Last Call for 10.2.25 – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida

Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.

First Shot

State lawmakers will begin a fact-finding mission next week to determine how insurers use artificial intelligence, potentially renewing efforts that stalled last Session amid scrutiny of algorithms in claim decisions, pricing and consumer services.

The House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee, chaired by New Port Richey Republican Rep. Brad Yeager, has scheduled a Tuesday panel on the industry’s current and future uses of AI.^[1][2]

No bills are listed on the 12:30 p.m. meeting’s agenda.^[3]

Yeager told Florida Politics the purpose of the meeting is to gather testimony ahead of the 2026 Session.

“It’s just education. We know AI is here. It’s on the rise in all facets of business and life, and we need to learn more about it,” he said.

“Some people hear ‘AI’ and it scares them to death. Others are early adopters and probably use it before it’s really ready to be used for something. We want to get more information about it, give the Committee a time to ask and answer questions and dive into what AI is and what it really means in this application.”

The hearing follows proposals that failed this Spring that would have curbed automated claim denials. A pair of Senate bills (SB 1740, SB 794) would have required a “qualified human professional” to make or sign off on any denial decision and bar AI, machine-learning or automated systems from serving as the sole basis to deny a claim.^[4][5]

Those measures, sponsored respectively by former Sen. Blaise Ingoglia — now the state’s CFO — and Fleming Island Republican Sen. Jennifer Bradley, cleared their initial Committee stops but died in the appropriations process. House companions (HB 1433, HB 1555) by Republican Reps. Yvette Bennaroch of Marco Island and Hillary Cassel of Dania Beach fared no better. ^[6][7]

Read more on Florida Politics.^[8]

Evening Reads

—”Senior government officials privately warn against firings during shutdown” via Emily Davies and Hannah Natanson of The Washington Post^[9]

—”Most voters think America’s divisions cannot be overcome, poll says” via Jeremy W. Peters and Ruth Igielnik of The New York Times^[10]

—”The real reason Democrats forced a government shutdown” via Eric Levitz of Vox^[11]

—”Donald Trump’s budget chief, slayer of big government, moves quickly in shutdown” via Scott Patterson, Olivia Beavers and Siobhan Hughes of The Wall Street Journal^[12]

—“China rolls out its first talent visa as the U.S. retreats on H-1Bs” via Louise Matsakis of WIRED^[13]

—“What happened to Jay Collins’ big campaign launch?” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics^[14]

—”Byron Donalds’ war chest grows to more than $31M” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics^[15]

—”Sweeping new Florida law targets using AI to ‘nudify’ people in photographs” via Maria Avlonitis of Fresh Take Florida^[16]

—”Florida leads 15 states in asking Pam Bondi to support executing child rapists” via Livia Caputo of the Florida Phoenix^[17]

—”114,650 voters in Palm Beach County may go without representation in 2026 Legislative Session” via Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel^[18]

Quote of the Day

 “Not trying to start anything here, but honestly … who exactly is Bad Bunny?”

— Casey DeSantis on X showing how to lose the Puerto Rican vote in five words.

Put it on the Tab

Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.

With $9.2 million in Q3 and $31.5 million overall, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds is enjoying a Front Runner.^[19][20]

Lt. Gov. Jay Collins’ rumored campaign launch date has come and gone, just like once-trendy Vaportini. ^[21][22]

Serve the folks at FloridaCommerce and the Small Business Development Center a Country Life as they embark on the Rural Business Resource Tour.^[23][24]

Breakthrough Insights

Tune In

Seminoles host Hurricanes in game with playoff implications

Miami and Florida State meet in football for the 70th time as the Seminoles host the Hurricanes at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

Miami comes into the game ranked third in the most recent Associated Press Top 25 poll. The Hurricanes have opened the season with wins over Notre Dame, Bethune-Cookman, USF, and Florida. Saturday’s game is the first road game of the year for the Hurricanes, who will not play outside of the State of Florida until November.

Miami (4-0) is quarterbacked by former Georgia Bulldog Carson Beck, who has thrown seven touchdowns and three interceptions this season. 

Florida State (3-1) is ranked #18 this week after losing in double overtime at Virginia last week, 46-38. Had FSU won, Saturday’s game would likely have been the first meeting between the programs when both were ranked in the top 10 since 2013. Instead, it is the 27th time in the series that both teams are ranked when they meet. 

The Seminoles opened the season with three consecutive victories, upsetting Alabama, then beating East Texas A&M and Kent State before the loss to Virginia.

If Miami wins, the Hurricanes will likely be favored to win the rest of their games on the schedule, which would secure a spot in the College Football Playoff for the Hurricanes. 

If Florida State wins, it will also be in good shape to make a run to the playoffs, so the stakes are high in the rivalry game.

The game is a sellout with over 67,000 fans expected to attend. Miami leads the all-time series 36-33.

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Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson, with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.