Latest news with #FloridaSenate
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
New driver law hits Florida - failure to follow rules may lead to ban
A new law for young drivers is being introduced in Florida on August 1. The Sunshine State will enforce new requirements for anyone over the age of 15 in driver's ed. The new law requires learners to complete a 50-hour driver education and traffic safety course, approved by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles). The goal of this new policy is to reduce the amount of preventable crashes and fatalities among teen drivers. The law, which was set to take effect this month, will now be enforced starting on August 1 in order for there to be a smooth rollout. The new rule was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis back in May after it unanimously passed in the state's House and Senate . Florida residents must adhere to several terms to snag a learner's permit, which is necessary for a driver's license. Hopeful drivers must be 15 to enroll in courses, and anyone under the age of 18 must have a signed parental consent form. They must provide proof of TLSAE course completion, a program that usually takes four hours to finish. Once they pass a vision and hearing test conducted in a service center, the applicant must pass a Class E knowledge exam. After meeting the permit requirements, the driver must hold their permit for at least one year or reach the age of 18. The drivers can take their driver's test once the requirements are met in an insured vehicle that passes inspection. Licensed 16-year-old drivers will only be allowed to drive between 6:00 am and 11:00 pm, which will change to 5:00 am and 1:00 am once they turn 17. Once they turn 18, restrictions will be lifted, and Florida residents will typically have the freedom to drive as they please. The state of Florida has had high numbers in fatalities from crashes involving teenage drivers. Over one million crashes involved teenage drivers back in 2020, including 4,405 fatalities and 319,335 serious injuries. Those numbers were significantly higher in 2022, and studies showed that riding without a seatbelt results in one-third of fatalities and serious injuries. Seatbelt usage has been a high concern for drivers and passengers of all ages, resulting in new and proposed state laws. A new law in Virginia that took effect earlier this month requires all adults to wear seatbelts on highways . Drivers who do not follow this rule will face a $25 fine. As of now, New Hampshire is the only state that doesn't have an adult seatbelt mandate . Michigan has also revamped its car seat laws to improve child safety . Drivers who do not follow the seatbelt laws will face a $65 penalty, including a $25 civil fine, court costs, and a $40 justice system assessment.
Miami Herald
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
René Garcia's endorsement of interim mayor reshapes Hialeah mayoral race
In a political twist, Miami-Dade Commissioner René Garcia has endorsed interim Mayor Jacqueline Garcia-Roves in the race for Hialeah mayor, passing over his longtime protégé, Councilman Jesus Tundidor. Garcia, who represents District 13, including parts of Hialeah, had briefly filed to run for mayor himself but withdrew last week, saying he believes he can 'best serve the people of Hialeah and District 13 by continuing to fight for them on the County Commission.' Still, Garcia's influence remains in play through his support of Garcia-Roves, who formally filed her candidacy on Monday after resigning her council seat on Friday. Garcia described Garcia-Roves as 'the candidate with the most integrity, the most passionate, biggest heart, and the strongest commitment to serving the community. 'My decision is based on supporting the person who has no vested interests, someone whose every action is rooted in the well-being of her family and her city,' Garcia said in a press conference. 'She's the most capable candidate running for mayor.' Garcia-Roves, 43, who made history as Hialeah's first woman to hold the title of mayor following the the resignation of Mayor Esteban 'Steve' Bovo, now enters the race with significant momentum backed by Garcia's political weight. In her resignation letter as council member she said she was running with 'the hope of continuing to make history and break barriers.' The endorsement caught many in local political circles off guard. Tundidor, a current councilman and former senior aide to Garcia during his time in the Florida Senate, was widely expected to earn Garcia's support. Tundidor launched his public service career in 2017 as a member of Hialeah's Planning and Zoning Board. As a councilman, he spearheaded an affordable housing task force aimed at easing Hialeah's rising rent crisis. Garcia-Roves, by contrast, has not proposed any legislation during her four years as a council member. She was first elected in 2019 alongside Tundidor—he was an independent candidate running against the establishment and she was part of former Mayor Carlos Hernandez's slate. Tundidor beat the Hernandez-backed candidates in that election, marking a shift in local political power. He run as an outsider, but he has sided with the establishment, especially while Bovo was mayor. Garcia-Roves faced her first major challenge as interim mayor in attempting to unify the City Council to appoint someone to fill her now-vacant council seat. She was unable to secure a consensus. Since April, the city has been operating with just six council members — one short — which raises the risk of tied votes and legislative gridlock on key decisions. In November, five of the seven council seats will be on the ballot, along with the mayoral race. Regardless of the outcome, another vacancy is expected in January, since Tundidor has resigned his seat to run for mayor. Garcia-Roves told the Miami Herald that her campaign will focus on improving public safety and lowering water-bill rates, an issue that Bovo had pledged to tackle but ultimately failed to deliver on during his time in office. As part of her plan, she supports implementing electronic water meters across Hialeah, arguing the modernization effort could reduce residents' monthly bills. The proposal came before the City Council last week but was tabled until August for further discussion. A Hialeah study from 2022 shows that only three of the 34 cities in the county have higher water and sewer rates than Hialeah. They are North Miami Beach, Bay Harbor Islands and Medley. READ MORE: The silent crisis that affects everyone in Hialeah: the exorbitant price of water and sewer The idea is not new. In March 2022, then-Council Member Bryan Calvo, who is also now running for mayor, first introduced the electronic meter proposal as a way to help lower water rates. At the time, the initiative stalled under Bovo's administration and never moved forward. The water bill is a common concern among the Hialeah residents, a city with a median annual household income in Hialeah of just over $53,000, according to the U.S. Census. The city faces a daunting debt of over $18 million to Miami-Dade County for past services, with the county exploring legal options to secure payment. Garcia-Roves is the seventh candidate to file for Hialeah's mayoral race. In addition to Tundidor and Calvo, the field includes four other contenders, among them professional mixed martial fighter Manuel 'Manny' Reyes Jr. and real estate investor Marc Anthony Salvat.
