TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida’s top Republican leaders say they are willing to change state law to smooth the way for Gov. Ron DeSantis to run for president in 2024.

Both House Speaker Paul Renner (R-Palm Coast) and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo (R-Naples), both of whom were sworn into their new posts on Tuesday, agreed it would be a “good idea” to make it clear that DeSantis would not have to resign if he wound up becoming the GOP nominee.

DeSantis was reelected to a second four-year term earlier this month after he defeated his Democratic rival by roughly 20 points.

“If an individual who is Florida governor is running for president, I think he should be allowed to do it,” Passidomo told reporters. “I really do. That’s a big honor and a privilege, so it is a good idea.”

Florida law requires anyone running for a new office to put in an irrevocable letter of resignation ahead of qualifying if the terms of the two offices overlap. The law was changed in 2008 to open the door for then-Gov. Charlie Crist to seek the vice presidency, but legislators reversed course four years ago and put back in a place a requirement that someone seeking federal office would have to resign ahead of the actual election.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida’s top Republican leaders say they are willing to change state law to smooth the way for Gov. Ron DeSantis to run for president in 2024.

Both House Speaker Paul Renner (R-Palm Coast) and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo (R-Naples), both of whom were sworn into their new posts on Tuesday, agreed it would be a “good idea” to make it clear that DeSantis would not have to resign if he wound up becoming the GOP nominee.

DeSantis was reelected to a second four-year term earlier this month after he defeated his Democratic rival by roughly 20 points.

“If an individual who is Florida governor is running for president, I think he should be allowed to do it,” Passidomo told reporters. “I really do. That’s a big honor and a privilege, so it is a good idea.”

Florida law requires anyone running for a new office to put in an irrevocable letter of resignation ahead of qualifying if the terms of the two offices overlap. The law was changed in 2008 to open the door for then-Gov. Charlie Crist to seek the vice presidency, but legislators reversed course four years ago and put back in a place a requirement that someone seeking federal office would have to resign ahead of the actual election.

Bill filing is underway in the Texas Legislature ahead of the 88th session, and some lawmakers are laying the groundwork for their priorities while others take aim at Austin.

Two anti-Austin bills are in the pipeline, the most fractious coming in a long-shot proposal from state Rep. Jared Patterson, R-Frisco, to abolish the capital city and fold it into a planned district under the lieutenant governor's and House speaker's authority. A similar bill came up last session and died.

The second bill, from state Rep.-elect Ellen Troxclair, R-Lakeway, who once represented Southwest Austin on the City Council, would prohibit cities from giving out taxpayer money to struggling residents under a program, already underway as a pilot in Austin, known as guaranteed income. In Austin, 85 families are getting $1,000 a month for a year to spend as they please. The program, which has not yet been reviewed for long-term viability, costs taxpayers $1 million.

By bringing forward the legislation, Troxclair, elected in House District 19 this month, is making good on a campaign promise to end Austin's money handout.

"Getting a job is what lifts people out of poverty, and I think the misuse of taxpayer money is causing insult to injury to Austinites struggling to make ends meet," Troxclair said.

Bill filing is underway in the Texas Legislature ahead of the 88th session, and some lawmakers are laying the groundwork for their priorities while others take aim at Austin.

Two anti-Austin bills are in the pipeline, the most fractious coming in a long-shot proposal from state Rep. Jared Patterson, R-Frisco, to abolish the capital city and fold it into a planned district under the lieutenant governor's and House speaker's authority. A similar bill came up last session and died.

The second bill, from state Rep.-elect Ellen Troxclair, R-Lakeway, who once represented Southwest Austin on the City Council, would prohibit cities from giving out taxpayer money to struggling residents under a program, already underway as a pilot in Austin, known as guaranteed income. In Austin, 85 families are getting $1,000 a month for a year to spend as they please. The program, which has not yet been reviewed for long-term viability, costs taxpayers $1 million.

By bringing forward the legislation, Troxclair, elected in House District 19 this month, is making good on a campaign promise to end Austin's money handout.

"Getting a job is what lifts people out of poverty, and I think the misuse of taxpayer money is causing insult to injury to Austinites struggling to make ends meet," Troxclair said.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced Monday she is pardoning an estimated 45,000 people convicted of simple possession of marijuana, a month after President Joe Biden did the same under federal law.

