Statewide
Statewide news from across the state.
DeSantis signs $117.6B Florida budget with $1.6B in vetoes; more than 140 new laws take effect July 1 including Farm Bill, data center regulations, and gold/silver legal tender.
At least two dozen wildfires are burning across Florida as extreme drought reaches a 25-year high, with a 4,755-acre Everglades edge blaze at zero percent containment and a state of emergency in effect.
A political committee chaired by a former Leon County commissioner launched a campaign opposing Amendment 3, which would increase homestead property tax exemptions.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the FY 2026–2027 budget, capping eight years of conservative fiscal management with nearly $810 million in line-item vetoes and record investments in education and public safety.
Amendment 3 on the November 2026 ballot would increase homestead exemptions to $250,000 and create a path to eliminating non-school property taxes, potentially costing local governments $12 billion in recurring revenue.
Florida faces its worst drought in 25 years with 98 percent of the state in drought conditions and more than 650 wildfires having burned over 21,000 acres, prompting a state of emergency and burn bans across 34 counties.
More than 100,000 acres burned in Florida wildfires with 88% of the state still in drought conditions as the rainy season struggles to extinguish active blazes.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed CS/CS/SB 1180 into law, creating a formal recall election process for Community Development District board members, effective July 1, 2026.
Approximately 140 new Florida laws from the 2026 legislative session take effect July 1, including the renaming of Palm Beach International Airport for President Donald Trump, new data center utility rules, school curriculum mandates, and criminal justice reforms.
Governor DeSantis signed eight more bills into law on June 27, as more than 100 new Florida statutes prepare to take effect July 1. The measures cover cryptocurrency, law enforcement, affordable housing, and financial services.
