AGP Executive Report

Property Taxes & Immigration: Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed his “Save Our Homes” plan during a Davie stop, saying lawmakers will gavel into a special session next week and framing the migrant detention site “Alligator Alcatraz” as temporary while he highlights recent immigration enforcement operations. Florida Politics: Rep. Frederica Wilson announced she won’t seek re-election in Florida’s 24th District, setting up a potentially crowded Democratic scramble as the district’s political map shifts. Elections & Courts: A federal judge declined to immediately block Trump’s mail-in voting executive order, leaving room for further legal challenges later. Oversight Watch: Former AG Pam Bondi faced House scrutiny over the Epstein case files, refusing to answer questions about Trump’s involvement and citing DOJ “redaction errors.” Local Governance: Duval County GOP leaders are calling for the resignation or removal of school board member Darryl Willie over a voter registration address dispute. Budget/Policy Detail: A small shellfish aquaculture workforce appropriation in the state budget is drawing questions about how the program is administered. Sports/Policy: Florida’s college sports debate continues to ripple after SEC and Big Ten spring meetings.

Space Coast Jobs & Industry: Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a $600M Blue Origin expansion at Cape Canaveral’s Rocket Park, aiming to build an 830,000-square-foot upper-stage facility and create 500 aerospace jobs. Property Taxes in the Spotlight: DeSantis also called for a special session starting June 1 to advance his “Save Our Homes” plan to eliminate or phase out property taxes on Florida homeowners’ permanent residences, with a possible November ballot vote. Local Government Impact: Fort Myers leaders warn the property-tax proposal could delay or kill a long-planned police headquarters project. Legal & Accountability: A federal judge in the 11th Circuit received a private reprimand after an investigation found an extramarital affair involving sex in chambers, with staff nearby. Florida Courts & Politics: Leon County’s charter review committee approved a revised “historic harms” amendment 14-3, removing slavery/segregation/reparations language to comply with a state DEI ban, setting up public hearings and a potential November ballot. Space Launch Setback: Blue Origin reported an “anomaly” during a New Glenn hot-fire test in Florida after the rocket exploded on the pad.

Property Taxes Special Session: Gov. Ron DeSantis called a special session starting Monday to push a constitutional amendment that would raise the homestead exemption to $250,000 immediately and phase toward $500,000, aiming to shield 92% of homeowners from property taxes—while also tightening how local governments can use the money and creating a rural county trust fund. Congressional Race Watch: Rep. Jared Moskowitz launched his bid for re-election in Florida’s newly drawn 25th District, a Cook-rated toss-up shaped by the DeSantis-backed map. Legal & Ethics: Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego set up a legal defense fund after an ethics investigation tied to misconduct allegations from Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who says she’s backed by a complainant. Courts & Voting: A federal judge declined—for now—to block Trump’s mail-in ballot order, keeping it in place while the legal fight continues. Local Economy & Costs: A poll finds energy bills are a top 2026 campaign issue, with voters backing faster permitting and grid upgrades to lower electricity costs. State Policy: Florida lawmakers are nearing a nearly $114.5B budget deal that restores some AIDS medication funding and includes Everglades money, while court spending gets partial support.

Property Taxes Showdown: Gov. Ron DeSantis called a special session for next week to advance “Save Our Homes,” a constitutional amendment that would boost the homestead exemption from $50,000 to $250,000 immediately and could eventually eliminate property taxes for many homeowners—while critics warn local services could be forced onto sales taxes or fees. Local Impact: In Bartow, officials put a new aquatic center on hold, saying a property-tax cut could cost the city millions and derail recurring programs. E-Bike Safety: Florida lawmakers advanced SB 382, which would cap e-bikes at 10 mph when pedestrians are nearby, require yielding on shared paths, and add an enforcement task force—aimed at curbing rising injury concerns. Redistricting Court Fight: A Leon County judge denied a bid to pause Florida’s GOP-friendly congressional map while lawsuits proceed, dealing Democrats a setback heading into 2026 elections. Hurricane Prep: Sen. Rick Scott kicked off a 2026 hurricane preparedness tour, urging residents to plan early and avoid complacency. Crime & Courts: A federal judge kept a teen accused in a Carnival cruise stepsister killing in family custody for now while awaiting trial. Food Costs Pressure: A new outlook warns grocery prices could keep climbing into 2027, adding to affordability stress before midterms.

Property Taxes: Gov. Ron DeSantis called a special legislative session starting Monday to put a homestead property tax elimination plan on the November ballot, with an initial homestead exemption jump to $250,000 (aimed at making about 60% of homeowners tax-free) and a required schedule to phase out homestead taxes over time; the measure would need 60% legislative approval and 60% voter support. Budget & Cost of Living: Florida lawmakers finalized a roughly $114.5B budget deal after a long standoff, while a new national report warns another inflation wave is headed for grocery stores. Courts & Maps: A judge upheld Florida’s GOP-friendly congressional map ahead of midterms as redistricting fights continue in multiple states. Public Safety: Miami-Dade expanded automated school-zone speed enforcement, generating tens of thousands of citations early this year. Local Tragedy: A 87-year-old Wesley Chapel man died after a Tesla in autopilot mode crashed into an electrical box and submerged in a pond. Hurricane Prep: Florida’s emergency chief urged residents to plan early, build kits, and avoid unnecessary evacuations.

