Florida News That Impacts You – August 9th, 2023
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- The Palm Beach and Martin County School Districts have decided not to offer the AP Psychology course this year. The decision came after the recent back and forth between the College Board, which creates the AP courses, and the Florida Board of Education over the appropriateness of the course under state law. The College Board said the state of Florida “effectively banned” the course with the state’s Parental Rights in Education law – which limits education on gender identity and sexual orientation and is covered within the course. Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. wrote a letter last week stating the course doesn’t violate state law and may be taught.
- Record property tax windfalls are set to be collected across the state. The Florida Revenue Estimating Conference announced property tax collections are set to exceed previous expectations by 2.5% with the average property assessed value in Florida across all property types rising by 15.27% over the past year. Property tax increases are limited to 3% annually for homesteaded properties, and 10% for non-homesteaded properties, however the full increase is realized with a change in ownership.
- Florida won an initial legal battle against those seeking to overturn Florida’s new immigration law, which makes it a crime to knowingly transport illegal immigrants. A legal argument stating that the new rule would “interfere with their ability to go about their daily lives”, sought an injunction against enforcement of the law. A judge immediately rejected the argument and denied the request.
- Gas prices dropped two cents on Tuesday. Statewide the average price for regular unleaded is now $3.79 per gallon – 3 cents lower than a week ago. In Palm Beach County the average price remains $3.95 per gallon, which is the highest price in the state.