Republican State Sen. Randy Fine has sponsored a bill that would reverse a law that provides in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants, and State Attorney Andrew Bain says he will assist incoming State Attorney Monique Worrell in the transfer of power.
New proposal puts in-state tuition waiver for undocumented immigrants on chopping block
A proposal in the Florida Senate is threatening to revoke in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants.
The proposal (Senate Bill 90) would reverse a decade-old law allowing in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants that meet certain criteria.
“I don’t think its fair to ask hardworking Floridians who are struggling to make ends meet to spend $45 million subsidizing the education of people shouldn’t even be here,” said the bill's sponsor, Melbourne Republican State Sen. Randy Fine.
Florida is home to roughly 40,000 undocumented students, according to the American Immigration Council. At least 25 states, meanwhile, utilize various tuition equity laws, which support undocumented students through via tuition relief.
“For my four years in the House, we had many students that come up and share their stories about how beneficial this has been to them and to their families,” said Kissimmee Democratic State Sen. Kristen Arrington. “So definitely not in support of it, and I, of course, we’ll be fighting it.”
Florida approved the tuition benefit in 2014 under then Gov. Rick Scott. Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, who was then a member of the Florida House, helped spearhead the benefit.
Fine’s proposal is one of several focused on immigration that are expected to emerge ahead of the 2025 Legislative Session, which kicks off in March.
Lara Trump steps down as RNC co-chair, addresses speculation about Florida Senate seat
Lara Trump will step down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee as she considers a number of potential options with her father-in-law, President-elect Donald Trump, set to return to the White House.
Among those possibilities is replacing Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of state. If Rubio is confirmed, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will choose who takes the seat through the remainder of Rubio's term, which expires in 2026.
"It is something I would seriously consider," Lara Trump told The Associated Press. "If I'm being completely transparent, I don't know exactly what that would look like. And I certainly want to get all of the information possible if that is something that's real for me. But yeah, I would 100% consider it."
Elected as RNC co-chair in March, Lara Trump was a key player in the Republicans retaking the White House and control of the Senate while maintaining a narrow House majority. What she does next could shape Republican politics, given her elevated political profile and her ties to the incoming president.
The idea of placing a Trump family member in the Senate has been lauded in some Republican circles. Among the people pushing for her to replace Rubio is Maye Musk, mother of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
"The Senate is an old man's club. We desperately need a smart, young, outspoken woman who will reveal their secrets," she posted on X. Lara Trump is 42.
Elon Musk, who was with Lara Trump on election night at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, responded to his mother's post: "Lara Trump is genuinely great."
Led by chairman Michael Whatley and Lara Trump, the RNC invested heavily in recruiting roughly 230,000 volunteers and an army of lawyers for what it called its "election integrity" effort, four years after Donald Trump lost his reelection bid to Democrat Joe Biden, citing false or unproven theories about voter fraud. Outside groups such as Turning Point Action and Musk's America PAC took a greater responsibility for advertising and get-out-the-vote efforts.
While Whatley will remain RNC chairman, Lara Trump said she felt she had accomplished her goals in the co-chair role.
"With that big win, I kind of feel like my time is up," she said. "What I intended to do has been done."
Lara Trump also says she expects the Republican Party to be more unified than it has ever been. When she became co-chair in May, the Trump campaign and the RNC merged, with staffers fired and positions restructured. She said the result could spell trouble for GOP lawmakers who do not agree with Trump's agenda.
"The whole party has totally shifted and totally changed," she said. "I think people are feeling a little more bold in coming out with their political views."
State Attorney Bain says he will assist Worrell in transfer of power
Orange-Osceola State Attorney Andrew Bain appeared to do an about-face Monday after reaction to an internal email titled "The Future is Uncertain" said he couldn't help in a transfer of power after losing the election to Monique Worrell.
In that internal email, Bain wrote that he accepts the results of the election, but citing state statutes, said he did “not yet feel I can assist her in that transition” because Worrell is still suspended.
After that email began circulating, Worrell released a statement saying in part:
“Today, I am disheartened but not surprised to learn that Andrew Bain is refusing to facilitate the peaceful transition of his appointed administration. This refusal is not only a betrayal of democratic principles, but also a stark reminder of the lengths to which some will go to cling to power.”
Following Worrell’s response, Bain released an official statement saying he would be willing to help with a smooth transfer of power.
“On Monday, State Attorney Andrew Bain sent an email to staff regarding the future of the State Attorney’s Office for the Ninth Judicial Circuit," the statement said. "We have received several questions regarding the email and are providing the following statement in response to those questions.
"The state attorney is ready and willing to ensure a smooth transition. The state attorney’s term ends Jan. 6, 2025, and he will no longer be in office. Ms. Worrell’s term will begin Jan. 7, 2025. It is the intent of the state attorney to enforce the will of the people.”
In August 2023, Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Worrell for what he described as failing to “faithfully prosecute crime.”
The suspension went to the Florida Supreme Court in Tallahassee and, ultimately, her suspension stuck.
That did not prevent Worrell from running again for office, though, and winning.