuck Schumer has been elected for another term as Democratic leader in the Senate.

Trump allies aim to capture his philosophy in policy book

Donald Trump arrived in Washington with a hodgepodge of ideas developed over decades in business and television that were far outside the Republican mainstream.

Emboldened Biden, Dems pushing semi-automatic weapons ban

When President Joe Biden speaks about the โ€œscourgeโ€ of gun violence, his go-to answer is to zero in on semi-automatic weapons.

GOP's lackluster fundraising spurs post-election infighting

Republicans are engaged in a round of finger-pointing as both parties sift through the results of Democratsโ€™ stronger-than-expected showing in the midterm elections.

Trump 2024 rivals court his donors at big Las Vegas meeting

Republican presidential prospects are courting anxious donors and activists in Las Vegas , as the GOP's early 2024 class warns that former President Donald Trump is โ€œa loserโ€ and the party needs to turn elsewhere.

McConnell reelected Senate GOP leader: 'Not going anywhere'

Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has been reelected as Republican leader, quashing a challenge from Sen. Rick Scott of Florida.

Florida's Scott takes on McConnell in bid for Senate leader

Florida Sen. Rick Scott is mounting a long-shot bid to unseat Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.

Confident GOP unifies behind candidates once seen as risky

Republicans are increasingly confident in Senate candidates who party leaders had once believed were essentially unelectable or at least seriously flawed.

DeSantis eases voting rules in counties devastated by Ian

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued an executive order expanding voting access for the midterm elections in three counties where Hurricane Ian destroyed polling places and displaced thousands of people.

Walker gets boost from GOP leaders after abortion reports

Two U.S. senators, Rick Scott of Florida and Tom Cotton of Arkansas, are boosting the campaign of Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker.

Biden and DeSantis join together in Ian recovery effort

President Joe Biden has surveyed the devastation of hurricane-ravaged Florida, promising to marshal the power of the federal government to help rebuild.

By boat and jet ski, volunteers assist in Ian rescue efforts

As authorities in Florida try to reach people who have been trapped by floodwaters or isolated on barrier islands since Hurricane Ian came ashore last week, concerned members of the public have been springing into action to aid the official rescue efforts.

Uvalde shooting, border dominate only Texas governor debate

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said in his first debate against Democratic challenger Beto Oโ€™Rourke that Texas would send busloads of migrants who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border to more cities.

Man appointed by Gov. DeSantis to oversee election crimes and security has died of a heart attack

Pete Antonacci, appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis as the head of Florida's new Office of Election Crimes and Security has died of a heart attack.

Prosecutors drop some charges in Florida nursing home deaths

Prosecutors have dropped manslaughter charges against three nurses who were present when 12 Florida nursing home patients suffered fatal overheating five years ago after Hurricane Irma.

Red wave crashing? GOP momentum slips as fall sprint begins

The great red wave is looming.

Nazi protesters show up outside young conservatives meeting in Florida

A Holocaust center in Florida and others condemned the presence of protesters holding Nazi flags and posters with antisemitic imagery outside a convention of young conservative activists that drew as speakers President Donald Trump, Florida Gov, Ron DeSantis and several Republican U.S. senators.

Sen. Scott defends vote against bipartisan gun bill after signing similar policy as Floridaโ€™s governor

The first major legislation on gun safety sailed through congress and was sent to President Joe Biden on the day marking one month since the deadly mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

SC Dem seeks age limit for 'geriatric' politicians

South Carolina Democratic gubernatorial nominee Joe Cunningham is proposing an age limit โ€” 72 โ€” for state politicians.

Scott: Texas GOP platform not 'inclusive' on homosexuality

Republican Sen_ Rick Scott of Florida is criticizing the Texas GOP's new party platform for not being โ€œinclusiveโ€ when it described homosexuality as โ€œan abnormal lifestyle choice.โ€.

March for Our Lives returns with a renewed gun control push

Angered by the unrelenting toll from gun violence, tens of thousands of people are expected at rallies this weekend in the nationโ€™s capital and around the United States demanding that Congress pass meaningful changes to gun laws.

