Two suicides in the span of a week involving student survivors of last year’s Parkland school shooting have sparked a new question at the Florida Capitol: How much mental-health money should the state provide to schools?
Unless you are a Florida State University football fan, chances are you have never heard of the newest Democratic candidate for president -- but Wayne Messam is hoping to quickly change that.
An uncle and nephew who had been imprisoned for 42 years for a Florida murder were vindicated Thursday when prosecutors asked a judge to vacate their convictions, saying they no longer believed in the men’s guilt.
Legislation passed Thursday by the Florida House Education Committee would create a proposed constitutional amendment to ask voters to place eight-year term limits on county school-board members.
Several abortion-rights groups gathered with like-minded faith groups in Tallahassee Wednesday, announcing their opposition to a pair of bills that would restrict access to abortion in Florida.
On Wednesday, the Florida Senate unanimously passed a proposal that seeks to ban the state Constitution Revision Commission from "bundling" multiple topics in single constitutional amendments.
The Florida Senate passed a bill on Wednesday that would shield from disclosure photos and recordings that depict the killing of victims of mass violence.
If the plea agreement is approved, 36-year-old Mark Riddell of Palmetto could face substantial penalty. For both charges, he could face up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, forfeiture of any profits from the alleged scheme, which is around $450,000, and possible deportation.
A measure that could give Florida farmers the option of growing hemp as a crop for industrial uses won unanimous approval Monday in a state Senate committee.
The Senate Health Policy Committee voted 8-2 Monday for one of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' top priorities in the 60-day legislative session. A companion measure with several key differences is moving through House committees that would eventually need to be reconciled with the Senate version.
Although Florida voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to restore voting rights for most felons, she told a Senate committee Monday that she hasn't registered because she wasn't sure if she was eligible: She completed a 30-month prison sentence and three months' probation for a c
A 20-year-old convicted of raping his neighbor and then offering to do work around her house to make it up to her is being sent to prison for 50 years.
The Latest on the community of Parkland, Florida, focusing on suicide prevention programs after two survivors of a high school massacre there killed themselves.
The action comes after complaints against Ellenwood Academy, LLC for deceptive marketing of illegitimate high school diplomas to consumers in Florida and nationwide. The organization allegedly charges consumers $195 to enroll in a high school program and take an exam but does not employ any faculty
Legislation is moving in Tallahassee with a bill that would require state correctional facilities to provide incarcerated women with personal hygiene products.
The Republican-led Florida House and Senate on Friday released competing budget proposals for the upcoming year with major funding differences in areas such as education and the environment — and an uncertain future for millions of dollars in Seminole Tribe gambling money.
Just type “Florida Man” into Google, followed by your birthday. People are posting the results all over the internet and we’re seeing an impact here in Sarasota, where older ABC7 stories are seeing a renewed interest!
A Florida man pleaded guilty Thursday to sending pipe bombs to CNN and prominent critics of President Donald Trump in a wave of attacks that harmed no one but spread fear of political violence across the U.S. for days leading up to last fall’s midterm elections.
On Thursday, a North Florida man who has struggled with fibromyalgia for years became the state’s first patient to legally purchase whole-flower cannabis for smoking.
A Florida House committee voted Thursday for a broad school safety bill that would expand an existing guardian program to allow classroom teachers to volunteer to carry weapons on campus if local school boards approve.
Prosecutors say on Monday, around 7:45am, a distress call from a commercial fishing vessel requested help for an unconscious man on board with head injuries. The Coast Guard aircrew was told it may be related to a "domestic dispute" as they headed out into the Gulf of Mexico.
A new school voucher system is working its way up to the Senate for approval. It's called the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program and would allow middle class families the opportunity to place their child in a private school using public school dollars.
In a strict party-line vote following heated testimony Tuesday, a sharply divided House Criminal Justice Committee signed off on the measure aimed at clarifying components of a constitutional amendment approved by voters in November.
