Ben Albritton

In a unanimous vote the Florida Senate’s Republican caucus has elected Ben Albritton as its President-designate for the 2024-2026 cycle. The move made it official for the 5th generation Florida citrus farmer from Hardee County.

Wauchula Republican Sen. Albritton said he expects to focus during the 2025 and 2026 legislative sessions on issues involving agriculture and the child-protective system.

They include reducing the amount of time people have to remove damaged boats from waterways and to provide uniform requirements for local governments about debris-removal contracts.

The amended version of the bill reduces — but does not eliminate — the care that residents must get from certified nursing assistants. Those nursing hours would drop from 2 1/2 to 2 hours a day.

Florida’s invasive species problem can be daunting, with real implications for the state’s ecology and economy. The breadth of the issue is spurring...