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Florida politics and Sunburn — perfect together.

Report on local government efficiency headed to state leadership A legislatively-mandated panel will report seven pages of its findings to the state by June 1. The Legislature’s task force on local government efficiency has effectively finalized its recommendations to streamline government processes. The Local Government Efficiency Task Force, established by the Legislature last year, is set to hand its final report to Gov. Ron DeSantis, Senate President Wilton Simpson and House Speaker Chris Sprowls by June 1. The report includes recommendations on elections, public meetings, reporting,...

A bill that aimed to create safer walking conditions for students on their way to school in Escambia County and across the state is likely dead this legislative session. House Bill 229 — which was sponsored by state Rep. Michelle Salzman, R-Pensacola, and pushed by local advocate Rob Doss — seemed to have a promising future earlier this week after being passed unanimously by the Florida House Education and Employment Committee, which would have sent the bill to be heard by the full House. However, a sister bill on the Senate side hasn't made any progress, and time likely will run out...

Florida needs to ensure that all foster children have legal representation | Column The Legislature is considering a bill that would help reform how foster children’s legal needs are met.     Florida's Guardian ad Litem volunteers are wonderful, well-intentioned people; many who have served our children have been fierce advocates and remain present in our children’s lives after their cases are resolved. But Florida’s decades of experience shows that a volunteer driven system is incapable of achieving even 70% representation. [ Florida Guardian ad Litem ] Published 5 hours...

Some of them are beyond rust. (Florida state prisons) A plan to shutter up to four state prisons is alarming officials in Florida’s rural regions where correctional institutions have played an outsized role in providing jobs and supporting businesses for decades. Senate President Wilton Simpson’s proposal to consolidate prisons and demolish four facilities drew bipartisan pushback when it was released recently as lawmakers began to piece together next year’s state budget. Simpson, R-Trilby, has defended consolidation and closures, saying the plan is designed to resuscitate a prison syst...