News from the South - Florida News Feed

DeSantis signs veteran-related bills on D-Day anniversary | Florida

Published

2 months ago

June 6, 2025

www.thecentersquare.com – By Steve Wilson | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-06-06 13:45:00

(The Center Square) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed three bills intended to protect veterans and their families on Friday in Port Charlotte.

The day marked the 81st commemoration of the Normandy landings, known as D-Day, in France during World War II. According to state officials, 1.5 million veterans live in Florida, the third-most nationally.

“On D-Day and every day, Florida honors those who served our country in uniform,” DeSantis said during a news conference. “I was proud to support three bills today to further our commitment to veterans. Florida remains the most veteran-friendly state in the nation.”

The second-term Republican signed House Bill 797 and Senate Bills 116 and 910 into law. All three were passed unanimously in both chambers.

HB797 is intended to streamline long-term care for veterans and their spouses by cutting red tape such as the certificate of need process. The new law, which takes effect on July 1, allows skilled nursing facilities to designate specific beds for veterans and their spouses.

The bill also puts the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs in charge of approving these designations as long as the facility meet rigorous standards for care and admission.

It was sponsored by Rep. Chip LaMarca, R-Lighthouse Point.

SB116 would overhaul the state’s support of veterans by expanding suicide prevention programs to include early recognition of mental health conditions. As of now, state officials are limited to emergency interventions for suicidal veterans.

The measure, which takes effect on July 1, would also require the drafting of a statewide plan for adult health care centers dedicated to veterans.

Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, is the former state veterans affairs director. He said the day was a “monumental one” for Florida veterans.

“SB116 prioritizes veterans, especially those elderly or disabled, and their families through the expansion of adult day care facilities and support services, fulfilling a long-standing vision that began during my time in the Florida House,” Burgess said. “Veterans now will have greater access to daytime care, offering flexibility and respite for working family caregivers while enhancing the quality of life for veterans through therapeutic services, social engagement and peer support.”

SB910 is intended to protect veterans from predatory practices when they’re navigating the benefits process. The measure, which will also go into effect at the start of the state’s new fiscal year, will place limits on unaccredited benefits advisors, qualifying payment contingent upon securing a real increase on benefits for the veteran and capping payouts.

The measure would ban referral kickbacks, prohibit advisors from advertising misleading guarantees and mandating anyone offering paid benefits must pass a strict background check. The bill would also provide for stricter penalties under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

It was sponsored by Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, a 23-year retired U.S. Army Special Forces soldier who was elected to the state Senate in 2022.

The post DeSantis signs veteran-related bills on D-Day anniversary | Florida appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Right

This article reports on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signing bills supporting veterans, emphasizing the positive impact of these legislative actions without overt criticism or ideological framing. The tone is largely factual and supportive of the governor’s initiatives, highlighting bipartisan unanimous votes and veterans’ welfare improvements. The framing leans slightly favorable toward the Republican leadership by focusing on DeSantis’s role and Republican sponsors, but it does not explicitly promote a partisan agenda or critique opposing views. Overall, it adheres to neutral reporting with a mild center-right slant due to its positive coverage of GOP policymakers.

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News from the South - Florida News Feed

Hungary bans Irish rap group Kneecap from entering ahead of festival performance

Published

8 hours ago

July 24, 2025

Staff Editor

www.news4jax.com – Justin Spike, Associated Press – 2025-07-24 04:20:00

SUMMARY: Members of the Irish-language rap group Kneecap were banned from entering Hungary ahead of their scheduled Sziget Festival performance on August 11. Hungarian authorities cited national security concerns, accusing the Belfast trio of antisemitic hate speech and praise for militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah. Kneecap, known for satirical lyrics linked to the Irish republican movement, denies supporting violence and says critics seek to silence their pro-Palestinian stance amid the Israel-Gaza conflict. The ban follows government pressure and petitions from Hungary’s cultural community. The group recently performed at Coachella, sparking controversy and cancellations of several gigs worldwide.

