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In this newsletter:
- The Word
- PBSO Youth Summit
- 3rd Annual Gopher Tortoise Gallop 5K
- AI Outlook
- Spotlight
- Gregg in the News
- Commish in the Community
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As we head into spring break, here’s the latest news from District 2, with updates on the drought, traffic and what’s cooking in Tallahassee.
Drought continues
Despite some downpours today, Palm Beach County is facing a serious drought, with rainfall running at just 38% of normal for the dry season, leaving the region parched heading into Spring. Lake Okeechobee, the region's critical backup water source, is sitting more than two feet below its historical average, and there's now a 40% chance it will drop low enough to trigger mandatory water restrictions as soon as April or May. The City of West Palm Beach has been unable to pump water since February 25th due to algae in its water supply, further straining reserves. Residents could soon be ordered to cut lawn watering from three days per week to two, while farmers in the Everglades Agricultural Area face potential supply cuts of 15–30%. Please do your part by restricting lawn watering to no more than 3 days per week and avoiding outdoor burning.
Florida legislature in overtime
Florida's legislative session will run past its scheduled Friday March 13th deadline after House Speaker Daniel Perez announced lawmakers will not finish the 2026-2027 state budget on time, with the House proposing $113.6 billion and the Senate $115 billion — a gap driven by disagreement over spending levels. This marks the second straight year the two chambers have failed to wrap up the budget within the standard 60-day session, with Perez also clashing with Senate President Ben Albritton and Governor DeSantis on multiple issues. Adding to the legislative calendar, DeSantis has already called for a special session on congressional redistricting the week of April 20th, with another session anticipated to address a constitutional amendment that would ask voters to reduce taxes on some homesteaded properties. Budget talks are expected to continue in the coming days, with the new fiscal year set to begin July 1st.
Legislation on micromobility devices
In the previous newsletter, we told you about research our office did on micro mobility devices (read more here). Lawmakers have passed a bill (SB382) that addresses some of the concerns we identified. Check out the Spotlight section of this newsletter for a write-up on the legislation that is en route to the Governor’s desk.
RiverWalk elects to remove FYA
On February 26th, Gregg, the county engineer, and representatives from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) attended a community meeting at RiverWalk, west of Jog Road along Okeechobee. In the clubhouse, residents sounded off about the Flashing Yellow Arrow (FYA) that was installed by FDOT on May 8th of last year without consulting the residents. Though some residents liked the FYA, a majority wanted it gone. The RiverWalk Board had passed a resolution requesting the removal, and following the meeting, the county engineer recommended to FDOT that the FYA be removed. As with the adjacent communities, FDOT approved the request, and it has since been removed.
Northlake widening
At the March 10th Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting, under his comments, Gregg talked about traffic on North Lake Boulevard between Beeline and Ibis. With all the development out there traffic - which is already bad - will only get worse. Last year, the BCC approved funding for the study and design of eight-laning this section, and Gregg wants to make sure this keeps moving forward.
Making Lyons Road safer for kids
On February 18th, Gregg attended Woodlands Middle School for the dedication of the Landon Coggin Wing. Last year, 13-year-old Landon was tragically struck by a truck after he fell with his bike into the roadway. In the wake of his passing, Gregg met with Landon’s family and asked staff to develop a plan to make it safer for children to walk and bike in this area. At the March 10th BCC meeting, staff reported that they will extend the school zone from Woodlands Middle School to Garcia High School and across 47th Place South. Staff also presented plans to widen the sidewalks and add a pedestrian bridge to move pedestrians away from traffic. Engineering staff will meet with the School District on March 22nd to hammer out details.
A1A closure impacts Dixie Hwy upgrades
On March 3rd, the Town of Palm Beach announced the closure of South Ocean Boulevard (A1A) between Southern Boulevard and South County Road until further notice. As area residents know, this leaves just two bridges to get to the island, and this impacts traffic patterns on nearby roads. It also affects the start date of a road project on Dixie Highway from Belvedere Road to Okeechobee Boulevard. FDOT was set to start in April on resurfacing, replacing sidewalks, drainage, signalization and pedestrian improvements. FDOT is currently in a holding pattern to better understand how the prolonged A1A closure could affect this project. The Dixie Highway project will include intermittent detours. Once the work begins, the contract time is 262 days, so the project may be completed at the end of 2026 or early 2027.
That's it for now. Thanks for being a reader!
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The Youth Summit of Palm Beach County is back — and adventure awaits!