BBC News
24-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Sister vs brother: A local Florida election is a sibling rivalry
A brother and sister on Tuesday are taking sibling competition to a new level - specifically the local election level. Randolph Bracy and LaVon Bracy Davis are running against each other to become the Democratic nominee for a state senate seat in Florida. And in this sibling rivalry, their mother has taken a side: Lavon Wright Bracy is serving as her daughter's campaign manager, according to her Instagram profile. There are four contestants altogether in the primary in Orlando, and the victor is expected to win the general election in September. One of the Bracy family's close friends, civil rights activist Geraldine Thompson, held the seat for two decades until she died earlier this year. Ms Bracy, the siblings' mother, was maid of honour in Thompson's wedding. The Thompson family, too, has sided with Ms Bracy Davis and endorsed her in Tuesday's race. On her campaign site Ms Bracy Davis casts herself as picking up Thompson's "torch of justice, progress, and service". Her brother, meanwhile, on his site touts his family's legacy of serving central Florida for more than 30 years, but he only mentions his father, not his Bracy told the Orlando Sentinel it was "disappointing and hurtful" that his sister decided to enter the primary race and run against Bracy Davis has largely avoided discussing the subject of taking on her brother. The BBC has contacted both for comment. History suggests there may be some complicated family dynamics at Mr Bracy ran against Thompson in a Democratic primary in 2024, Ms Bracy Davis endorsed the family friend over her brother. Both siblings have a history of serving in the state legislature, and Mr Bracy held a different seat in the state senate until he decided to run for the US House of Representatives in of the more dramatic examples of siblings competing against each other in US politics goes back to 1871 and the brothers Willard, Gove and Eli Saulsbury. When Willard realised he would lose to Gove by one or two votes, he threw his support behind Eli, a surprise late entrant to the competition for the US Senate seat for Delaware. Eli then went on to serve in Congress for 18 saw three pair of siblings compete in local elections in 2019, but only one set ran against each other. In that case, the mother did not disclose which one got her addition to the Bracy siblings, there are two other contenders in Tuesday's Democratic primary in Florida - former US congressman lan Grayson and Coretta Anthony-Smith, a personal injury attorney. The winner of Tuesday's race is expected to succeed in the general election in September against Republican Willie Montague, as the district is a Democratic stronghold. A Republican political operative recently sent fliers out in the Orlando area that poked fun at the sibling rivalry with a pun, the AP reported: "Bracy yourself."