Tulsa shooting puts focus on waiting periods for gun buyers

The mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, are again putting the focus on gun control measures such as waiting periods to buy firearms.

A look at how Florida governors handled sheriff appointments in the recent past

News4JAX looks back at how Florida governors have handled sheriff appointments in the recent past.

Shootings prompt debate on purchase age for AR-style rifles

The gunmen in two of the nationโ€™s most recent mass shootings legally bought the semi-automatic rifles they used in their massacres after they turned 18.

Biden pushes 'ultra-MAGA' label on GOP as he defends record

President Joe Biden is warning voters unhappy with soaring inflation and his stalled domestic agenda against turning power over to โ€œultra-MAGAโ€ Republicans in the midterm elections.

Florida Supreme Court Justice Lawson to retire

Florida Supreme Court Justice Alan Lawson will retire at the end of August.

Judge tosses challenge to Floridaโ€™s abortion waiting period

Women will have to wait 24 hours before getting an abortion under a ruling by a Florida judge in a nearly seven-year battle over the waiting period.

Ohio GOP Senate hopeful: Middle class doesn't pay fair share

Mike Gibbons, a leading Republican Senate candidate from Ohio, said at a media event last fall that middle-class Americans donโ€™t pay โ€œany kind of a fair shareโ€ of income taxes.

GOP's Senate campaign chief won't back down from party fight

Florida Sen. Rick Scott is barely halfway through his first term, but he's already leaning into a fight against his own partyโ€™s leadership.

Senate approves bill to make daylight saving time permanent

The Senate has unanimously approved a measure that would make daylight saving time permanent next year.

'Stand your ground' laws proliferate after Trayvon spotlight

Ten years ago when Trayvon Martin was fatally shot, Florida was one of the few states with โ€œstand your groundโ€ laws that eased use of deadly force in the face of danger.

Trayvon Martin 10 years later: A look at the players

Trayvon Martin was visiting his father in Sanford, Florida, when the 17-year-old Black teen was fatally shot Feb. 26, 2012, during a confrontation with George Zimmerman.

Two popular bills, two problems: It's never easy in Senate

Two widely supported bills are encountering delays in the Senate.

GOP steps up bid to persuade Hogan to run for Senate in Md.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other leading Republicans are intensifying a personal late-stage push to persuade Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to run for the Senate.

Florida senators look to hold HUD accountable for neglected properties

There's a renewed push to improve public housing in the Sunshine State.

Biden's highway safety pick vows to reduce US traffic deaths

President Joe Bidenโ€™s pick to run the nationโ€™s highway safety agency is pledging to attack a crisis of fatal car crashes by implementing safety rules to deter impaired driving.

Sen. Rubio demands information on migrant flights into Jacksonville

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, is demanding answers from the U.S. attorney general and the Department of Homeland Security about flights carrying migrants into and through Jacksonville.

Governorโ€™s former house included in booming housing market

Count Gov. Ron DeSantis among homeowners with sellerโ€™s regret.

EXPLAINER: So much buzz, but what is critical race theory?

Critical race theory has become a lightning rod for Republicans and an issue in the Virginia governor's race.

President Biden confident โ€˜Build Back Betterโ€™ plan will move forward

President Joe Biden says he remains confident he will overcome opposition and get his โ€œBuild Back Betterโ€ plan moving forward.

Florida finds uncommon allies in gun law fight

Florida finds uncommon allies in gun law fight

Groups seeking stricter gun-control laws frequently have clashed with Republican leaders in Florida, a testing ground for National Rifle Association-backed legislation.

Sluggish pace of confirmations vexes Biden White House

Sluggish pace of confirmations vexes Biden White House

Former President Donald Trump struggled during his first year in office to get his nominees confirmed in a timely fashion in the Senate.

Toxic algae in a Florida marina defies nanobubble technology

Toxic algae in a Florida marina defies nanobubble technology

Pahokee Marinaโ€™s stubborn blue-green algae infection flared again early this month, defying four nanobubble-blowing machines targeting the recurrent toxins with high-octane oxygen.