Legislation is set to be heard by a Senate committee next week that would require older high rise condominiums in Florida to have sprinkler systems by January 2023.
A major expansion of private school vouchers using taxpayer dollars traditionally spent on public schools, a top priority for Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, began moving forward Thursday in the Florida House.
Detectives investigating the 3-decade-old slaying of a Navy recruit used genealogical research involving DNA to track down and arrest a suspect who was a one-time Navy training classmate of the victim, authorities in Florida said Thursday.
The Florida Legislature met Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' deadline to hand him a bill to repeal the state's ban on smokable medical marijuana when the House passed the legislation Wednesday.
A Palmetto man is among the nearly 50 people, including Hollywood stars Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin, charged Tuesday in a scheme in which wealthy parents bribed college coaches and other insiders to get their children into some of the most elite schools in the country, federal prosecutors say
A Florida House committee approved a bill Wednesday that's aimed at preventing government agencies from going to court to try to block the public's constitutionally protected access to government records.
Florida lawmakers are eyeing a crackdown on people who claim their pets are emotional support animals to evade rules and deposits in rental units and condominium developments.
A former city commissioner in Florida has been sentenced to five years in state prison for a corruption case related to a tiki bar he operated in a strip mall.
Legislation allowing voters to decide whether to limit Florida public school board members to eight years in office began moving forward Tuesday in the state Senate.
A House panel Tuesday advanced two gun bills, backed by the National Rifle Association, that are reopening a debate about whether people with concealed-weapons licenses should be able to carry guns on school campuses used by churches and store firearms in vehicles on school property.
Legislation approved by a Florida House panel Tuesday would require customers to be notified by US mail each time raw or partially treated sewage is released or leaks into waterways.
On Tuesday, forestry officials expressed concerns Tuesday that Northwest Florida communities still recovering form a deadly hurricane in October will soon face the threat of massive wildfires and flooding.
Armed paramedics would be able to accompany law-enforcement officers during “high-risk” operations, under a proposal that started moving forward Monday in the Senate.
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Longboat Key) answers a question from ABC 7 Anchor Ray Collins about Buchanan's bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent.
Deputies in Florida are searching for the parents of a 4-month-old girl who authorities say illegally took their daughter following their release from jail on drug and resisting charges.
A Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office news release says marine unit deputies and rescue workers recovered the bodies from the plane’s fuselage several hours after the Friday afternoon crash.
A Pinellas County judge also ordered 40-year-old Daniel Willis Taylor to stay away from the restaurant and the workers he attacked in an incident caught on video. Taylor was credited with the 58 days in jail he already served. He also must pay a $1,000 fine.
Each pair of boots represents a firefighter who has died from, or is currently battling, cancer. Bills filed in the capitol this year would make firefighters diagnosed with certain types of cancers automatically eligible to receive disability or death benefits.
The measure by Republican Rep. Vance Aloupis of Miami focuses on a civics course Florida middle schoolers must take in order to advance to high school. It was approved by a House Education panel on a unanimous vote Thursday.
Democratic Rep. Kimberly Daniels of Jacksonville said the intent was not to teach a specific religion in school but rather to emphasize the Bible's role in history, culture and the founding of the U.S. government.
With plenty of breathing room before a March 15 deadline set by Gov. Ron DeSantis, House and Senate leaders have neared completion of a measure that would do away with a state ban on smoking medical marijuana.
A bill that would create a new voucher program allowing more Florida students to attend private schools by tapping into taxpayer money normally used for traditional public schools began moving Wednesday in the state Senate.
Florida could outlaw drivers from putting on makeup, holding a cellphone, reading or performing other distracting activities under a bill unanimously approved by a Senate committee Wednesday.
Governor Ron DeSantis said this week that he plans to soon start filling seats on state boards and commissions that opened when he rescinded more than 200 appointments made by former Governor Rick Scott.
