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The Point, Dec. 16, 2022: Gainesville commissioners pass new ordinance changing steps for criminal background checks

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The stories near you

• WUFT News: Gainesville becomes first city in Florida to apply ‘fair chance hiring’ to private employers. "Gainesville became the first city in Florida to pass a fair chance hiring ordinance that applies to private employers. Cheers followed the city commission’s unanimous final vote at Thursday’s meeting. The ordinance prevents potential employers – only those with 15 employees or more – from running a criminal background check on a candidate until after making a conditional offer of employment."

• Mainstreet Daily News: ACPS appears before state over LGBTQ policies. "In mid November, the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) Senior Chancellor Jacob Oliva sent the 10 districts a letter informing them that their LGBTQ+ policies and procedures violated the state’s new Parents’ Bill of Rights legislation and State Board of Education Rule 6A-10.086, which addresses bathroom and locker room procedures."

• WUFT News: LGBT app gives queer-friendly businesses a national platform. "The Pride App was created as a way for individuals to find businesses that are either gay operated or owned or gay-friendly. Jonathon Pritchard, of Wildwood, is the creator of the Pride App, and he said he created the app to support LGBT and ally-backed businesses of all sizes. The app provides a platform where smaller businesses can be seen."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Ward selected to attend White House discussions. "Gainesville Mayor-elect Harvey Ward will join fellow municipal leaders on Friday at the White House.  The group of 13 will meet with the advisers from the Biden-Harris administration. "


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Around the state

• News Service of Florida: Here are 10 key issues Florida lawmakers addressed in an insurance overhaul. "Florida lawmakers this week held a special session and passed a 105-page bill aimed at stabilizing the state’s troubled property-insurance system. The bill (SB 2-A) deals with numerous issues, including lawsuits, the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and critical reinsurance coverage."

• Tampa Bay Times ($): Florida’s insurance commissioner quits amid state’s property insurance crisis. "As the state’s top insurance regulator, (David) Altmaier has presided over the state agency that approves industry rate filings, conducts investigations into insurers’ behavior and can declare insurers insolvent. An analyst who started at the agency in 2008, Altmaier rose through the ranks until he was named as commissioner by then-Gov. Rick Scott in 2016."

• Fresh Take Florida: Musk threatens legal action against Florida university student who tracks his private jet in real time. "Late Wednesday, Musk threatened legal action against Jack Sweeney – a student at the University of Central Florida – and 'organizations who supported harm to my family.' Musk said a stalker followed and blocked a car carrying his two-year-old son, 'Lil X,' in Los Angeles, thinking the occupant was him. The assailant climbed onto the hood, Musk tweeted."

• Florida Politics: Gov. DeSantis ‘ready to sign’ abortion ‘heartbeat bill.’ "Though DeSantis said Thursday he’s willing to 'sign great life legislation,' the heartbeat bill has been a live concept before in the Legislature, and DeSantis did not offer a total endorsement."

• Associated Press: Florida commuters will get toll relief in 2023 after DeSantis signs bill. "Florida commuters who use a transponder will receive toll rebates in 2023 under a bill signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday. The bill will credit commuters 50% of their tolls if their transponder is used at least 35 times during a month. DeSantis said it ensures Floridians, and not tourists, will benefit from the rebate program."

• WTSP-Tampa: 'It sounded like a freight train': St. Pete family distraught after tornado damages their home before Christmas. "A tornado tore through a neighborhood Thursday afternoon in St. Petersburg. Some people saw significant damage to their homes. Officials explained preliminary information indicates the damage was caused by an EF-1 tornado, according to the National Weather Service in Ruskin."

• WLRN-Miami: Surfside town manager, chief of police resign unexpectedly. "Surfside commissioners had a surprise during a regularly scheduled meeting this week: They learned that the town manager, Andy Hyatt, resigned earlier that day. Others have now followed suit. Surfside's former town manager didn’t give a reason for resigning in his letter to the commission on Dec. 13. Hyatt did ask for five months of severance pay and health insurance and money for unused vacation time."


From NPR News

• Politics: Congress votes to remove a bust of the Dred Scott decision's author from the Capitol

• World: Photos from the World Cup, as Argentina, France prepare to face off in the finals

• World: Russia launches new wave of air attacks across Ukraine

• Business: From states to federal agencies, TikTok faces bans on government-issued devices

• National: California plans to cut incentives for home solar, worrying environmentalists

• National: Law requires former research chimps to be retired at a federal sanctuary, court says
Ethan Magoc curated today's edition of The Point.

Contact WUFT News by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news @wuft.org