Judge: Florida can't enforce ban on school mask mandates

Judge: Florida can't enforce ban on school mask mandates

A Florida judge has ruled the state cannot enforce its ban on mask mandates in public schools to guard against the coronavirus while an appeals court sorts out whether the ban is ultimately legal.

TWIJ: Doctor on coronavirus spike; lawmakers on crisis in Cuba

TWIJ: Doctor on coronavirus spike; lawmakers on crisis in Cuba

Dr. Sunil Joshi, president of the Duval County Medical Society Foundation, discusses the rise in coronavirus cases and the increase in hospitalizations. We also discuss the crisis in Cuba with Congressman Al Lawson, D-Tallahassee, and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, offer their analysis on Cuba as well as the American Rescue Plan and new child tax credits.

Gov. DeSantis, Florida lawmakers call for more action in Cuba

Gov. DeSantis, Florida lawmakers call for more action in Cuba

Less than a week into major demonstrations concerning Cuba some changes are already underway.

Florida law that prohibits firearm sales to those under 21 upheld

Florida law that prohibits firearm sales to those under 21 upheld

A federal judge has upheld Floridaโ€™s law prohibiting the sale of firearms to anyone under the age of 21.

Bargainers say have policing 'framework,' but issues remain

Bargainers say have policing 'framework,' but issues remain

Congressional bargainers say theyโ€™ve agreed to a bipartisan framework for overhauling policing procedures.

GOP chair expects former Nevada AG Laxalt to run for Senate

GOP chair expects former Nevada AG Laxalt to run for Senate

The head of the Senate Republican political arm says he expects former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt to challenge Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada next year.

Trump's grievances cloud Republican agenda heading into 2022

Trump's grievances cloud Republican agenda heading into 2022

Republicans are fighting to seize control of Congress.

Florida Gov. DeSantis attacks Fried on COVID, achievements

Florida Gov. DeSantis attacks Fried on COVID, achievements

A day after Democratic Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried entered the Florida governorโ€™s race, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis made it clear heโ€™s willing to go on the attack.

Florida lawmakers speak out after GOP blocks Capitol riot probe

Florida lawmakers speak out after GOP blocks Capitol riot probe

While the commission would have been bipartisan, the vote Friday clearly was not.

How the Gaetz probe grew from sex trafficking to medical pot

How the Gaetz probe grew from sex trafficking to medical pot

Before Matt Gaetz rose to national prominence as an ardent backer of Donald Trump, the now-Florida congressman carved out an unusual reputation as a Republican state lawmaker who wanted to liberalize marijuana laws.

Senate confirms former Florida Sen. Bill Nelson to lead NASA

Senate confirms former Florida Sen. Bill Nelson to lead NASA

The Senate has confirmed Bill Nelson, a former Florida senator who once flew on the space shuttle, to be the next NASA administrator.

Florida senators: Too soon to weigh in on Gaetzโ€™s future

Florida senators: Too soon to weigh in on Gaetzโ€™s future

The No. 2 House Republican says party leaders would โ€œtake actionโ€ against Rep. Matt Gaetz if the Justice Department formally moves ahead with legal action against him.

Florida GOP senators: Too soon to weigh in on Gaetz's future

Florida GOP senators: Too soon to weigh in on Gaetz's future

Floridaโ€™s two Republican senators are steering clear of voicing support for Rep. Matt Gaetz.

Trump: The key to Republican success is more Trumpism

Trump: The key to Republican success is more Trumpism

Former President Donald Trump is staking his claim to the Republican Party in a closed-door speech to donors Saturday night, casting his populist policies and attack-dog politics as the key to future Republican success.

Bowing to Trump? GOP brings leaders, donors to his backyard

Bowing to Trump? GOP brings leaders, donors to his backyard

The Republican Party is bringing hundreds of donors and several presidential prospects to the former presidentโ€™s doorstep in south Florida this weekend.

Local lawmakers express sorrow, outrage after Capitol officer killed

Local lawmakers express sorrow, outrage after Capitol officer killed

After the Capitol Police officer was killed Friday after a man rammed a car into two officers at a barricade outside the U.S. Capitol, lawmakers in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia expressed sorrow and outrage.

