State lawmakers this week kicked off the 2020 legislative session with an action-packed schedule that featured speeches from Republican leaders, early tension over high-profile issues and a key Florida Supreme Court ruling.

The proposed move to abandon the “Best and Brightest” bonus program is a first step by the Legislature in considering Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ambitious teacher-compensation plans, which include a new $300 million bonus program.

The state is now “awaiting official notification of the Memorandum of Agreement from ICE,” the Florida Department of Corrections confirmed to The News Service of Florida on Friday.

The proposal is an initial step as lawmakers prepare to negotiate a 2020-2021 budget during the legislative session that starts Jan. 14.

Rep. Chris Latvala, a Clearwater Republican who chairs the House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee, said his panel has been asked by House leaders to find about $500 million in potential cuts as part of a broader budget exercise. But that exercise also could help determine if a teacher-pay package would be viable.

Gov. Ron DeSantis used his line-item veto power to slash more than $131 million in proposed spending Friday as he signed a record $90.98 billion budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Calling the package “fiscally responsible,” the freshman governor praised lawmakers for exceeding his request for spending …

A month after learning Russian hackers breached elections systems in two Florida counties in 2016, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday said his administration is focused on identifying “any vulnerabilities” ahead of next year’s elections. The Republican governor announced he is redistributing $2.3 million in election-security money that went unspent by …