Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaJanuary 7, 2016

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater says he’s “championing” bills this legislative session in three policy areas: Life insurance, divestment from Iran and medical billing. Atwater, first elected in 2010, laid out his priorities in an email sent Wednesday. Life insurance: Atwater wants to “ensure that insurance companies will utilize current technology and public information that will assist […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 21, 2015

It’s the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. And for 12,000 arrested children in Florida, who might have been arrested for minor crimes like talking back to an officer or smoking a marijuana cigarette in a school bathroom, every night is a long night. They pay the penalty for their crime. But […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 15, 2015

A key difference between the Senate campaigns of Rep. Ron DeSantis and Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera: the endorsements they roll out. DeSantis has been heavy on big national names, whereas Lopez-Cantera’s list has been heavy on local and state Republicans, as seen with Tuesday morning’s rollout of endorsements from people who arguably know him best: Republicans […]

Jim RosicaNovember 30, 2015

The last committee week before the 2016 Legislative Session means — what else — a post-Thanksgiving cornucopia of fundraisers. The Republican Party of Florida sent an email last week listing all the events, coinciding with the December committee week, the last one before session begins Jan. 12. In chronological order, here are the events, subject to change and […]

Jim RosicaNovember 20, 2015

Legislation is moving in the Legislature that would allow people to buy their lottery tickets at the gas pump despite a lingering question that the measure is an expansion of gambling. The question is more than moral or academic: Expanded gambling is a condition for the Seminole Tribe of Florida to stop sharing revenue from its […]

Jim RosicaNovember 17, 2015

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Give state Rep. Carlos Trujillo credit for frankness. On Tuesday, he yanked his ‘whiskey and Wheaties’ bill from the agenda of the House Business and Professions subcommittee because, as he said, “one of my four votes is not here today” (though four votes is a minority on the 13-member committee). Trujillo, a Miami Republican, was referring to the […]

Associated PressNovember 17, 2015

A push to change Florida’s contentious “stand your ground” law may be dead for the coming year. A Florida House panel on Tuesday narrowly voted against a measure sponsored by Rep. Dennis Baxley that would change the law. The Ocala Republican wanted to require that prosecutors prove a defendant was not acting in self-defense when […]

Phil AmmannNovember 13, 2015

A coalition of Florida retailers and business owners are reaffirming “unwavering support” for the effort to repeal the state’s Prohibition-era alcohol separation law. In an announcement Friday, Floridians for Fair Business Practices (FFBP) doubled down on its support for “free market and pro-business values” while blasting opponents, who they claim are using “false arguments on […]

Guest AuthorOctober 29, 2015

I read Audrey Brown’s opinion column in support of Carlos Trujillo’s House Bill 221. And while I agree with her sentiment that surprise bills can be unfair, I must take issue with her factual misstatements and her conclusions. Let’s start where we agree. It is indeed a serious and unfair circumstance when someone with health […]

Peter SchorschOctober 29, 2015

House Bill 221 is not only a sorry excuse for addressing the issue of balance billing, it’s also exactly what voters find so frustrating about politicians who campaign saying one thing while doing the exact opposite once they’re safely behind locked Capitol doors. The latest example comes from Rep. Carlos Trujillo. As a candidate, Rep. Trujillo […]

Tag: Carlos Trujillo

Jeff Atwater lays out legislative wish list

I.C.A.R.E. vigil calls attention to juvenile civil citations bill

Carlos Lopez-Cantera rolls out big South Florida/Miami-Dade endorsements

Email insights: More House GOP fundraising

Is it “expanding gambling” to sell lottery tickets at gas pumps?

Is the ‘whiskey and Wheaties’ bill on the rocks?

House panel votes down revision to ‘stand your ground’ law

Retailers, business owners reaffirm call to repeal Florida “wall of alcohol separation”

Dr. Jonathan H. Slonin: HB 221 isn’t the way to fix balance billing

Obamacare for Florida (HB 221) demonstrates why voters are angry