Latest Ron DeSantis News

Florida will launch criminal probe into apparent assassination attempt of Trump, governor says

Sep. 17, 2024 17:30 PM EDT

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Florida law enforcement officials will launch their own criminal investigation into the apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump that will run parallel to the federal probe, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday. The governor said...

Florida hospitals ask immigrants about their legal status. Texas will try it next

Sep. 16, 2024 00:08 AM EDT

McALLEN, Texas (AP) — For three days, the staff of an Orlando medical clinic encouraged a woman with abdominal pain who called the triage line to go to the hospital. She resisted, scared of a 2023 Florida law that required hospitals to ask whether a patient was in the U.S. with legal permission. ...

Lawsuit alleges plot to run sham candidate so DeSantis appointee can win election

Sep. 13, 2024 13:52 PM EDT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other GOP officials were behind a plot to eliminate competition for his appointee and keep a former Democratic state attorney who the Republican governor had removed from office last year from winning back her job as the top prosecutor in central...

Florida sued for using taxpayer money on website promoting GOP spin on abortion initiative

Sep. 13, 2024 12:24 PM EDT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A political committee behind the campaign to pass a constitutional right to abortion in Florida has filed a lawsuit against a state health care agency that it alleges is carrying out a taxpayer-funded “misinformation” campaign against the November ballot measure. ...

Florida school district must restore books with LGBTQ+ content under settlement

Sep. 12, 2024 17:57 PM EDT

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A school district in northeast Florida must put back in libraries three dozen books as part of a settlement reached Thursday with students and parents who sued over what they said was an unlawful decision to limit access to dozens of titles containing LGBTQ+ content....

Fight to restore Black voters' strength could dismantle Florida's Fair Districts Amendment

Sep. 12, 2024 15:49 PM EDT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A coalition of voting rights groups is pointing to a voter-approved amendment to argue Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis violated the state constitution when he dismantled a Black congressional district, but if they lose the case, the Fair Districts Amendment itself...

Could America's divide on marijuana be coming to an end?

Sep. 12, 2024 01:08 AM EDT

The U.S. is divided when it comes to state and federal marijuana policy, but recent political developments could move the country toward a greater acceptance of cannabis. Both major presidential candidates have signaled support for a federal policy change to reclassify marijuana as...

Police are questioning Florida voters about signing an abortion rights ballot petition

Sep. 10, 2024 18:41 PM EDT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — State police are showing up at Florida voters’ homes to question them about signing a petition to get an abortion rights amendment on the ballot in November, and a state health care agency has launched a website targeting the ballot initiative with politically charged...

Florida law enforcers are investigating the state's abortion ballot initiative. Here's what to know

Sep. 10, 2024 18:00 PM EDT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — State police in Florida are showing up at the homes of voters who signed a petition to get an abortion rights amendment on the ballot in November as part of a state probe into alleged petition fraud. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has defended police...

Florida 'whistleblower' says he was fired for leaking plans to build golf courses in state parks

Sep. 03, 2024 17:41 PM EDT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A former state employee who said he leaked information about the plans to build golf courses and hotels in Florida’s state parks has apparently been fired. But James Gaddis, who described himself as an “ethical whistleblower,” said he doesn’t regret...