Latest news with #FloridaHouseofRepresentatives
Mint
4 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Who was John Thrasher? Former FSU president and Florida Republican leader dies at 81 after cancer battle
John Thrasher, a major figure in Florida politics and education, has died at the age of 81 following a battle with cancer. His family announced his passing on May 30. John Thrasher's career spanned decades in public service. He was a Republican who rose to prominence in the 1990s, serving in the Florida House of Representatives from 1992 to 2000. He was House Speaker for his last two years in office. Later, he was elected to the Florida Senate and chaired the Senate Rules Committee. He also played a key role in former Governor Rick Scott's re-election campaign. In 2014, Thrasher became president of Florida State University (FSU), a role he held until 2021. His time as president was marked by a tragic shooting at the FSU Strozier Library, where a gunman injured three people before being shot by police. Thrasher was known for his commitment to FSU, where he studied business as an undergraduate and later earned a law degree. He was also a Vietnam War veteran, receiving two Bronze Stars and the Army Commendation Medal during his service. After retiring from FSU, Thrasher returned to The Southern Group, a lobbying firm he had helped establish earlier in his career. He also taught law at FSU as a professor. 'John fought the good fight,' one of his colleagues said. 'His legacy will continue on for generations.' The statement read, "It is with great sadness that the family of former Florida State University President John Thrasher, 81, shares notice of his passing. President Thrasher, who also served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and as a member of the Florida Senate, passed away this morning (May 30), surrounded by his family in Orlando, Fla. A private burial has been planned in Orange Park, Fla., with a celebration of his life to be held at Florida State University's Ruby Diamond Concert Hall in Tallahassee, Fla., on the 19th of August." "A private burial has been planned in Orange Park, Fla., with a celebration of his life to be held at Florida State University's Ruby Diamond Concert Hall in Tallahassee, Fla., on the 19th of August. The family would like to thank everyone for their well wishes, visits, and prayers during the last month and express their deep gratitude for the doctors and nurses who cared for him at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center, Orlando Health, and Cornerstone Hospice," concluded the statement. Thrasher is remembered as a dedicated public servant whose work shaped Florida's political landscape and left a lasting impact on higher education in the state.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers pass controversial bill that could hamper weather forecasters: 'Feeding into conspiracy theories'
Lawmakers in Florida have passed a bill that would effectively ban the use of weather modification practices. On April 30, the Florida House of Representatives passed a bill that would outlaw weather modification and geoengineering in the state. First filed in November 2024 by Florida State Senator Ileana Garcia, Senate Bill 56 had quickly garnered the support of leading Republican figures in the state, including Governor Ron DeSantis. SB 56 would prohibit geoengineering and weather modification activities by banning the release or dispersion of substances into the atmosphere to alter temperature, weather, climate, or sunlight intensity. It also aims to repeal existing laws related to weather modification permits and increase penalties for violations. While Garcia addressed the Florida Senate in early April, she pointed to the idea of "cloud seeding." According to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report, cloud seeding is a decades-old technology that injects tiny particles, generally silver iodide crystals, into clouds in order to trigger rain or snow. However, the data surrounding the effectiveness of cloud seeding remains inconclusive. Garcia referred to cloud seeding as "something as simple as sending up a $30 balloon that you can buy on Amazon with specific chemicals so that you can alter the weather or solar radiation," she said. "It seems very concerning to me. I have a problem with people spraying perfume next to me sometimes," Garcia added. "Don't you have a problem with people spraying things into the atmosphere that really have no type of empirical data?" As noted in SB 56, the bill would also require publicly owned airports to file monthly reports to the Florida Department of Transportation regarding any aircraft equipped for geoengineering or weather modification. In addition, the bill also removes the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's ability to conduct studies, research, experimentation, and evaluations in the field of weather modification. Florida state representative Anna Eskamani criticized the logic behind the bill. "This bill is feeding into conspiracy theories, and I think it's important that we do not legislate under that type of pressure but that we legislate on science, we legislate on fact, we legislate not on fear but on information," Eskamai told Florida Politics. "The fact that this bill does not require the consultation of a meteorologist, the consultation of scientists to say [whether this] is suspicious activity is absolutely going to create an environment where things will be reported nonstop, bogging down the department and now potentially bogging down law enforcement who have a lot of more important work to do." Governor DeSantis has already signaled his intention to sign SB 56 into law. On April 2, the Florida governor posted a video to X in which he condemned the practice of geoengineering and other weather modifications. Do you think governments should ban gas stoves? Heck yes! Only in new buildings Only in restaurants Heck no! Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "People got a lot of kooky ideas that they can get in and put things in the atmosphere to block the sun and save us from climate change," DeSantis said. "We're not playing that game in Florida." Once SB 56 is signed, violators could potentially face third-degree felony charges, up to five years in prison, and fines up to $100,000. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lawmakers move forward on controversial bill that would impact drinking water for millions of people: 'This is about your liberty'
