Capital Report WFSU Public Media

On tonight’s program: As a new presidential candidate rises to the fore, Florida Democrats seem to be getting behind her; A Florida lawmaker insists state school vouchers shouldn’t apply to all religious institutions of learning; Florida used to be a top filming location for TV shows and movies. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore; For many students and their parents, the dubious joys of filling out financial disclosure paperwork for student loans is now underway; And top-tier high school athletes in Florida will now be able to profit from their fame.

On tonight’s program: We take a uniquely Florida look at the Republican National Convention that wrapped up last night; Why did the G.O.P. presidential nominee pick a relative unknown for his running mate and what does that mean for some prominent Florida politicians?; Hunting and fishing rights will be on the ballot in November; Arts organizations all over Florida are scrambling to stay afloat after a wholesale veto of state grant funding; And a changing of the guard is coming to Florida A&M University as President Larry Robinson prepares to step down.

On tonight's program: Water breaks for outside workers, if ordered by local governments, are now banned in Florida Could federal action restore those heat protections? With the words “climate change” banned from state government in Florida, it seems some local jurisdictions are picking up the slack; With the incidence of hostile hacks on the rise, we’ll take a look at what can be done to foil the cybercrooks; Governor DeSantis’s statewide veto of arts and culture funding is drawing opposition; Youthful advocates make the difference as Florida lawmakers finally extend the services available for former foster kids; And who’s to blame for all the political conflicts nowadays? A seasoned and savvy lawmaker suggests there’s lots of blame to spread around.

On tonight’s program: Could President Biden’s less-than-stellar performance on the debate stage last week tarnish the electoral chances of Florida Democrats?; A new law allowing religious chaplains to be school counselors could have some unintended consequences; Some state education officials aren’t exactly thrilled about the academic achievement at two publicly funded universities; The Union of Concerned Scientists is especially concerned about the state of Florida; The question rages on in Tallahassee: how much will a proposed constitutional amendment actually cost if it passes?; The Florida Highway Patrol is urging special caution on the highways during the long and deadly Fourth of July weekend; And a new state law will force local Florida cities that use red light cameras for traffic law enforcement to be more forthcoming about where the money goes.

On tonight’s program: Two years after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade handing abortion decisions to individual states, abortion access advocates are speaking out; Survivors of now-shuttered reform schools are celebrating a monumental effort to compensate them for the horrific abuse they suffered. And the governor’s decision to eliminate local arts funding from the state budget sends the community reeling; The U.S. Supreme Court says cities and counties can enforce bans on sleeping outside. And a new Florida law takes effect in October to do just that. Now advocates worry the state is criminalizing homelessness; Floridians fed up with so-called nuisance black bears can now shoot if they feel threatened. But one researcher says it’s all a misunderstanding; And the state makes a forceful pushback on antisemitism with a set of new laws.

On tonight's program: Legislative leaders say they will use reserve funds to pay workers after a surprise veto by the governor; New services for Florida’s military veterans bring near universal applause; Governor DeSantis’s “Stop Woke” act is facing a court challenge; A bill imposing tougher financial disclosure standards for city officials versus county officials in Florida is on hold following a federal judge’s ruling; Still awaiting the governor’s action – or inaction – is a bill stripping away most of the power wielded by local ethics boards when it comes to the misbehavior of elected officials; The cost of Florida’s proposed constitutional amendment guaranteeing abortion access was unclear. But that’s apparently resolved and the issue should be ready for the November ballot; And we tag along with a Juneteenth observance that turned out to be a real learning experience.