Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 1, 2016

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A bill to regulate fracking is likely dead after the Senate sponsor said he did not want the Senate Appropriations committee to reconsider the measure. The Senate Appropriations committee on Thursday voted to reject the proposal (SB 318), but lawmakers swiftly made a motion to reconsider the measure. That move kept the bill on the […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 1, 2016

The Senate Ethics and Elections committee has once again postponed a confirmation vote on Surgeon General John Armstrong. The committee was scheduled to hold a confirmation hearing on Tuesday, one week after postponing a confirmation vote on the state’s top health official. Sen. Garrett Richter, the chairman of the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee, told […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 25, 2016

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A bill to regulate fracking in Florida is on life support after a Senate panel voted to reject the controversial proposal. The Senate Appropriations Committee narrowly rejected the proposal (SB 318). However, lawmakers used a parliamentary maneuver — in this case, a motion to reconsider — to keep the proposal, sponsored by Sen. Garrett Richter, […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 24, 2016

Florida Gov. Rick Scott, on Wednesday, signed two bills into law that deal with trade secrets. Both bills were sponsored by Naples Republican Sen. Garrett Richter. SB 180 expands the definition of “trade secret” to expressly include financial information under the definition. And SB 182, a companion bill, protects financial information deemed to be a trade […]

Ryan RayFebruary 24, 2016

After a fire alarm delayed the start of Wednesday’s meeting by almost half an hour, the Senate Democratic caucus finally got down to the task at hand: opposing Republican-sponsored legislation, particularly an energy exploration bill that has environmentalists up in arms. The caucus members were united in their resistance to a bill they said would preempt […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 23, 2016

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Say goodbye to all those yards of fake-wood laminate: The Florida Senate will be shedding the 1970s look of its chamber with a nearly $5 million renovation this year. Senate President Andy Gardiner, in a Jan. 6 memo to fellow senators, said the remodeling will begin this summer. A copy of the memo was provided to FloridaPolitics.com […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 16, 2016

The 2016 Florida Legislative Session now in mid-February is more than halfway complete, an anomaly that usually happens once every decade. Under a bill, SPB 7076, that narrowly passed through the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee on Tuesday, the early start could happen again in 2018. It passed on a party-line vote, with all three Democrats […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 10, 2016

Florida’s supervisors of elections might be getting a pay raise. The Senate Fiscal Policy committee on Wednesday OK’d a proposal changing the calculation used to determine how much a county’s election boss is paid. The measure (SB 514), sponsored by Sen. Garrett Richter, increases the base salary and the group rate used to determine a […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 9, 2016

The candidates they support are as different as can be. There’s Marco Rubio supporters and Jeb Bush boosters; Ted Cruz backers and Donald Trump allies. All of them are confident their man will get the ticket out of New Hampshire, and many still are still hopeful their candidate will be the Republican nominee. “I feel good,” said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, a Miami Republican backing […]

Drew WilsonJanuary 28, 2016

Health care price transparency legislation favored by Gov. Rick Scott cleared the Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee Thursday by a 6-2 vote. SB 1496, sponsored by Fleming Island Republican Sen. Rob Bradley, would have the Agency for Health Care Administration set up an online system to compare medical procedure prices at hospitals and surgery centers, and require medical […]

Senate panel won’t reconsider controversial fracking proposal

Senate panel postpones vote on Surgeon General John Armstrong

Senate panel rejects proposal to regulate fracking in Florida

Gov. Scott signs 2 trade secret bills into law

Senate Democrats huddle up to oppose fracking bill

No more ’70s paneling: Florida Senate readies for a refresh

Bill to start 2018 Legislative Session in January advances in Florida Senate

Bill giving raise to county elections officials heads to Senate floor

Floridians confident their candidates will do well in New Hampshire and beyond

Health care cost transparency bill passes Senate budget panel