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The post Hungary bans Irish rap group Kneecap from entering ahead of festival performance appeared first on www.news4jax.com

News from the South - Florida News Feed

Gabbard uses surprise White House appearance to attack Trump’s enemies on the Russia investigation

Published

20 hours ago

July 23, 2025

Staff Editor

www.clickorlando.com – David Klepper, Eric Tucker And Chris Megerian, Associated Press – 2025-07-23 16:37:00

SUMMARY: Tulsi Gabbard, as national intelligence director, challenged the long-held conclusion that Russia aided Donald Trump’s 2016 election win, alleging that Obama’s administration conspired to undermine Trump through fabricated evidence. Presenting what she called unassailable proof, Gabbard’s claims, largely seen as baseless and politically motivated, aligned her closely with Trump, who praised her loyalty. Her revelations, including a Republican House Intelligence report, questioned intelligence assessments but did not dispute Russian interference. Democrats criticized her for partisanship and called for her resignation, warning her actions could harm intelligence credibility. Meanwhile, Republicans view her efforts as restoring public trust in intelligence.

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The post Gabbard uses surprise White House appearance to attack Trump’s enemies on the Russia investigation appeared first on www.clickorlando.com

News from the South - Florida News Feed

Florida state investments reached record highs in fiscal 2025 | Florida

Published

23 hours ago

July 23, 2025

Staff Editor

www.thecentersquare.com – By Steve Wilson | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-07-23 13:28:00

(The Center Square) – Florida officials say the state’s investments, which support its pension funds and local governments, hit a record high on its asset values in the recently-concluded fiscal year.

This comes as lawmakers required the State Board of Administration to protect its investments from environmental, social, and corporate governance considerations and focus exclusively on its fiduciary duty to maximize returns for the state’s investments. The board was also required to divest its Chinese-based investments by September of last year.

“This year’s record results reflect Florida’s commitment to responsible fiscal governance and financial discipline,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a release. “By focusing on returns, not political agendas, the SBA is securing the future for our law enforcement officers, firefighters, teachers and taxpayers alike.”

The board reported $277 billion assets under management for fiscal 2024-25 ending June 30. That’s a $20 billion improvement over last year’s figure.

The Florida Retirement System Pension Plan (defined benefit) reached a peak over $211 billion, while the Florida Retirement System Investment Plan (a 401(k)-style fund) hit an all-time high with an unaudited market value exceeding $20 billion.

Florida PRIME, a pool of investments run by the board, hit a new high of $34 billion. PRIME investors include state agencies, public universities and colleges, counties, cities, special districts and school boards, among other governmental entities. Last year, the plan’s funds totaled $25.3 billion.

“The State Board of Administration closed out a tremendously successful fiscal year with solid investment performance and significant operational improvements driving efficiency,” said SBA executive director Chris Spencer. “Our industry-leading investment and operations professionals will continue to deliver high quality service for our beneficiaries and the state of Florida in the fiscal year ahead.”

The board manages 29 investment funds with a total market value of $257.5 billion, which includes both retirement funds, the Local Government Surplus Funds Trust Fund and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, among others.

This comes a year after the Florida Retirement System’s pension and investment plans did not meet their one-year benchmarks.

The report by the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability released in April also found that the Investment Plan didn’t meet its three-year benchmark, while the Pension Plan failed to meet its 25-year funding objective.

The board invests about half of the managed funds into global equities (stocks), with the latest figure at 48.5%.

The Pension Fund earned a rate of return of 10.5%, still 0.6% below its benchmark of 11%.

The Investment Fund earned 13.4%, 0.4% before its expected benchmark.

The post Florida state investments reached record highs in fiscal 2025 | Florida appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

Political Bias Rating: Center-Right

The article primarily reports factual information about Florida’s state investment performance and the fiscal policies implemented under Governor Ron DeSantis, emphasizing the state’s focus on maximizing returns while avoiding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations. The language used, including quoting DeSantis highlighting “returns, not political agendas,” reflects a perspective aligned with fiscally conservative and pro-business values, common to the Center-Right. However, the piece maintains a largely neutral tone, presenting data and acknowledging both successes and shortfalls in benchmarks without overt editorializing. The framing subtly supports the current administration’s policy choices without strongly partisan rhetoric, thus positioning it slightly toward Center-Right bias.