Page 33 - First Amendment Foundation News Today

By News Service of Florida Jul 27, 2021 Gov. Ron DeSantis quietly held a roundtable discussion Monday at the Capitol that focused on opposition to mask mandates in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, with DeSantis’ office not giving prior public notice and excluding reporters. Similar events in the past have been open to the media and broadcast by The Florida Channel, a state-funded service that covers myriad government meetings. Monday’s panel discussion was recorded by the governor’s...

SUN-SENTINEL VIA AP Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis leaves the site of an appearance, Thursday, May 6, 2021, in West Palm Beach, where he signed a sweeping elections bill into law. The event was closed to the news media except for Fox News. TALLAHASSEE --- Gov. Ron DeSantis quietly held a roundtable discussion Monday at the Capitol that focused on opposition to mask mandates in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, with DeSantis’ office not giving prior public notice and excluding reporters. Simil...

Convicted or not, mugshots can live online forever. But should they? Updated:  Convicted or not, mugshots can live online forever. But should they? JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Mugshots, the photographs taken by police agencies when booking someone accused of a crime into jail, sometimes go viral. Police post them online, people share them on social media and there are websites dedicated to publishing and profiting off mugshots, published along with the names and crimes they are accused of. Despite ...

During his first evaluation, commissioners mentioned they couldnt speak to Peters progress in the fiscal category since he hadnt yet worked on the annual budgeting process since being hired. Last month, Peters announced his intent to resign, citing interference from Commissioners Dana McCool and David Sosa. At a June 7 meeting, he asserted that McCool and Sosa were impacting his ability to tackle his daily responsibilities because of the time he was taking to investigate issues the commissi...

In the same week where commissioners mulled what could amount to a cash-grab, they also voted 4-1 to impede citizens access to public records.

The hot-button issue where DeSantis is not out in front — How Bidens cash paid for Florida GOPs pet education priorities — President extends TPS for Haitians Presented by Facebook Where we stand — It’s no secret that Florida’s unemployment benefits are among the lowest in the nation. And state lawmakers — due to opposition from House Speaker Chris Sprowls and Gov. Ron DeSantis — refused to consider raising them. Staying put — But DeSantis has so far left intact the extra federal...

Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 5.14.21 Another poll found Florida voters largely support the Gaming Compact recently signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and Seminole Tribe of Florida Chairman Marcellus Osceola Jr. The poll, commissioned by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, found 68% of voters approve of the deal, which would give the Seminole Tribe exclusive rights to oversee sports betting in Florida, both on their own properties and through pari-mutuels...

Tempers flare over school masks, as vaccine eligibility grows A roundup of Florida education news from around the state.     Nurse practitioner Paula Joseph, of Tampa, draws a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine while providing vaccination shots in April at Iglesia Tampa Bay in Tampa. The Pfizer shots are expected to be made available to children ages 12-15 within days. [ DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times ] Updated 1 minute ago We’re in the home stretch for the school year, and...

TBT May 09, 2021 10:35 PM ET “The law leaves no question as to the impropriety of banning certain media while allowing only friendly media,” said Pamela Marsh, executive director of the First Amendment Foundation, an organization that advocates for open government and represents news organizations, including the Tampa Bay Times and the Miami Herald. “That is viewpoint and content discrimination.” Decades of precedent in federal courts have affirmed that elected officials cannot block ce...

Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 5.10.21 Good Monday morning. Cody McCloud, press secretary to Gov. Ron DeSantis, is exiting the comms shop to become Legislative Affairs Director at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. ___ State Rep. Ben Diamond is entering the race for Florida’s 13th Congressional District — a seat being vacated by incumbent Charlie Crist, who jumped into the 2022 gubernatorial contest Tuesday. The S...