Budget Deal: Florida lawmakers finalized a $115B state budget over Memorial Day weekend, setting up a Friday vote after a late, weekend-long negotiation. The package includes a $150M tax relief plan, plus sales-tax breaks tied to hurricane-ready windows/doors and gun accessories. Courts & Clerks: A new law signed May 22 boosts funding for court clerks and comptrollers, letting clerks keep more “excess” revenue and take a bigger share of civil traffic fines. Immigration & Rights: The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Florida’s attempt to sue California and Washington over undocumented immigrants getting commercial driver’s licenses. Legal System Watch: A federal judge is set to decide whether a teen accused in the killing of his stepsister on a Carnival Cruise stays free or is held until trial. Local Legal Leadership: Broward’s Diana Castrillon was elected president of the Broward County Bar Association, and Michael J. Satz won the Criminal Law Section’s Selig I. Goldin Award.

Supreme Court Clash: The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Florida’s bid to sue California and Washington over commercial driver’s licenses tied to a deadly Florida Turnpike crash, keeping the fight out of the high court for now—though Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented. Domestic Violence Push: Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the HAVEN Act, aiming to help domestic and dating-violence survivors with a study for a web-based 911 alert system and expanded address confidentiality protections. Budget Watch: Florida’s $115B budget talks are still producing political fireworks, including a reported $6 million line tied to a company connected to a budget negotiator’s husband. Cybersecurity Funding: State tech officials urged Congress to renew unfunded federal cybersecurity grants, warning local governments can’t keep up alone. Politics, Up Close: A Florida Senate race is getting a high-profile jolt as Mary Trump backs Alex Vindman, framing it as a direct challenge to Trump’s agenda in Palm Beach’s backyard.

Health Scrutiny: President Trump is set for another Walter Reed medical check Tuesday, as outside questions linger about his fitness and the White House’s past explanations. Memorial Day & Civic Memory: Memorial Day arrives alongside fresh reminders of national service and the Constitution’s staying power, including a new book pushing Americans to take Constitution Day seriously. Florida Budget: Florida lawmakers finalized a $115B state budget over the holiday weekend, with major funding for schools, Everglades work, and HIV care. HIV Policy Reversal: Florida lawmakers also agreed to reverse cuts to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, restoring eligibility and key meds after advocates warned thousands lost coverage. Local Politics: Rep. Frederica Wilson says eye surgery kept her out of Congress for a month, while reaffirming her reelection plans. Economy Watch: A new report says Florida homeowners are getting hit hardest as insurance costs surge faster than wages. National Tourism: The U.S. logged its worst international tourism decline since 2020, tied to travel costs and unease about politics and enforcement.

State Budget Deal: Florida lawmakers finally locked a nearly $115B budget after a special session, with education protected from enrollment-driven cuts and added money for cancer research and HIV treatment; the package is about $2B below Gov. DeSantis’ plan and heads for a vote Friday before his line-item veto. Education & Healthcare: The deal keeps $4.5B for homeschool/private school scholarships inside the main K-12 formula and preserves AIDS drug funding while also carving out $4M for the “Groveland Four” families. Redistricting Pressure: The new congressional map is already raising alarms about election readiness, with South Florida districts reshuffled and voters facing tight implementation timelines. Political Violence Debate: A White House security shooting has reignited arguments over whether inflammatory political rhetoric increases real-world risk. Memorial Day Context: Coverage also leaned into remembrance—plus a reminder that sacrifices continue, including recent U.S. deaths tied to the Iran conflict.

Florida Budget Crunch: House and Senate leaders sealed a roughly $115B budget after a special session, with lawmakers set to vote Friday and send it to Gov. Ron DeSantis—keeping K-12 scholarship money inside the main formula and adding protections against deep district cuts, plus an eleventh-hour $4M compensation deal tied to the Groveland Four. Campus Free Speech Fight: The Secular Student Alliance calls Tennessee-style “Charlie Kirk” campus free-speech rules “dehumanizing,” arguing the law protects invited speakers while making it riskier for students to protest. Community Loss: Miami LGBTQ+ ally and civil-rights advocate Ruth Shack died at 94. Public Safety & Schools: A Florida pilot is testing drones to help respond to school threats, while new state rules expand how K-12 coaches can be supported. World News: Venezuelan groups protested US “rapid response” drills in Caracas; Cuba faces renewed pressure amid drone and sanctions talk.

