With students back in class, educators are looking for regulations on how college students use artificial intelligence while health officials have suggested a reduction in vaccines required to attend schools.

Meanwhile, the saga of the diversion of Medicaid settlement money into political committees in 2024 that supported Gov. Ron DeSantis’ agenda booked another chapter this week with the leak of a grand jury report that found no one to hold responsible for misappropriating $10 million.

VACCINES

The state is now in a 21-day public comment period on the Department of Health’s proposal to remove Hepatitis B, varicella (chicken pox), Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines from entry requirements for PreK-12 public schools.

American Academy of Pediatrics President Dr. Susan Kressly said the move will put children at risk of getting sick.

“The AAP believes every family should have access to immunizations to keep their community healthy,” Kressly said in a statement. “Schools are an important part of that community. For many kids, the best part of school is being with friends — sharing space, playing on the playground and trading germs. Close contact makes it easy for contagious diseases to spread quickly.”

Florida’s moves come as the White House has moved to reduce and space out recommended childhood vaccines, which most pediatricians have also decried as dangerous.

The proposed state agency rule expands religious vaccine exemptions to include moral and ethical beliefs and lets parents and college students opt out of having their records included in the state vaccine database.

Florida currently allows religious exemptions “if immunizations are in conflict with the religious tenets and practices of the child’s parent or guardian,” according to DOH.

The rule change has been in play for almost a year after Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced his intent to eliminate all vaccine mandates in the state. Last month, Attorney General James Uthmeier warned private Catholic schools that they must allow religious exemptions from vaccine requirements or risk disqualification from scholarships and vouchers.

Meanwhile, the state’s childhood vaccination rate for kindergartners is already at 88 percent, well below the 95 percent threshold of herd immunity that prevents communicable diseases from spreading.

AI PAPERS

Education Commissioner Henry Mack approved a rule Monday that calls for all 28 institutions in the Florida College System to outline AI policies for students, staff and guests on campus, covering academic integrity and dishonesty, course assignments and grading.

“The purpose of this rule is to require Florida College System institutions to adopt policies that provide for the use and limitations of use of artificial intelligence tools in order to ensure quality of education for students, efficiency of operations, and a safe learning environment for the whole college community,” the proposed rule states.

The Department of Education is already directing all K-12 school districts to incorporate rules regarding AI in their internet safety guidelines as well.

The State Board of Education will consider the issue at its next meeting on Sept. 16 at Polk State College in Winter Haven.

REVIVING HOPE

Democrats on Thursday called for more investigations and resignations of top state officials after a leaked state grand jury report found Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration “misappropriated” Medicaid money in 2024 that ended up in political committees.

But since the grand jury did not find enough probable cause to pursue criminal charges against anyone, DeSantis, Attorney General James Uthmeier and U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Tampa, responded to the grand jury findings as a “misrepresentation” of facts, a “hoax,” and an effort to “smear people.”

“As we’ve said from the beginning, this has been a politically motivated witch hunt driven by the Democrats and a far-left Democrat state attorney in Tallahassee,” Uthmeier said during an event in The Villages.

The report, though, shows that “allegations of fraud and abuse” made by Rep. Alex Andrade, a Pensacola Republican who led the House probe in the matter in 2025, led to the grand jury proceedings.

On Wednesday, CBS Miami obtained and published the Leon County grand jury report that found $10 million from a total $67 million settlement in 2024 between Florida and Centene Corp., a vendor for the state’s Medicaid program, was sent to the Hope Florida Foundation, the charity arm of an initiative helmed by First Lady Casey DeSantis. The money was then split equally between two nonprofit groups — Secure Florida’s Future and Save Our Society From Drugs.

From there, the money flowed to political committees opposing two measures on the November 2024 ballot. One would’ve installed a right to an abortion in the state constitution, the other would’ve legalized recreational marijuana. Both measures failed to get the 60 percent support required to pass.

David Jolly, a former Republican U.S. representative who is now the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, said if elected he’d support renewing the investigation.

The Florida Senate Democratic Caucus issued a statement Thursday calling for the resignations of Uthmeier and Moody. The Democrats pointed to the grand jury report finding Uthmeier “was in a position of authority over those involved in settling with Centene” and Moody, then Florida’s Attorney General, for having authorized her deputy to sign the settlement agreement.

CAMPAIGNING BY ASSOCIATION

Rounding out the major party tickets, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, the Republican nominee for governor, tapped state Sen. Bryan Avila of Miami Springs as his running mate.

Avila, 42, has been in the state Legislature since 2014, is a captain in the Florida National Guard and serves as dean of the School of Criminal Justice at Doral College, a private school that opened in 2012.

“My parents fled communist Cuba and left behind their home and their business because they knew what happens when government takes over, when freedom despairs and when socialism turns an opportunity into misery,” Avila said.

In a sign of the campaign to come, Donalds contrasted Avila’s background with Democratic U.S. Senate candidate state Rep. Angie Nixon, a Jacksonville bookstore operator whose affiliations include being a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.

The Democratic gubernatorial nominee, former U.S. Rep. David Jolly, and former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, whom he picked as his running mate have both rejected the “socialist” label.

Jolly hinted he’ll highlight Donalds’ connection with President Donald Trump during the next 70 days before the general election Nov. 3.

“I congratulate former State Sen. Bryan Avila on his selection as the Republican Lieutenant Governor nominee. I wish him well,” Jolly posted on X. “But, let’s be honest: this race won’t come down to Byron Donalds’ relationship with Avila, it will come down to Byron’s relationship with Donald Trump.”

STORY OF THE WEEK:

CBS Miami publishes the grand jury report involving the divergence of $10 million in Medicaid settlement money for political purposes. The report was finished in January but had been kept hidden from the public.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“The only crime that was apparent was with whoever leaked the grand jury report.” — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday in Lake City while responding to questions on the grand jury report into money from a Medicaid settlement going to political committees.

by Jim, Turner, The News Service of Florida