WHEN: Saturday, March 28th | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
WHERE: Palm Beach Lakes High School
REGISTER: text YOUTHSUMMIT2026 to 888-687-0035 or click here
This FREE event for middle and high school students includes: Music, games & prizes, 10 community service hours, lunch, fun workshops for students and parents and raffles. It’s a full day of leadership, and fun, all in one place! Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and build your future!
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3rd Annual Gopher Tortoise Gallop
5K at Okeeheelee Park
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The Friends of Okeeheelee Nature Center (FONC) will host the 3rd Annual Gopher Tortoise Gallop 5K on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at Okeeheelee Park.
The chipped and timed race begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Micanopy Pavilion and runs through scenic park trails, passing the Okeeheelee Nature Center.
Participants will receive a race bib with RFID timing chip, event shirt, finisher medal, and swag bag. Awards will be presented to the top finishers overall and in each age group.
After the race, participants and guests are invited to the free Gopher Tortoise Day Shell-a-bration at Okeeheelee Nature Center!
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How AI is changing your mind
And six ways to protect yourself from a world view determined by AI.
Humanity is diving headlong into a global experiment. More than 1 billion people have a new and unprecedented source of information and cognitive guidance: artificial intelligence (AI) trained on trillions of words.
So, how exactly are AI chatbots affecting our minds, thoughts, beliefs and opinions?
Scientists are scrambling to find out — and reports that have come out this week offer insights into what’s going on. Read all about it.
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Hi all! Jana, here. If you're as curious about a bunch of different topics as I am, here's a cool research tool for learning new things. And it's FREE! It's called Learn About, and it's from the Google Labs team. Learn About lets you explore topics in depth through interactive, conversational responses. Check out these tips on how to get the most out of it, and try it out here.
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Note: Not all events listed are open to the public.
3/31/2026 @ 2:00PM: AI presentation at Baywinds Community. Contact Len Cosimano for more information.
4/16/2026 @ TBD Time: AI presentation at Tulane University, LA. Contact John Renne, PhD for more information.
6/8/2026 @ 2:00 PM: AI presentation at the Vi at Lakeside community. Contact Richard Leeds for more information.
| | If you would like to invite Commissioner Weiss to give a presentation in your community on artificial intelligence or any other topic, contact our office at district2@pbc.gov or 561-355-2202. | | |
Micro Mobility Devices
Florida Moves to Rein In E-Bikes and Scooters With New Safety Law
State creates task force, mandates crash data collection as micromobility injuries mount
TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers are taking aim at the growing dangers posed by electric bicycles and motorized scooters on sidewalks and shared pathways, advancing legislation that would impose new speed restrictions, create a dedicated safety task force, and require law enforcement agencies statewide to begin tracking crashes involving the devices.
The bill, CS for SB 382, passed its first engrossed reading in the Florida Legislature this session and is headed toward becoming law as early as this year.
Slow Down Near Pedestrians
Under the new law, anyone riding an e-bike on a sidewalk or pedestrian-designated area would be prohibited from traveling faster than 10 miles per hour when a pedestrian is within 50 feet of them. Riders on shared pathways — including those running through parks and recreation areas — would also be required to yield to pedestrians and give an audible warning before passing.
Violations would be treated as noncriminal traffic infractions, punishable as nonmoving violations.
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A Task Force With a Tight Deadline
Perhaps the most significant piece of the legislation is the creation of the Micromobility Device Safety Task Force, housed within the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The panel would be charged with examining Florida's existing laws governing e-bikes, scooters, and similar devices and delivering legislative recommendations to the Governor, the Senate President, and the House Speaker — all before October 1, 2026.
The task force's membership would include representatives from the Florida Sheriffs Association, the Florida Police Chiefs Association, the micromobility device industry, the Florida League of Cities, the Florida Association of Counties, a medical professional with experience treating cyclist and pedestrian injuries, and an advocate focused on micromobility safety.
Members would serve without pay but would be reimbursed for travel. Appointments must be made within 15 days of the bill becoming law, and the task force must hold at least one meeting each in North Florida, Central Florida, and South Florida.
Once its report is submitted, the task force dissolves.
Counting the Crashes
The bill also addresses a significant gap in Florida's data: there is currently no systematic tracking of traffic crashes involving micromobility devices across all law enforcement agencies.