White House Security: A gunman was killed in a shootout near a Secret Service checkpoint while Trump was inside; a bystander was also hit, and the incident is now part of a wider pattern of attacks and threats targeting Trump’s administration. Federal Oversight Fight: Trump’s nearly $1.8B “Anti-Weaponization Fund” is drawing bipartisan backlash, with critics warning it could reward allies while staying largely out of public view. Cuba Pressure in Court: The U.S. indictment of Raúl Castro over the 1996 Brothers to the Rescue killings is landing in Miami as Cuba calls it hypocrisy and legal experts say the defense will be hard to sustain. Florida Politics & Policy: Florida’s “Teddy Bridgewater Act” is now law, boosting what high school coaches can help with for student-athletes, while redistricting continues to churn up major political fights. Local Life: Homeowners could face up to a $1,000 fine for painting a fence they don’t own.

White House Security: A gunman opened fire near the White House Saturday evening and was killed by Secret Service; Trump was inside and not impacted, while a bystander was hit. Florida Politics: In Tallahassee, UF’s presidential search is still under fire as Sen. Rick Scott says the process lacks transparency and questions payouts. State Law: DeSantis signed the “Teddy Bridgewater Act,” letting high school coaches use personal funds (with strict limits) to cover athlete needs like food, transport, and therapy. Local Weather: Thunderstorms sparked wildfires in north central Florida, including a 20-acre blaze in Palatka/Levy County. National Culture/Business: The week also brought a fresh round of debate over AI’s role in schools and a renewed fight over vape rules after big political pressure.

High School Sports Overhaul: Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the “Teddy Bridgewater Act,” letting Florida head coaches use their own money to cover athletes’ essentials like food, transportation, and rehab—capped at $15,000 per team per year with strict reporting and no recruiting use. Trump Fallout: Across the country, Trump’s administration is drawing fresh fire for a proposed $1.8B “anti-weaponization” payout fund that critics say could function like a payoff with little oversight. Cuba Tensions: The U.S. is ratcheting up pressure on Havana as Raúl Castro faces indictment tied to a 1996 shootdown, while a U.S. carrier group arrives in the Caribbean—fueling talk of possible military action. Local Life: Cape View Elementary in Florida closed permanently after 62 years, and Bartow canceled a planned aquatics center as costs ballooned. Tech & Science: A new study challenges the idea that brain sodium levels stay uniform, finding astrocytes vary dynamically to match local needs.

Cuba Crisis: In Havana’s Centro Habana, daily life is being squeezed by near-total power loss, bread shortages, and rising desperation—residents describe empty bakery shelves, queues for basic goods, and days without water as the humanitarian strain deepens under Trump-era pressure. Cuba-US Pressure: The week’s flashpoint is the U.S. indictment of Raúl Castro tied to the 1996 “Brothers to the Rescue” plane downing, which Cuba calls a “political maneuver” while U.S. officials frame it as justice—raising fears of escalation. Local Florida Watch: Memorial Day weekend is colliding with policy friction: a federal judge ended Florida’s expanded red snapper season before it began, leaving anglers scrambling. Public Safety/Privacy: Florida is also expanding license plate readers and speed cameras in school zones, and critics are pushing back over whether it’s safety—or revenue—driving the surge. Health Cost Pressure: Bay Area doctors warn that some families may try to “stretch” baby formula with extra water, a move they say can be life-threatening for infants.

Cuba Crisis Escalates: Cuba’s government and officials are denouncing the U.S. indictment of Raúl Castro as a “pretext” for aggression, while a Havana protest drew top leaders to the U.S. Embassy. Florida Politics: Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced she’ll run again, this time for Florida’s 20th District, after DeSantis redrew the map. Congress Watch: Republican lawmakers are pressing the Senate to move on an immigration reconciliation package, with frustration spilling into public comments. Property Tax Fight: A Florida opinion piece argues a levy cap is the “smartest” property tax reform option as other proposals stall. Local Accountability: Pinellas homeowners say they’re still waiting on Elevate Florida flood-elevation help as hurricane season nears. Sports & Schools: DeSantis signed bills aimed at easing support for high school athletes and coaches. Environment: North Atlantic right whales saw 23 births—more than double last season—though the population remains critically low.

Cuba Pressure Escalates: Marco Rubio and Donald Trump ratcheted up the rhetoric after the U.S. indicted Raúl Castro, calling Cuba a “failed state” and warning a negotiated deal is unlikely—while the USS Nimitz group moved into the Caribbean and Trump floated the idea he could be the one to act. Domestic Violence: Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a sweeping HB 277 into law, strengthening protections for survivors and accountability for repeat offenders, with Rachael Kerr’s family present. Florida Courts & Death Penalty: Florida carried out its seventh execution of 2026, as Richard Knight was put to death. Public Safety: A new state law targets youth mental health and emergency-room strain in Nashoba Valley—showing how health crises outlast hospital closures. Local Governance: Indian River County’s mosquito control district is in turmoil after leadership shakeups, as residents complain about worse-than-usual bites. Culture & Politics: Hate-filled voicemails against Rep. Jared Moskowitz are under investigation, underscoring how national Israel-related tensions are spilling into Florida politics.