MORE DETAILS ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION MOVES — DeSantis said he wants the Legislature to give more money to local governments “in the tens of millions” of dollars, and that he wants local officials to be able to take on more functions that are typically reserved for federal immigration officials, reports POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. He indicated he had insight into Trump’s executive orders and would try to tailor Florida’s policies accordingly, and he wanted more power to punish local officials who don’t comply by suspending them. — On the chopping block: “Florida appears poised to scrap a longstanding tuition discount at state colleges and universities offered to undocumented immigrants, as DeSantis signaled Monday that he wants the state Legislature to quickly dissolve the policy,” reports POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury. “GOP lawmakers, particularly in the state Senate, have already supported the idea, but now it could come to fruition as soon as this month after DeSantis said he would call for a special legislative session to address immigration coinciding with the incoming Trump administration.” Trump transition spokesperson KAROLINE LEAVITT said in response that Trump would “enlist every federal power and coordinate with state authorities to institute the largest deportation operation of illegal criminals, drug dealers, and human traffickers in American history.” “The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin giving him a mandate to implement these policies,” she added, “and he will deliver.” DRILLING PUSH — American Petroleum Institute President and CEO MIKE SOMMERS said on Monday he hopes Trump will lift a moratorium on oil drilling off Florida's coast when he takes office. The industry trade group executive told reporters that the oil industry wants Trump to lift a ban imposed on offshore drilling waters that President JOE BIDEN announced earlier this month. In 2020, Trump himself extended a drilling ban off Florida and the Carolinas until 2032, with bipartisan support that included DeSantis. "We would be hopeful that he would lift that moratorium himself," Sommers said of the incoming president. "We think he has the authority to do so." Trump has vowed to lift the new drilling ban that Biden imposed, but hasn't addressed drilling off Florida or the moratorium that he signed. Sommers called the Biden announcement "short sighted" because it doesn't take into consideration the nation's future energy needs. "And there is a big difference between a moratorium to a date certain and taking them off in perpetuity," Sommers said. "So, we are hopeful that President Trump reverses this on Day One and will work with the administration to effectuate that change." HUNTER MILLER, the field campaign manager for the environmental group Oceana, said in response that drilling remains a threat to tourism and the environment, along with military training in the Gulf of Mexico, which some conservatives cite as a reason for opposing drilling in the region. "It's not a surprise the American Petroleum Institute would seek to undo these protections, but what they are going to find is the opposition to undoing those protections will be fierce," Miller said. The Trump transition team didn't respond to a request for comment on Sommers' asks. — Bruce Ritchie MULLING ONSHORE OIL — “Florida regulators are poised to grant a permit for a Louisiana-based company to drill an exploratory well in the Panhandle, raising the hackles of environmentalists who say oil production in the area could threaten the region’s fishing and oyster industries and ruin an environmentally sensitive area,” reports Shelby Webb of POLITICO’s E&E News. “Observers say a drilling boom is not on the way in Florida, with attempts to drill exploratory wells after the 1970s and 1980s often drawing bipartisan condemnation. Despite Trump’s pledges to open federal lands and more offshore waters to drilling — and Florida’s widespread support for him — oil and gas production mostly remains a nonstarter in the Sunshine State.” TODAY — “The Florida House of Representatives' Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee will be taking a field trip to the City of Tallahassee's electric utility facilities,” reports Elena Barrera of the Tallahassee Democrat. “The panel scheduled a site visit Tuesday morning at the city's utility control center and substation located off of Centerville Road and Medical Drive.” — “755,000 kids didn’t have enough food during past two summers, report finds,” by Jackie Llanos of the Florida Phoenix. — “Florida Supreme Court to hear appeal of Broward felon who was accused of ineligible voting,” by Jim Saunders of the News Service of Florida.
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