Health care in Florida; Sen. Rick Scott; Stateโ€™s legislative session

Health care in Florida; Sen. Rick Scott; Stateโ€™s legislative session

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ€“ On this edition of โ€œThis Week in Jacksonville,โ€ state Rep. Angie Nixon and Dr. Nancy Staats, both of whom have called for Florida to expand Medicaid, talk about how it could help people in need of health care and the money that would be involved in making it happen. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, of Florida, calls for states to send back federal relief money if they arenโ€™t spending it on COVID-19 expenses. And state Sen. Travis Hutson talks about his energy bills and how he feels about proposed changes to the Bright Futures scholarship program.

Gov. DeSantis pushes back after Rick Scott asks states to return some COVID relief money

Gov. DeSantis pushes back after Rick Scott asks states to return some COVID relief money

Letโ€™s make sure we help our businesses get going again,โ€ Scott told host Kent Justice. โ€œIf Florida were to send the money back, [Treasury Secretary Janet] Yellen is going to send it to Illinois, California, New York or New Jersey. DeSantis said the package penalizes states such as Florida that have lower unemployment rates than other states. The package includes $350 billion for states and the District of Columbia and would divvy up the money based on unemployment rates. Scott was asked if it was realistic to expect state governments will send federal money back.

Senators make another run at making daylight saving time permanent

Senators make another run at making daylight saving time permanent

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ€“ Floridaโ€™s two U.S. senators joined others across the country in another attempt to make daylight saving time permanent across the country, reintroducing the Sunshine Protection Act. AdIf the bill passes it would apply to the states who currently participate in daylight saving time, which most states observe for eight months out of the year. โ€œStudies have shown many benefits of a year-round Daylight Saving Time, which is why the Florida legislature voted to make it permanent in 2018. Rubio and Scott introduced legislation last year citing the coronavirus pandemic as one reason why daylight saving time would be beneficial. In March 2019, Rubio re-introduced the Sunshine Protection Act, legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent across the country.

What Florida, Georgia senators said about their party-line votes on $1.9T relief bill

What Florida, Georgia senators said about their party-line votes on $1.9T relief bill

The U.S. senators from Florida and Georgia voted along party lines, like all of their fellow senators, for the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill that was approved by a 50-49 margin Saturday. Hereโ€™s what the senators from Georgia and Florida had to say Saturday about their party-line votes:Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-GeorgiaThanks to Georgia voters, the United States Senate just passed the most generous economic relief package for working and middle class families in American history. โ€” Jon Ossoff (@ossoff) March 6, 2021Thank you to all who wrote postcards, made calls, knocked doors, texted friends, and chipped in a few bucks to deliver victory in Georgia and COVID relief for the country. โ€” Jon Ossoff (@ossoff) March 6, 2021Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-GeorgiaThis historic COVID-19 relief bill will bring billions of dollars in aid to Georgia, help our economy recover and give families the support they need to get through this pandemic. Iโ€™ve said all along that I want targeted relief for families and businesses suffering from the pandemic.

Report details troubles of Floridaโ€™s unemployment system

Report details troubles of Floridaโ€™s unemployment system

The initial report of Florida's inspector general detailed enormous cost overruns when the system was developed under then-Republican Gov. Rick Scott and problems that were exposed when unemployment skyrocketed during an increase in unemployment when Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered a business shutdown a year ago. As hundreds of thousand of Floridians sought unemployment compensation after losing their jobs, DeSantis called the online claim system a jalopy trying to compete in the Daytona 500 and ordered a review of why the system failed. In May, DeSantis ordered the state inspector general to investigate the contract awarded to Deloitte in 2011 to create the unemployment filing system.

States pass their own virus aid, not waiting on Washington

States pass their own virus aid, not waiting on Washington

โ€“ Not waiting for more federal help, states have been approving their own coronavirus aid packages, spending hundreds of millions of dollars to help residents and business owners devastated by the the pandemic's economic fallout. North Carolina's governor wants additional state aid for such things as bonus pay for teachers and boosting rural internet speeds. The spending also provides fuel for critics who say states donโ€™t need another massive infusion of cash from Congress. โ€œThe cascading effect, itโ€™s actually a problem that most states are grappling with ... waiting for the relief money out of the feds,โ€ she said. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, unveiled a $695 million emergency budget proposal that would use state money to address needs related to the coronavirus.

