legislature

At the forefront of the concerns is a shortage of nurses, which the executives told lawmakers has created an emergency for hospital administrators.

The U.S. House is considering a bill to give Medicare the power to negotiate lower costs for prescription drugs like insulin, a life-saving diabetes medicine that can cost families thousands of dollars a year.

Gov. Ron DeSantis tried to contrast Florida with what he described as a “calamitous reality” in other states of closed schools and shuttered businesses.

House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, is calling for up to five years in jail for first-time offenders.

Under Senate President Wilton Simpson’s plan, members of the public will have to watch and testify remotely. House Speaker Chris Sprowls has embraced a somewhat more relaxed stance.

In the upcoming legislative session, Sen. Danny Burgess (R-Tampa) will be the chair of a new committee focused on pandemic preparedness and response. He spoke with WFSU about his expectations for the committee.

The select committee will review the state's response to the pandemic and identify areas for the Legislature to make improvements, Senate President Wilton Simpson said.

State Rep. Anthony Sabatini of Lake County filed legislation that would strip Florida's surgeon general of the authority to order vaccinations during a public health emergency.

Nine lawmakers were excused from attending the legislative organization session in Tallahassee on Tuesday because they tested positive for COVID-19 or were exposed to the coronavirus in recent days.

Ormond Beach Republican Tom Leek was appointed chair of the state House's Pandemics & Public Emergencies Committee.