“No one deserves to be forever saddled with the impacts of a conviction for simple possession of marijuana — a crime that is no longer on the books in Oregon,” said Brown, who is also forgiving more than $14 million in unpaid fines and fees.

Biden has been calling on governors to issue pardons for those convicted of state marijuana offenses, which reflect the vast majority of marijuana possession cases. Biden's pardon applies to those convicted under federal law and thousands convicted in the District of Columbia.

In recent months, the governors of Colorado, Nevada, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Washington state have taken steps to grant pardons to those with low-level marijuana convictions, according to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced Monday she is pardoning an estimated 45,000 people convicted of simple possession of marijuana, a month after President Joe Biden did the same under federal law.

“No one deserves to be forever saddled with the impacts of a conviction for simple possession of marijuana — a crime that is no longer on the books in Oregon,” said Brown, who is also forgiving more than $14 million in unpaid fines and fees.

Biden has been calling on governors to issue pardons for those convicted of state marijuana offenses, which reflect the vast majority of marijuana possession cases. Biden's pardon applies to those convicted under federal law and thousands convicted in the District of Columbia.

In recent months, the governors of Colorado, Nevada, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Washington state have taken steps to grant pardons to those with low-level marijuana convictions, according to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML.

Missouri’s voters’ ability to enact laws on their own is under threat.

State Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin, a Republican from Shelbina, was recently picked as the party’s majority leader for 2023. In an interview with St. Louis Public Radio, she expressed frustration with ballot-based constitutional amendments such as the just-passed recreational marijuana proposal.

“The biggest downside of that is the legislature has no ability then to adjust anything,” she said. “Once it’s in the (state) constitution, it’s in there. And so I think that we’ll look at some reforms for the initiative petition process.”

Other Republicans have voter initiative rights in their sight. The marijuana proposal “is absolutely terrible language to insert into our state constitution and a clear example of why we need (to) raise the signature and approval thresholds for initiative petitions,” state Rep. Josh Hurlbert tweeted in October.

It’s true: Putting the marijuana language in the state’s governing blueprint was not the optimum approach. But let’s be clear. It ended up on the ballot because the legislature, as is so often the case, refused to do its job. The people were left with no real alternative except to do it for themselves.

Missouri’s voters’ ability to enact laws on their own is under threat.

State Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin, a Republican from Shelbina, was recently picked as the party’s majority leader for 2023. In an interview with St. Louis Public Radio, she expressed frustration with ballot-based constitutional amendments such as the just-passed recreational marijuana proposal.

“The biggest downside of that is the legislature has no ability then to adjust anything,” she said. “Once it’s in the (state) constitution, it’s in there. And so I think that we’ll look at some reforms for the initiative petition process.”

Other Republicans have voter initiative rights in their sight. The marijuana proposal “is absolutely terrible language to insert into our state constitution and a clear example of why we need (to) raise the signature and approval thresholds for initiative petitions,” state Rep. Josh Hurlbert tweeted in October.

It’s true: Putting the marijuana language in the state’s governing blueprint was not the optimum approach. But let’s be clear. It ended up on the ballot because the legislature, as is so often the case, refused to do its job. The people were left with no real alternative except to do it for themselves.

Sounding more and more like a future presidential candidate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis arrogantly boasted to a group of Republicans that people are willing to “walk barefoot over broken glass” to vote for him because he’s such a superlative leader.

DeSantis — flush from a strong reelection win and midterm victories that swept the state — loudly blew his own horn Saturday night in an appearance before a leadership meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas.

He also presented himself and his state as a model for the party — and nation — in what sounded very much like a dry-run of a national campaign speech. “Florida really has a blueprint for success ... we’re all about exercising leadership and delivering results for the people that we represent,” he said.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon gun rights group and a county sheriff have filed a federal lawsuit challenging a voter-approved ballot measure that is one of the strictest gun control laws in the nation.

The Oregon Firearms Federation and Sherman County Sheriff Brad Lohrey filed the lawsuit Friday in U.S. District Court contending the measure scheduled to take effect Dec. 8 is unconstitutional because it violates the Second Amendment right to “keep and bear arms.”

The lawsuit seeks to prevent the measure from taking effect.