McKenna Schueler

1 week ago | orlandoweekly.com | McKenna Schueler

After Florida’s restrictive abortion law took effect last May, banning most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, the state saw a dramatic decline in abortions, despite a slight increase nationally. According to a new report from the Guttmacher Institute, Florida saw the largest drop in abortions provided of any state last year, as a former regional hub for abortion access in the South.

1 week ago | orlandoweekly.com | McKenna Schueler

In an effort to offset funding cuts sweeping the federal government under the Trump administration, the LGBT+ Center in Orlando — a health and social service nonprofit — has relaunched a fundraising campaign to help keep their doors open. The Center, which first opened back in 1978, serves as an important resource hub for LGBTQ+ individuals in the Orlando area.

1 week ago | cltampa.com | McKenna Schueler

By McKenna Schueler on Tue, Apr 15, 2025 at 11:51 am A Republican-dominated panel of Florida lawmakers advanced a bill last week that would ban government-funded guaranteed income programs, despite the fact that no such program actually exists in Florida. The bill (HB 1193) was advanced in a 11-4 vote by the House Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee, along party lines, with bill sponsor Rep.

1 week ago | orlandoweekly.com | Jim Turner |McKenna Schueler

As the Florida House and Senate prepare to formally negotiate a budget, their proposals are sprinkled with spending on local projects and programs — and potential line-item veto targets for Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Senate’s $117.36 billion budget plan (SB 2500) includes nearly $1.27 billion tied to about 1,140 projects that individual senators proposed for such things as local parks, schools, emergency management, roads, museums and cultural groups.

2 weeks ago | orlandoweekly.com | McKenna Schueler

A bill that largely remained off the radar during the first half of Florida’s 60-day legislative session is now garnering strong opposition from labor advocates for its bid to repeal certain worker protections for day laborers and temp workers, including those who take on temporary positions in construction work, transportation, janitorial work, and other industries with a low bar to entry.