Sen. Scott calls for study on use of canines to screen airport travelers for COVID-19

Sen. Scott calls for study on use of canines to screen airport travelers for COVID-19

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ€“ COVID-19 detecting dogs are being trained in North Florida, and they may have a future with the Transportation Security Administration. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is one of the lawmakers asking for more information about using canines in airports to detect COVID-19. Scott and U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., on Monday announced the Fly Safe Canine COVID Detection Act. It directs the TSA to conduct a feasibility study on the use of canines to screen travelers at airports for COVID-19. We asked him what he thinks about the Senate bill on using canines in airports and how it could work.

How senators from Florida & Georgia voted in Trumpโ€™s 2nd impeachment trial

How senators from Florida & Georgia voted in Trumpโ€™s 2nd impeachment trial

The U.S. senators from Florida and Georgia voted along party lines in former President Donald Trumpโ€™s second impeachment trial. Hereโ€™s how each senator from Florida and Georgia voted and their statements:Sen. Marco RubioSen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., voted to acquit Trump. โ€œIn the 244 year history of our Republic we have never convicted and disqualified a former official in an impeachment trial. Iโ€™ll continue fighting to make Washington work and get things done for Florida families.โ€Sen. Jon OssoffSen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., voted to convict Trump. โ€” Jon Ossoff (@ossoff) February 13, 2021Sen. Raphael WarnockSen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., also voted to convict Trump.

New report on JEA investigation; Sen. Rick Scott on upcoming impeachment trial; toxic political conversations

New report on JEA investigation; Sen. Rick Scott on upcoming impeachment trial; toxic political conversations

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ€“ On this edition of โ€œThis Week in Jacksonville,โ€ Jacksonville City Councilman Rory Diamond discusses the recent report on the JEA investigation. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, talks about the upcoming impeachment trial and holding people accountable for the Capitol siege. And Writer CEO May Habib explains how the ugliness in political conversations online has gotten toxic.

Donor backlash fuels GOP alarm about Senate fundraising

Donor backlash fuels GOP alarm about Senate fundraising

The GOP already faces a difficult Senate map in 2022, when 14 Democratic-held seats and 20 Republican ones will be on the ballot. That includes at least two open seats that Republicans will be defending because of the retirements of GOP Sens. One of those lawmakers, Florida Sen. Rick Scott, is the new chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, a post that makes him the public face of the Senate Republican fundraising efforts. But two senior Republican strategists involved in Senate races say the cumulative effect of the companies' decisions could have a bigger impact. That puts more pressure on the NRSC and the leading Senate Republican outside group, Senate Leadership Fund, to cover the difference.

Florida has nearly half of known US cases of COVID variant

Florida has nearly half of known US cases of COVID variant

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. โ€“ New data from the Centers for Disease Control shows Florida has nearly half the known cases in the United States of a mutated and likely more contagious strain of the coronavirus. The development came Friday as Florida reported nearly 20,000 more cases in a single day. A CDC map shows that Florida had 22 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant that emerged in Britain. It showed other cases in California, which has reported 26 cases, Colorado with two, and New York and Georgia each with one reported case. Statistics from the Florida Department of Health showed Friday's total of new coronavirus cases โ€” 19,530 โ€” almost reached the previous day's record of 19,816 new daily cases.

Which Florida, Georgia lawmakers voted to overturn Bidenโ€™s electors?

Which Florida, Georgia lawmakers voted to overturn Bidenโ€™s electors?

Lawmakers were resolved to complete their constitutional duty despite frayed nerves, high tensions and the nationโ€™s capital on alert. The only other challenge was to the Pennsylvania electors, but that was also debated and denied. Florida Sen. Rick Scott was one of only eight in the nation who voted to sustain one or both objections. Floridaโ€™s senior senator, Marco Rubio, voted with the majority to accept the Electoral College vote and called on Trump to do more to help restore order. In the House, 12 Florida congressmen and six from Georgia voted to object to either the Arizona or Pennsylvania slate of Biden electors.