The state of Florida is nearing the signing of a bill that would lead to the removal of fluoride from its water supply. On April 29, the Florida House of Representatives passed SB 700, also known as the Florida Farm Bill, by nearly 60 votes. The legislation is geared toward supporting the state's agriculture industry. This includes protecting farmers from discriminatory lending practices, reducing their financial burden, and promoting consumer protections. Included in the bill is a provision that bars local governments from including "the use of any additive in a public water system which does not meet the definition of a water quality additive." Rep. Danny Alvarez, who co-sponsored the bill, applauded its passing in the Senate. While speaking to the News Service of Florida, Alvarez pointed to the bill's protection of individuals. "This is not about fluoride," Alvarez said. "This is about your liberty." The bill awaits Gov. Ron DeSantis' signature. According to the American Cancer Society, fluoride was introduced to community water supplies in 1945 to improve the dental health of residents. While opponents have questioned the safety of fluoride in water, studies have shown that the additive does not cause cancer. Dr. Bert Hughes, a dentist and former president of the Alachua County Dental Association, noted the adverse effects that the bill will have on impoverished communities in Florida. "Adding fluoride to water is one of the top 10 public health achievements in our country," Hughes told The Gainesville Sun. How often do you worry about the quality of your drinking water? Never Sometimes Often Always Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "We look at different communities around Gainesville like High Springs and Alachua, and I see a lot of children and you can see the difference in the rate of decay and how it presents itself," added Hughes. "What's good about fluoride water is that it actually gets within your system and when teeth are forming, it forms a harder structure that is more resistant to decay versus applying it topically." As the Sun reported, Gainesville Regional Utilities said it would comply with the order. The utility will stop adding fluoride to its drinking water in July. After Utah, Florida is the second state in the United States to ban the addition of fluoride in drinking water. In a May 6 news release, DeSantis signaled his intention to sign SB 700. "The Free State of Florida means freedom from governments or private actors unilaterally applying chemicals or geoengineering to people or public spaces," DeSantis said. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Donald Trump thinks Marco Rubio could be his potential successor. 10 things to know about him
Donald Trump said Marco Rubio can also become his successor. In his interview with MSNBC, US President Donald Trump finally named his potential successors but he did not stop at the obvious choice, Vice President JD Vance who is also the Republicans' favorite candidate for 2028. Trump also mentioned Marco Rubio , the secretary of state who is also the interim NSA of Trump after Mike Waltz's ouster. In the interview, Trump was asked about his successor though he has been steadily hinting so far that he would love to run for another term. Trump said it's too early to name a successor but he has a vice president who is doing a fantastic job. "He would be at the top of the list?" Trump was asked. "It — it could very well be — I — I don't want to get involved in that. I think he's a fantastic, brilliant guy. Marco is great. There's a lot of them that are great. I — I also see tremendous unity. But certainly you would say that somebody's the VP, if that person is outstanding, I guess that person would have an advantage," Trump said. "But I think the other people would all stay in unbelievably high positions. But you know, it could be that he'd be challenged by somebody. We have a lot of good people in this party," Trump said. Why Marco Rubio has become so important in the second Trump administration Marco Rubio is a veteran in politics. He entered politics in 1999, serving in the Florida House of Representatives, where he rose to become Speaker from 2006 to 2008. He later served as a US Senator from Florida from 2011 to 2025. Marco Rubio ran for president in 2016, initially clashing with Trump, who nicknamed him 'Li'l Marco,' but later reconciled and became a Trump ally. Rubio became the 72nd US Secretary of State. After the Trump administration dismantled USAID, Marco Rubio was given the responsibility as the acting director of the agency. Marco Rubio was confirmed by the Senate unanimously by a vote of 99-0. Rubio is also the acting archivist for the National Archives. He is wearing so many hats that JD Vance joked that he should become the pope as well. Rubio has been vocal on international issues, condemning Germany's labeling of the AfD party as extremist, advocating for a nuclear deal with Iran that avoids uranium enrichment. Rubio's net worth is now estimated at $500,000 to $1 million in 2025, thanks to book royalties, real estate investments, and his government salaries Rubio is married to Jeanette Dousdebes, a former Miami Dolphins cheerleader, and they have four children. When JD Vance said he should become the pope, Rubio deflected, citing his marriage. Marco Rubio was born in Miami, but as the son of Cuban immigrants he has lived the American dream and stands for it as the Trump administration cracks down on illegal immigrants. US visas are not a right but a privilege, Marco Rubio recently wrote explaining Donald Trump's hardline on US visas.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Budget disagreement will extend post-session for at least a week
Lawmakers convene in a joint session in the Florida House of Representatives chamber to hear Gov. Ron DeSantis deliver the State of the State address on March 4, 2025. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix) The Florida Legislature will not vote on a budget for at least another 10 days, as leaders of each chamber say they're still working on a deal. The legislative session is set to end Friday but, without agreement on the only bill lawmakers must pass, they will have to come back to Tallahassee before July 1 to fund the government for the next fiscal year. 'We continue to have productive conversations with the House. We're putting together a framework for a budget, and I'm optimistic that we'll have more news to share very soon,' Senate President Ben Albritton told senators Thursday morning, adding that they need not plan on being in Tallahassee next week. The two chambers started about $4.4 billion apart on total spending, reflecting different philosophies on tax cuts. The initial House proposal targeted permanent sales tax cuts, while the initial Senate proposal emphasized sales tax cuts on inexpensive clothing and shoes plus tax holidays and a study on future property tax relief. Gov. Ron DeSantis has his own ideas, preferring a massive property tax rebate ahead of elimination of the tax through a ballot measure next year. 'Obviously, today is Day 59; as we get towards the end of the 60 days, we are still in conversations with the Senate,' House Speaker Daniel Perez told lawmakers, adding that they do not need to be in town next week. Perez said the House will debate legislation Thursday and Friday as the remaining bills go back and forth in negotiations with the Senate. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
