Free Republic

Following a series of legal reforms, the American Tort Reform Foundation (ATRF) has removed Florida from its ‘Judicial Hellhole‘ list, a long-held designation reflecting the state’s history of excessive litigation and frivolous lawsuits. The change is largely attributed to the passage of House Bill 837, which focused on transparency in damage claims in court trials. Sponsored by Reps. Tommy Gregory and Tom Fabricio, as well as Sen. Travis Hutson, the bill addresses the discrepancy between claimed and actual medical expenses in court cases. The measure also included changes to the comparative negligence system, limiting recovery of damages for plaintiffs more...

On Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his “Focus on Florida’s Future” budget proposal for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024–2025. The Focus on Florida’s Future Budget totals $114.4 billion, more than $4.6 billion less than the current year budget, with $16.3 billion in reserves, leaving ample resources for any unforeseen economic issues. Florida has experienced record success over the last five years, ranking #1 in education, net in-migration, entrepreneurship, and new business formations, with 2.7 million new businesses formed since 2019. The Governor’s Budget also continues Florida’s record as the nation-leading example of success through fiscal conservatism by paying down an additional...

The former President finally addressed the Seminoles' playoff exclusion Monday. Former President Donald Trump is blaming a familiar foe for the Florida State University (FSU) Seminoles not making the College Football Playoffs — his chief political rival and fellow Florida man, Gov. Ron DeSantis. In a post to Truth Social, Trump said “Florida State was treated very badly by the ‘Committee.'” “They become the first Power Five team to be left out of the College Football Playoffs. Really bad lobbying effort…Lets blame DeSanctimonious!!!” The dig is especially brutal considering outrage over FSU’s perceived snub after the team failed to make...

Florida Republican Party Chair Christian Ziegler is the subject of a police investigation that reportedly involves an allegation of sexual battery. The big picture: Nonprofit watchdog news site Florida Trident, citing sources close to the investigation, first reported that a woman alleged she was in a "longstanding consensual" sexual relationship with Ziegler and his wife, Bridget, before being "sexually battered" by Ziegler at her home, without his wife present. .... * Christian Ziegler took over as state GOP chairman in February after serving as a Sarasota County commissioner and years of conservative activism. * The governor appointed Bridget Ziegler to...

U.S. Census Data Reveals the Most Miserable Cities In AmericaSeptember 14, 2023 | Jessica Bedewi Share in Facebook Miami Gardens, FloridaWhen you hear Miami, you automatically think of sun, sand, and party vibes. Miami Gardens, however, is a little different. The water in the city is supplied by a plant owned by the City of North Miami Beach, which pushes water prices in Miami Gardens through the roof. Subsequently, the entire cost of living in the city is sky-high. Getty Images Photo by Olga Kaya The city also implemented a stop and frisk policy that led to about 57,000 people...

DeSantis for President is selling plain white cotton T-shirts bearing the legend “DeSantis Airways” for $28 apiece. The governor signed an executive order Oct. 12 authorizing the Florida Division of Emergency Management to “carry out logistical, rescue and evacuation operations to keep its residents safe.” Per the DeSantis team, at least 544 Americans have been brought back from Israel via the flights. Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, estimated to NewsNation Tuesday that the price tag of the initial flight was “right around $4 million

Within two days of announcing Florida would arrange transportation for Americans stranded in Israel and bring them to Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis welcomed home nearly 300 Sunday night. We’re happy to be able to deliver and ready to welcome them back to the United States of America.” Florida partnered with Project Dynamo to bring nearly 300 Americans home from Israel, including more than 270 to Tampa and seven to Orlando on Sunday. “I am proud of how quickly we have been able to activate resources and do what the federal government could not – get Floridians and other Americans back...

DeSantis declares Florida state of emergency after attack on Israel, activates Guard forces https://t.co/txDP6IDoD5— Sarasota Herald-Tribune (@HeraldTribune) October 12, 2023

Florida Republican Cory Mills has rescued 32 Americans stranded in Israel as its fight against Hamas intensified. Today, photos of Mills, an Iraq veteran, emerged in which he was seen with a large group on a bus, leaving the war-torn country. Mills told The Floridian that he flew overnight yesterday to get to the combat zone to help. He provided similar help in September 2021 during the disastrous withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.

The higher-ed policies of Florida and Governor Ron DeSantis have been a lightning rod for liberal rage for quite some time now, and the intensity has only heated up with DeSantis’s presidential campaign. First, Florida scuffled with the College Board, designer of Advanced Placement courses, over the content of a Critical Race Theory-intensive African-American Studies class. Next, the Sunshine State argued publicly with the organization over its AP Psychology offering, which, like all courses, must abide by the state’s Parental Rights in Education law. Yet the latest higher-ed news out of Florida may be the most significant of all. Effective...