Beginning 30 days after the law takes effect, the Florida Highway Patrol and every police department and sheriff's office in the state would be required to maintain a running list of all crashes they investigate involving these devices — regardless of whether those crashes rose to the level of a formal crash report. Each entry would need to include the date and time, the class of e-bike involved, the age of the operator, and whether the rider held a valid Florida driver's license or learner's permit.
Police departments and sheriff's offices would then have until October 15, 2026, to submit those lists to DHSMV. The department would be required to compile a statewide summary report — broken down by device type, county, and reporting agency — and deliver it to state leadership by October 31, 2026.
Why Now?

Florida has seen a rapid proliferation of electric bicycles and scooters on its roads, sidewalks, and trail systems in recent years, particularly in urban areas and tourist corridors. Advocacy groups and emergency room physicians have raised alarms about the pace of serious injuries, while cities have struggled with patchwork regulations and inconsistent enforcement.

The legislation largely takes effect upon becoming law, with the new e-bike speed rules kicking in July 1, 2026.
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Celebrations, anniversaries, meeting with agencies, recognizing community leaders, joining neighbors' festivities and going to neighborhood meetings ... Commissioner Weiss spends a lot of time in the community.
"As an elected official, I want to be part of the community I represent," said Commissioner Weiss. "I want to understand the issues in my district, and that's why I spend many evenings attending events to listen and learn."

If you'd like to invite Commissioner Weiss to your event, let us know.
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Ribbon Cutting: No More Starving Artists
When No More Starving Artists Foundation (NMSAF) President Trina Slade-Burks asked Gregg to do the ribbon-cutting at the organization’s new location, it was an easy “yes” for the Commish. An enthusiastic supporter of the arts, Gregg joined friends and supporters to celebrate the opening at The Peach on March 8th. NMSAF's mission is to help primarily Palm Beach County artists be sustainable personally and professionally by providing opportunities and services. Learn more.
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Fireside Chat at Space Connect
Business owners, contractors, and community leaders pulled up for a Fireside Chat with Gregg on March 5th at Space Connect, where the conversation focused on where District 2 is headed and how we get there responsibly. Issues raised included how technology and infrastructure are shaping Palm Beach County’s future, what ethical AI looks like in local government, and how economic strategy can drive real job creation while keeping investment rooted in our local businesses. Turnout was solid, with lots of great audience questions. Pictured here with Gregg is TLG Restoration owner Abbie Laureano.
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Cross-Country E-Bike Tour to Raise Awareness of Peripheral Neuropathy
The Merkin Peripheral Neuropathy and Nerve Regeneration (PNNR) Center at Johns Hopkins held its kick-off event on March 1st for a cross-country e-bike tour led by Dr. Gregory Maassen. The tour aims to raise awareness for peripheral neuropathy and the role of movement as medicine. Gregg was delighted to offer his support and encouragement as Dr. Maassen set off from Mile 0 in West Palm Beach. Learn more and track Dr. Maassen's journey in real time here.
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Flashing Yellow Arrow Discussion at Riverwalk Community
A February 26th community meeting organized by Gregg gave Riverwalk Community members a chance to sound off on the Flashing Yellow Arrow (FYA) light installed May 8th by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) without any input from residents. County Traffic Division staff and FDOT addressed resident concerns about the FYA, located at Okeechobee and Riverwalk Boulevards. Residents expressed broad support for removing the signal configuration, consistent with a prior Riverwalk board resolution. Based on this input, Gregg instructed the County Engineer to advise FDOT to remove the FYA. FDOT has indicated it will do so.
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Community-Based Connections Opens First Office in PBC
The nonprofit Community-Based Connections, Inc. (CBCI) celebrated the opening of its first office in Palm Beach County on February 23rd, with Gregg attending alongside a host of youth and family advocates including CBCI CEO Mikelange Olbel, and The Lord’s Place CEO Christine Frederick (pictured here). CBCI's mission is to expand the options available to children – from cradle to college – that promote their social and academic growth, equipping them with the skills they need to overcome challenges and thrive in adulthood.
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Golden Lakes Democratic Club 50th Anniversary
Members of the Golden Lakes Democratic Club came together on February 12th to celebrate an incredible 50 years of civic engagement and community involvement, marking five decades of bringing neighbors together for thoughtful conversations, encouraging active participation, and strengthening the bonds that help the community thrive. Gregg was delighted to join the celebration and present a proclamation to Club members, honoring their long-standing commitment to democratic values and the belief that when people stay informed and get involved, they can build a better future together.
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