11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals

A brief contends the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — not the Department of Environmental Protection — is constitutionally responsible for wildlife-related issues.

The decision blocked a prohibition in the law on non-Florida residents and non-U.S. citizens collecting and delivering petitions.

Escambia County has been a battleground in recent years as school districts in various parts of Florida have removed or restricted access to books.

In addition to appealing to the 11th U.S. Circuit, Florida has asked the U.S. Supreme Court for a stay of the ruling. If granted, enforcement of the law could proceed while the underlying legal battle plays out.

Florida teachers must use pronouns that align with sex assigned at birth, and the court ruled that teacher Katie Wood “cannot show ... she was speaking as a private citizen rather than a government employee.”

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has yet to decide on a Florida law and regulations that Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Legislature made a priority in 2023 as judges were waiting on the high court to decide this case.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week directed attorneys for the state and the federal government to file briefs about whether the case is moot.

Attorney General James Uthmeier’s office on Tuesday asked for a rehearing by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after a three-judge panel last month upheld a preliminary injunction blocking the law.

The lawsuit, filed in 2022 in Tallahassee, alleges that the state does not provide “just compensation,” such as interest, to owners who ultimately claim property.

The law, dubbed by sponsors the “Protection of Children” bill, sought to prevent venues from admitting children to adult live performances.

The case stemmed from a 2015 game at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium where the FHSAA blocked Cambridge Christian from praying over the public address system.

The denial means the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapy for children with gender dysphoria will remain restricted while the federal appeals court considers an underlying case.