Jay Waagmeester, Florida Phoenix

With just nine days left in the 2025 legislative session, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday upped his criticism of the Florida House of Representatives and continued to defend First Lady Casey DeSantis and her flagship Hope Florida Foundation amid growing controversy.

DeSantis spent the first half of a news conference he called in Fort Pierce extolling the state’s economy during his governorship and repeated recent complaints about the House, which has sparred with the governor on matters including Highway Patrol funding, Everglades restoration funding, university presidential searches, and access to the courts — all coming after dueling special sessions in January and February on immigration laws.

“They are the least productive Florida House of Representatives that we have seen in modern Florida history, and I can tell you they are the least productive since I’ve been governor by a country mile. I mean it’s not even close in terms of what they’re doing,” DeSantis said. ...

Florida governors have long held sway over the selection of state university presidents, but Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken extra care to install political allies with limited higher education experience in these well-paid jobs, including his former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez.

Now, a bill filed for the 2025 regular session of the Florida Legislature would limit the governor’s authority, giving universities more autonomy in selecting their leaders. Sen. Alexis Calatayud of Miami and Rep. Michelle Salzman of Escambia County introduced the measure.

HB 1321 in the House and SB 1726 in the Senate would strip the State University System’s Board of Governors (BOG) and State Board of Education of their power to approve university and college presidents, leaving it up to the institutions’ trustees and search committees. The bill would prohibit Board of Governors members from sitting on search committees. ...

by Jay Waagmeester, Florida Phoenix

February 20, 2025

A few days after being named attorney general, James Uthmeier filed a class action against retail giant Target Thursday, claiming it defrauded investors in the process of promoting “radical LGBTQ activism.” ...

Florida International University trustees voted Friday to install Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez as interim president, meaning she will leave her statewide-elected office 23 months before her term expires. Trustees expect she will assume the presidency officially after a formal search.

“The governor’s office has contacted me and suggested that we consider Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez as the next leader for FIU,” Board of Trustees Chair Roger Tovar said during a special meeting held via Zoom. “Subsequent to that, I have had several conversations with the Lt. Gov. Nuñez, who confirmed her interest in leading this great university, which happens to be her alma mater.”

During a news conference on immigration Friday morning, DeSantis said the leap actually was her idea. He applauded Nuñez for her support for his policies as lieutenant governor, including efforts to “bring some sanity” to higher education. ...

A dispute between Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican leaders of the Legislature over conflicting views of an immigration crackdown escalated Monday after the governor labeled as “bizarre” lawmakers’ proposal to strip him of immigration enforcement powers.

Following Senate President Ben Albritton’s and House Speaker Danny Perez’s rebuke of DeSantis’ call for a special session Monday morning — choosing to adjourn but then convene their own special session to consider their own legislation — DeSantis took to social media to slam the move.

The governor attacked the sole proposal both chambers filed for the session, partly because it puts Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson — and not DeSantis — in charge of coordinating immigration enforcement with the federal government. The agriculture commissioner is an elected Florida Cabinet officer up for election every four years. ...