Florida Sens. Rubio, Scott split on votes to certify Bidenโ€™s election win

Florida Sens. Rubio, Scott split on votes to certify Bidenโ€™s election win

(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)The Senate overwhelmingly turned aside challenges to President-elect Joe Bidenโ€™s victory in the presidential election, guaranteeing the result will stand. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott. The Republicans -- both allies of outgoing President Donald Trump, split, however, on a later vote over a legal challenge to Pennsylvaniaโ€™s election. Rubio and Scott were among a myriad of Florida Republicans who rushed to condemn Wednesdayโ€™s violence in the halls of Congress. Florida Democrats blamed Wednesdayโ€™s violence on Republican lawmakers who supported Trumpโ€™s baseless claims of election fraud.

Sen. Rick Scott votes against $900B COVID-19 relief package

Sen. Rick Scott votes against $900B COVID-19 relief package

(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)There was minimal opposition when the U.S. Senate passed a $900 billion economic relief package Monday night, but one of six senators to vote against the spending bill was Florida Sen. Rick Scott. โ€œI supported and fought for many of the Covid provisions in last nightโ€™s bill,โ€ Scott tweeted Tuesday. โ€œUnfortunately they were attached to an omnibus spending bill that was thousands of pages long and chock full of handouts to special interests and wasteful spending. Unfortunately they were attached to an omnibus spending bill that was thousands of pages long and chock full of handouts to special interests and wasteful spending. Scott expressed support for provisions intended to help buoy small businesses, ward off layoffs and give more help to the unemployed.

US gives Florida wider authority over wetland development

US gives Florida wider authority over wetland development

Florida accounts for about a fifth of the countryโ€™s wetlands and includes the Everglades, among the stateโ€™s most important environmental jewels. โ€œThe fact is that Floridaโ€™s proposed program to take over wetlands permitting doesnโ€™t comply with federal environmental laws,โ€ she said. Florida becomes the third state to gain broader permitting authority of wetlands under the federal Clean Water Act. Florida's request to gain sole permitting authority was launched under the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis, also a Republican, took on that mantle and earlier this year formally petitioned the federal government to transfer that authority.

I-TEAM: Big businesses benefit more from PPP loans than small โ€˜mom and popsโ€™

I-TEAM: Big businesses benefit more from PPP loans than small โ€˜mom and popsโ€™

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ€“ With business down almost across the board because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, local companies are relying on government PPP loans to keep them going. โ€œHelp the people that lost their jobs, help our small businesses, make sure our schools get open.โ€Scott complained that the majority of the money is bailing out huge corporations instead of supporting small businesses. Heโ€™s pushing an amendment that would only help companies that can prove a substantial reduction in revenue from COVID-19. The I-TEAM has analyzed government documents showing that more than 32,000 businesses have gotten federal help in Northeast Florida; 14,000 in the city of Jacksonville alone. However, the median loan amount in Northeast Florida is $21,207, a much smaller piece of the pie.

Tuition hikes back on table for Florida universities

Tuition hikes back on table for Florida universities

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ€“ Itโ€™s been more than seven years since Florida Universities raised tuition. And this year lawmakers face a pandemic induced $2.7 billion decline in revenue, which has them putting tuition hikes back on the table. At $6,370, university tuition in Florida, before fees, is the second lowest in the nation. In the end, any tuition hike would have to get the OK from the governor, and Gov. So far, United Faculty of Florida, the union representing professors, hasnโ€™t taken a position on supporting a tuition hike.

Sen. Scott presses for COVID-19 vaccine information

Sen. Scott presses for COVID-19 vaccine information

The CDC required all states to submit vaccine distribution plans. But Scott said in the letter that the CDC has only made executive summaries -- and not the full state plans -- available on its website. โ€œTransparent and detailed information should be available to Americans on their stateโ€™s plans for vaccine distribution. Does the CDC plan to make the statesโ€™ full vaccine distribution plans publicly available?โ€ Scott wrote in the letter. The Florida Department of Health last month proposed a three-phase vaccine distribution plan that would ensure front-line health care workers, long-term care staff and long-term care residents are the first to receive the shots.