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The Independent
24-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Florida brother and sister are running against each other in ‘hurtful' state senate race
Randolph Bracy and LaVon Bracy Davis are squaring off in the Democratic primary for Florida's State Senate District 15 seat on Tuesday. And the similarity in surnames on the ballot isn''t a coincidence — the Bracys are brother and sister on opposite sides of a heated political battle being closely watched across the Sunshine State. The seat, once held by longtime state Sen. Geraldine Thompson, opened earlier this year following Thompson's death. Both Bracy siblings bring legislative experience: Randolph is a former state senator, and LaVon served in the Florida House of Representatives. This family feud is rooted in deep tension. Their mother, prominent civil rights activist Lavon Wright Bracy, who was not only a close friend of Thompson but maid of honor at her wedding, has publicly endorsed LaVon over Randolph. This isn't the first time the Bracy family has been entangled in political rivalry. During last year's Democratic primary for a state Senate seat, when Randolph Bracy and Geraldine Thompson faced off, LaVon Bracy Davis publicly backed Thompson over her own brother. Recently, a Republican political operative circulated campaign flyers with the tongue-in-cheek headline, 'Bracy Yourself!' Randolph, 48, told the Orlando Sentinel that his sister's entry into the race after he announced his bid was 'disappointing and hurtful.' Meanwhile, LaVon, 45, says her campaign is not a challenge to her brother, but a pledge to serve the people of District 15. She has pledged to continue Thompson's legacy, focusing on voting rights and increasing pay for public school teachers. Thompson's family has backed LaVon, an attorney by training. Also running in the primary are personal injury attorney, Coretta Anthony‑Smith, and former Congressman Alan Grayson, best known for his 2009 speech on the House floor where he claimed Republicans want sick Americans to "die quickly." The winner will advance to face Republican Willie Montague in September in a heavily Democratic district. District 15 covers western Orange County, including Orlando neighborhoods such as Ocoee, Apopka, Eatonville, and Dr. Phillips, areas where Black voters make up more than half of the registered Democrats.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democratic voters in Florida Senate Dist. 15, House Dist. 40 head to polls on Tuesday
The Brief Four Democrats — including siblings and a former congressman — are competing in Tuesday's special primary to fill the late Sen. Geraldine Thompson's seat. Campaign finance reports show heavy self-funding and last-minute fundraising surges ahead of the vote. Two candidates are competing in Tuesday's Democratic primary for Florida House District 40. ORLANDO, Fla. - A special primary election will be held on Tuesday to fill the vacancies for state senate, Senate District 15, and state representative, Florida House District 40. Polls open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. What we know A special Democratic primary election is set for Tuesday, June 24, 2025, to fill the Florida Senate District 15 seat left vacant by the death of State Sen. Geraldine Thompson. Thompson, a respected legislator and civil rights advocate, died in February. Four Democrats are vying for the Senate nomination: current Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis, her brother and former Sen. Randolph Bracy, former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, and attorney Coretta Anthony-Smith. The race has drawn interest due to the sibling rivalry and the involvement of notable political figures. Davis has raised over $60,000, while Grayson has heavily self-funded, loaning more than $240,000 to his campaign. Anthony-Smith has raised nearly $59,000, while Bracy's latest fundraising numbers remain unposted, though he had raised $2,972 and loaned $6,050 to his campaign as of May 8. What we don't know Final campaign finance numbers for Randolph Bracy have yet to be disclosed. It's also unclear how the public is responding to the unusual family dynamic in the race and how this might affect turnout in what's expected to be a low-participation special election. The backstory Geraldine Thompson served the West Orlando area and was known for her work in education and civil rights. Her passing in January created a ripple in local Democratic politics, triggering a rare mid-cycle shuffle. Bracy Davis, her would-be successor, previously held House District 40, leaving that seat open and further adding to the electoral reshuffle. What's next The winner of the State Senate Dist. 15 Democratic primary will advance to the Sept. 2 general election to face Republican Willie Montague, who secured his party's nomination unopposed. The Florida House District 40 seat is up for grabs in Tuesday's special Democratic primary after Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis stepped down to run for the late Sen. Geraldine Thompson's Senate seat. What we know Two Democratic candidates — former Rep. Travaris McCurdy and current legislative aide RaShon Young — are vying to replace Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis. Young has raised over $59,000, $1,900 of which he loaned to his own campaign, while McCurdy has raised just over $8,380. What we don't know While endorsements and experience have played central roles in the race, it's unclear how voters will weigh age, political legacy, and ground-level experience. Young's relative youth and McCurdy's prior electoral loss in 2022 raise questions about how much name recognition and political mentorship will sway voters in this low-turnout special election. The backstory Travaris McCurdy previously held a House seat and has served as a legislative aide to both Randolph Bracy and Geraldine Thompson. He lost a Democratic primary in 2022 after redistricting reshaped his political base. RaShon Young, 26, emerged from within the Bracy-Bracy Davis political network and now serves as Bracy Davis' chief of staff. She endorsed him the day she launched her Senate campaign. Big picture view This contest reflects generational change and the continued influence of political dynasties in Central Florida. The Bracy family's endorsement network remains active across multiple races, shaping political succession in Orange County. The race also highlights how institutional ties and personal loyalty continue to drive local Democratic politics. What's next The winner of the State House Dist. 40 Democratic primary will face Republican Tuan Le of Titusville and write-in candidate Christopher Hall of Tallahassee in the Sept. 2 general election. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information shared by the Florida Dept. of State Division of Elections.
