The 2023 legislative session in Tallahassee began March 7.

With bills and joint resolutions making their way through the state House and Senate, State Rep. Dr. Joel Rudman (R- Navarre) spoke with Crestview News Bulletin on his first go round as a representative, how his bills are doing and what people can expect from the rest of this year’s session.

If you were asking most people about distracted driving, they may tell you about texting while driving, eating while driving, or about the distractions from passengers.

Recently, people have been talking about a different kind of passenger, thanks in part to a proposed Florida Senate bill that caught headlines around Florida and the nation.

At the District One Medical Examiner Services (DOMES) board’s meeting in December, legislative funding for a new facility was a big topic of concern. Dan Schebler, director of operations for DOMES, proposed taking the interlocal agreement the counties had put to the wayside and bringing it forward to Northwest Florida’s legislators with a $3 million buy-in from each county as had been discussed in July 2022. Over the past couple of months since that meeting, the DOMES board has met monthly to try and hammer out a plan for the upcoming legislative session, which is set to begin March 7. The legislative session is important as DOMES is looking for matching state funding for a proposed facility in Santa Rosa County.

A commander with Hurlburt Field’s 1st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron has been demoted after being arrested Feb. 18 in Shalimar. Collin Charlie Christopherson, 37, of Niceville, is charged with driving under the influence (DUI), hit and run and a moving traffic violation for reckless driving resulting in damage to property or a person. The Shalimar Police Department responded to the incident involving Christopherson and made the arrest.

The more than 25,000 Floridians with recreational crab traps will soon have to make some changes. A new Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission regulation, which went into effect March 1, requires crab traps to have a rigid opening no larger than six-by-two inches. The purpose of this change is to help reduce the bycatch of diamondback terrapins in crab traps.

Even after five years as Bishop with the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Bishop William “Bill” Wack said he is just getting started. Over the past few years, Wack (pronounced wok) and the Diocese have had to deal with several issues which have taken away the church’s ability to map out the future.

With legislators already beginning to plan the 2023 legislative session, county and regional boards are looking to get cohesive plans together to ask for appropriations. The District One Medical Examiner’s Services (DOMES) is one of those boards.