Jacksonville has reported over 40,000 COVID-19 cases in 8 months

Jacksonville has reported over 40,000 COVID-19 cases in 8 months

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ€“ Jacksonville surpassed a milestone Saturday in its reported COVID-19 cases. Duval County added 371 newly confirmed coronavirus cases to push the county to 40,369 cases since the pandemic began. In data from the Florida Department of Health, another 8,410 cases were reported statewide, bringing Floridaโ€™s total to 931,828 cases. In Northeast Florida, Alachua County added 96 cases to reach 12,272; Clay County added 78 cases (7,356) and St. Johns County added 71 (7,952). Over the past week, Florida averaged more than 7,390 newly reported cases per day, an increase from about 2,250 at the start of October, the Associated Press reported Friday.

Florida's Sen. Scott has coronavirus, 'very mild symptoms'

Florida's Sen. Scott has coronavirus, 'very mild symptoms'

Scott, 67, has been quarantining at home all week after coming into contact in Florida on Nov. 13 with someone who subsequently tested positive. Scott, a Republican, said he was โ€œfeeling goodโ€ despite the mild symptoms and would be working at his home in Naples. โ€œI want to remind everyone to be careful and do the right things to protect yourselves and others,โ€ Scott said in a statement. House members could be regularly tested in the Capitol starting this week, but there is still no testing protocol for senators. Ashley Hinson, 37, said she would participate in this week's House orientation virtually as she quarantined with her family in Iowa.

Sen. Rick Scott tests positive for COVID-19

Sen. Rick Scott tests positive for COVID-19

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., announced Friday morning on Twitter that he has tested positive for COVID-19. Earlier this week, Scott said he was in self-quarantine after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. After several negative tests, I learned I was positive for COVID-19 this AM. โ€” Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) November 20, 2020In Fridayโ€™s update, he said his positive test followed several negative tests. Quarantine if you come in contact with someone positive like I did,โ€ Scott said in a statement released by his office.

Too soon? Georgia draws next class of White House hopefuls

Too soon? Georgia draws next class of White House hopefuls

Georgia would like a few moments of presidential campaign time. The state has fast become a stage for the cast of possible Republican presidential candidates after President Donald Trump's defeat. Meanwhile, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley has sent a flurry of fundraising emails coaxing rank-and-file Republicans to bankroll the Georgia runoff campaigns. โ€œUntil there is a cure for Trumpism, the 2024 Republican presidential hopefuls will remain as frozen as a COVID vaccine,โ€ Tyler quipped. For Democrats, thereโ€™s less future presidential intrigue to blend into the Georgia campaign.

Sen. Scott quarantines out of โ€˜abundance of cautionโ€™

Sen. Scott quarantines out of โ€˜abundance of cautionโ€™

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ€“ U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said this weekend he was in a self-quarantine after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. โ€œAfter arriving in Florida last night, I came into contact with someone who subsequently tested positive for COVID,โ€ Scott said in a Twitter post Saturday. I have no symptoms, but out of an abundance of caution, I will be immediately quarantining.โ€As of Monday morning, Scott had not provided updates on his status. Scott entered a similar self-quarantine in March after having contact in Miami with a member of a Brazilian delegation who tested positive for the coronavirus. As in the current case, Scott reported no symptoms and was back on the Senate floor within 13 days to vote on a federal stimulus package.

Sen. Scott seeks information on rapid tests

Sen. Scott seeks information on rapid tests

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ€“ U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., sent a letter Thursday to federal Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and governors throughout the country asking for detailed information about the distribution of rapid โ€œantigenโ€ tests for COVID-19. The request included information about how many tests have been distributed to each state and how the states subsequently are parceling out the tests. In his letter, Scott asked Azar whether the Department of Health and Human Services has distribution information from the states. Antigen tests detect specific proteins on the surface of the virus and come back within 15 minutes. However, antigen tests can have false negatives, and results may need to be confirmed with molecular tests.

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