In Florida, it’s still DeSantis vs.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody will take Marco Rubio’s seat in the U.S. Senate.

Sen. Joe Gruters introduced a bill that could help law enforcement put more hit-and-run drivers behind bars. It's called the Lilly Glaubach Act.

Auto repair shops would have to request crash reports or file a form with authorities before repairing damaged vehicles, under a new bill filed by Florida Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota., according to our partners at News 4 Jacksonville.

The Republican Party of Florida is removing a loyalty oath as a condition for getting on the presidential primary ballot.

The Florida Senate on Wednesday passed a bill that would place new restrictions on public-employee unions, including preventing dues from being deducted from workers’ paychecks.

Florida lawmakers move forward with a plan that would connect playing the national anthem at sports events to state and local dollars.

FILE - In this Dec. 3, 2020, file photo, students wearing face masks work on computers at Tibbals Elementary School in Murphy, Texas. Lawmakers, parents and educators have raised concerns about such issues because of disruptions this school year --- including many students learning remotely --- during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re trying to make sure that we treat everybody fairly,” Senate Education Chairman Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, told reporters. Under the bill, students’ teachers, parents and principals would then be required to have a “collaborative discussion” about retaining the children. After the pandemic hit the state in March 2020, Corcoran issued an executive order that canceled statewide assessments during the 2019-2020 school year.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Out-of-state retailers would have to collect the Florida sales tax when they ship items to the state, under a bill passed by the Senate on Thursday. The state would lose close to $1 billion in revenue in the next fiscal year and $1.8 billion in future years because sales tax isn't collected on many online and remote purchases, said Republican Sen. Joe Gruters, who sponsored the bill. “I would never be in favor of a (new) tax. This is a tax that's been owed for 20 years. A similar measure in the House has one more committee stop before reaching the full chamber.

A Senate committee on Monday unanimously approved a bill that would allow counties and cities to restrict smoking on beaches and public parks they own. Before passing the bill (SB 334), the Environment and Natural Resources Committee approved an amendment by Chairman Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford. that would prevent local governments from banning cigar or pipe smoking on beaches or in parks. AdBill sponsor Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, said the goal is to get cigarettes off beaches and that cigars haven’t been the issue. The House Professions & Public Health Subcommittee is slated Tuesday to consider the House version (HB 239), sponsored by Rep. Thad Altman, R-Indialantic.

ORLANDO, Fla. – More than 36,000 Florida voters previously registered as Republicans have left the GOP since the November election, a News 6 review of state voter records has revealed. “It’s not going to make any difference at all in an election.”State GOP leaders downplayed the recent defections, believing that most former Republican voters will eventually return. “It’s not that big of a deal,” said Joe Gruters, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. News 6 spoke with about a dozen former Republicans who changed their party affiliation after the election. Only Florida voters registered with a political party can participate in that party’s primary elections.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Driving home with sealed mixed drinks or other alcoholic libations as part of “to go” meals, an option allowed during the COVID-19 pandemic to help restaurants, moved closer Tuesday to becoming permanent in Florida. The Senate Regulated Industries Committee became the first legislative panel to support a proposal (SB 148) to put into law an executive order by Gov. Ron DeSantis that allows restaurants to include alcoholic drinks or bottles as part of take-home meals. The hospitality industry has been devastated by the pandemic,” said Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association General Counsel Samantha Padgett. A similar proposal (HB 329) by Rep. Josie Tomkow, R-Polk City, is scheduled to go before the House Regulatory Reform Subcommittee on Thursday.

Sen. Joe Gruters, who doubles as chairman of the state Republican Party, said his proposal simply requires online businesses with no physical presence in Florida to collect sales taxes when customers in Florida make purchases. Gruters’ bill will be considered during the legislative session that starts March 2, as lawmakers also grapple with major budget problems stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. Many online sales to Floridians are taxed if, for example, retailers have stores or other operations in the state. But Gruters’ proposal uses a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision in a case known as South Dakota v. Wayfair as a basis for trying to require other out-of-state businesses to collect and remit the taxes to Florida. The decision against Wayfair, a large online retailer with no physical presence in South Dakota, overturned a “physical presence test,” expanding states’ abilities to collect sales taxes.