Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 28, 2017

The House PreK-12 Innovation Subcommittee passed its version of the public school recess bill, setting lawmakers on two very different paths when it comes to free play. The committee approved a committee substitute for the bill (HB 67) that would allow school boards to include free-play recess for students in kindergarten through third grade as […]

Staff ReportsMarch 27, 2017

It’s never too early to start thinking about the next election cycle, and a host of legislative hopefuls are already thinking about the next election cycle. State election records show dozens of members of the House, Senate, and other legislative hopefuls have filed to run in 2018. Rep. Shevrin Jones filed to run for re-election […]

Associated PressMarch 23, 2017

Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran has called on the governor to suspend a prosecutor for pledging to not seek the death penalty in any case while she is in office. Corcoran said Thursday that Orlando State Attorney Aramis Ayala was “violating the constitution” because she is not even considering the death penalty. Capital punishment is […]

Phil AmmannMarch 23, 2017

Florida’s “Eyeball Wars” between ophthalmologists and optometrists could soon be spilling onto the House floor. On Monday, Speaker Richard Corcoran removed HB 1037 — a controversial bill to allow optometrists to perform surgery, among other things — off the agenda of the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee. A representative for Corcoran told POLITICO Florida that […]

Associated PressMarch 21, 2017

Tallahassee Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum is pushing House Republicans to drop an idea that could take away food stamps for about 229,000 Floridians. Gillum held a news conference Tuesday and then dropped off a petition at House Speaker Richard Corcoran‘s office that asks lawmakers to maintain current food stamp eligibility rather than […]

Joe HendersonMarch 15, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott hasn’t been shy about sharing his feelings on the Affordable Care Act. Like any good Republican, he hates it. He wants it to go away. Now that Republicans have a legitimate proposal on the table to replace Obamacare, though, Scott has gone into stealth mode on the subject. In an Associated Press […]

Les NeuhausMarch 14, 2017

For a second consecutive week, the Florida Lottery broke its own record, with total sales of more than $141 million, the game’s chief announced Tuesday. This record for the Sunshine State’s 29-year-old lottery comes despite a nasty lawsuit that pitted Florida Gov. Rick Scott against the state’s headstrong House Speaker, Rep. Richard Corcoran. For the […]

Joe HendersonMarch 13, 2017

Rick Scott went to Tallahassee in 2011 as an outsider. He often has operated like one as well, and not always in a good way. In a private company, stubborn employees can get fired for standing up to the boss. In politics, though, defiance can be considered a virtue. Eventually, people who vow to run […]

Jim RosicaMarch 10, 2017

VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s tourism marketing agency, will be subject to greater oversight under a bill passed the Florida House Friday. State representatives passed the measure (HB 9), sponsored by Paul Renner of Palm Coast, by a vote of 80-35. Its reception in the Senate will likely not be warm: That chamber has not moved a […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 10, 2017

Matt Caldwell raised more than $700,000 ahead of the the 2017 Legislative Session, building up his coffers ahead of an anticipated 2018 run for Agriculture Commissioner. State records show Friends of Matt Caldwell, the North Fort Myers Republican’s political committee, raised $412,075 in February. That one-month fundraising haul marked the largest fundraising raising period since […]

Tag: Richard Corcoran

House panel approves scaled back version of school recess bill

More legislative hopefuls file to run in 2018

Florida Speaker: Suspend prosecutor who nixes death penalty

Speaker moves Eyeball Wars closer to House floor; docs say optometrist testimony ‘patently false’

Andrew Gillum: GOP plan to raise food stamp eligibility ‘inhumane’

Joe Henderson: ‘Shy’ Rick Scott needs to pipe up on Medicaid expansion

Despite lawsuit, Florida Lottery sees record sales; tops $100M for 2nd week

Joe Henderson: After Enterprise Florida fight, Rick Scott has little political capital left

House approves bill to rein in VISIT FLORIDA

Matt Caldwell raises more than $700K in anticipation of agriculture commissioner run