Elizabeth Koh

Elizabeth Koh is a staff writer in the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee bureau, covering the Florida Legislature and state government. A Brown University graduate, she has also reported for the Washington Post and the Dallas Morning News' Washington, D.C. bureau.

Florida’s hurricane sales tax free holiday starts May 31. Here’s what items qualify.

For those who need to stock up on disaster supplies like a generator, batteries or tarps, the 2019 tax “holiday” extends from May 31 to midnight June 6.

By Elizabeth Koh May 10

Lawmakers approved back-to-school tax holiday. What can you buy?

But it doesn’t start until the first weekend in August.

By Elizabeth Koh May 7

Florida Legislature 2019: What passed and what failed

Lawmakers passed about 10 percent of 1,861 bills that were filed.

By Samantha J. Gross, Elizabeth Koh, Emily L. Mahoney, Kathleen McGrory, Lawrence Mower, Jeffrey S. Solochek and Langston Taylor May 6

Here’s how Florida Republican lawmakers got their way in 2019

A more active governor, a more conservative Supreme Court and transactional new leaders in the House and Senate led to a wave of successes. Oh, and where were the Democrats?

By Lawrence Mower, Samantha J. Gross, Elizabeth Koh and Emily L. Mahoney May 4

Lawmakers vote to limit Florida’s local affordable housing rules

HB 7103, which the state Senate passed by a 26-13 vote Friday morning, would allow zoning that can require developers set aside a certain percentage of units for residents with low incomes, but requires that any associated costs to the developer be fully offset by incentives like bonuses or waived fees.

By Elizabeth Koh and Joey Flechas May 3

Lawmakers allow needle exchanges across Florida

Advocates across the state, from Orlando to Tampa Bay to Palm Beach are already taking strides toward creating their own exchanges once the law goes into effect.

By Elizabeth Koh and Joey Flechas May 2

Pre-existing conditions coverage weakens in bill passed for post-Obamacare Florida

The bill requires insurers cover pre-existing conditions if the Affordable Care Act vanishes, but doesn’t have requirements that are in the current law to control prices and stop insurers from charging higher rates

By Elizabeth Koh May 2

‘Everybody is under attack.’ Protesters disrupt Florida House

About a dozen groups protested bills on topics from immigration to school vouchers to restoration of felons voting rights. They were removed from the chamber.

By Samantha J. Gross and Elizabeth Koh May 1

In mass shootings, lawmakers want to shield public from images of violence

Open-government advocates have criticized versions of the bill for being too restrictive, noting it might have barred video recordings from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting last year that helped more clearly document the actions of Broward sheriff’s deputies.

By Elizabeth Koh May 1

$91.1 billion: Florida lawmakers consider the budget

The budget wasn’t released until Wednesday afternoon, meaning lawmakers will have to stay past their Friday deadline.

By Lawrence Mower, Emily L. Mahoney, Elizabeth Koh and Samantha J. Gross May 1

Lawmakers approve measure to catch pediatric heart surgery problems

The proposal, which would let teams of physician experts inspect struggling programs such as Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, now goes to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

By Kathleen McGrory and Elizabeth Koh April 29

Healthcare deregulation measures passed by Florida Legislature

The votes, which advance parts of the healthcare agenda that has dominated House Speaker José Oliva’s priorities this session, also inch Gov. Ron DeSantis closer to a major win on the drug importation proposal he has pushed in the Florida Legislature.

By Elizabeth Koh April 29

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