Congressional redistricting
(0:00) The Florida House met this week to discuss redrawing congressional districts.
Political boundaries are typically redrawn once a decade following the decennial U.S. Census. But President Donald Trump is pushing GOP-led states to redraw congressional districts to create more Republican seats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Guests:
- Douglas Soule, "Your Florida" state government team reporter.
- Patrick Rickert, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Rollins College.
AI regulation
(24:00) This week, Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled his "Bill of Rights for Artificial Intelligence."
Several Florida House committees will hold hearings next week to discuss the use of AI in various industries, including by the state government.
Guest:
- Sonja Schmer-Galunder, Professor in AI and Ethics at the University of Florida's Department of Computer & Information Science & Engineering (CISE).
Weekly news briefing
(37:38) Four proposed constitutional amendments aimed at reducing property taxes for homeowners moved forward this week in the Florida House. Though there are concerns about how these changes might impact funding for local services.
Environmentalists are worried manatee protections will be eroded if the Trump administration's proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act are approved.
Florida's historic Peace River stretches 10 miles from Legoland in Winter Haven to Charlotte Harbor on the Gulf. There are still some wild Old Florida places along the Peace River even as it also bears the scars of a century and a half of exploitation.
Volunteers are gearing up to help with the National Audubon Society's annual Christmas bird count.
The red-and-black hurricane warning flags in Key West went up in flames last weekend to mark the official end of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.
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