Jeff Brandes

This week on The Florida Roundup, we spoke with former state lawmaker Jeff Brandes about a bill he co-sponsored that alters the process for university presidential searches.

The Florida Policy Project released two reports outlining ways for state lawmakers to improve the criminal justice system. They include recommendations to help people re-enter society after prison and reduce recidivism rates.

Housing affordability in Florida is a struggle for a lot of people. A new report from the Florida Policy Project offers potential solutions to those challenges.

State lawmakers will meet to pass more legislation aimed at fixing the troubled property insurance market, which took another blow after Hurricane Ian destroyed thousands of homes.

Opponents argue abolishing the body would mean Floridians would have less say over the document that governs their state, but supporters say keeping the commission in place limits voters’ voices.

The fate of the Constitutional Revision Commission, which can make changes to the Florida Constitution without a public vote, could be decided during the Nov. 8 statewide general election.

Voters will decide on three constitutional amendments, including two that would provide property-tax breaks and a third that will decide on the future of the Constitution Revision Commission.

Ten Florida men with felony convictions have been charged with voter fraud because prosecutors say they registered and voted illegally. Critics say the punishments are unfair.

Bill sponsor Jim Boyd acknowledged the bill likely will not lead to immediate rate cuts for homeowners.

Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, compared conditions in the industry to having “Stage 4 cancer and failing” but that the proposals were like treating “Stage 1 cancer.”

Activists are set to rally outside the Capitol to oppose the plan, which some Black Democrats are calling a “racist tactic.”

DeSantis indicated the insurance session, which he is targeting for May, would try to “bring some sanity and stabilize and have a functioning market.”