The Florida Attorney General, Ashley Moody, has issued an opinion clarifying that the Florida legal definition of a “short-barreled rifle” does not include a pistol to which a stabilizing brace has been attached, even if the stabilizing brace is used as a stock. From myfloridalegal.com: Unless and until judicially or legislatively clarified, I conclude that the definition of “short-barreled rifle,” which the Legislature enacted in 1969, does not include a handgun, such as a pistol, to which a person attaches a stabilizing brace, because the use of a such an optional accessory does not change the fundamental characteristics of the...

The number of Florida bears has skyrocketed. The bear population was estimated at 300-500 in 1974. Black bear hunting was banned in Florida in 1994 when the population was estimated at 1280 to 1290. In 1998, the population was estimated at 1500. According to the tampabay.com, there were 2,000 to 2,500 bears in 2006. In a 2015 bear hunt, a meager 304 bears were harvested. In 2016, the population was estimated at 4,350 bears. No study has been done to estimate the bear population since then.Bears are very adaptable. There remains considerable habitat for bears to populate in Florida in...

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis hosted a presidential campaign event in Tampa on Thursday to tout his “law and order” agenda. Jeff Patterson reports.

Florida Democrats speaking out on censorship during National Banned Books Week. Party Chair Nikki Fried says Governor DeSantis is to blame for the fourteen-hundred books being removed from school libraries. Florida law requires schools be more transparent and give parents a chance to have input on selecting school library books. It also creates a process for school districts to ban books through a public hearing and vote by the school board.

Florida will now execute child rapists. Of course, the media says this is "controversial." From News 4 in Jacksonville: A number of new laws are now in effect, as of Sunday. Arguably the most controversial centers around changes to Florida's death penalty. Child rapists can now face execution for their crimes. The law specifically pertains to child victims under the age of 12. RAPING KIDS UNDER 12. That's what we're talking about here. Executing people who would violate children in such a horrific way is considered "controversial." Higher courts have already said imposing death sentences in these types of cases...

A full federal appeals court declined to take up Democrat groups’ challenge of Florida’s 2021 election integrity law on Thursday, marking a major win for Gov. Ron DeSantis and the GOP-controlled state legislature. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Thursday’s decision by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals “let stand an April ruling by a three-judge panel of the [court] that sided with the state on major issues in the case.” The 11th Circuit’s April decision effectively overturned a prior ruling issued by U.S. District Judge Mark Walker — an Obama appointee — who baselessly claimed the law in question discriminated...

Carlos Campos came to Miami from Venezuela in 1979, before dictator Hugo Chávez’s socialist revolution brought about the unraveling of the oil-rich country. But it wasn’t until 2016 that Campos became actively engaged in US politics. Donald Trump’s “America First” message stirred something in him. Sitting down at a Cuban restaurant just minutes from the Trump National Doral golf resort — one of the former president’s major Miami-area properties aside from his Mar-a-Lago estate — Campos described how he came to the realization that his values aligned more closely with Republicans than Democrats. He attends Alpha & Omega, a Spanish-language...

(The law) is impacting their ability to just go about their day like they used For many in Florida’s vast immigrant community, daily life in recent months has become one governed entirely by fear. Some try to drive as little as possible and make fewer trips to the supermarket. Others no longer take their children to the park and worry about allowing them to attend school. Others still are hiding out — avoiding travel to other states, not getting regular medical check-ups, or closing their businesses and leaving town. And many are just on high alert — all because of...

Shaped like a sailboat and stretching 23 feet long, the unmanned research vehicle, dubbed a saildrone, was a long way from its home in St. Petersburg. Roughly 200 nautical miles from Idalia’s eye on Aug. 29, as an angry sea tossed and toiled, the vehicle began recording video. ...What happens at the surface, where the wind meets water? Saildrone is now working directly with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to answer that question.

Eric Stewart published several reports in which he claimed that white people saw black citizens as a threat. For his research, he received at least $3.5 million in grants. Eric Stewart, professor of criminology at Florida State University, has been accused of falsifying data for studies in which he pushed the narrative that racism is systemic. It was known that at least six of Stewart's articles published in major academic journals such as Criminology and Law and Society Review from 2003 to 2019 have been retracted. "The academic was fired after almost 20 years of his data — including figures...