Bruce Ritchie, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bruce RitchieMarch 25, 2015

A Senate budget amendment that would have provided $350 million for land-buying was withdrawn Wednesday but the senator who sponsored it said it could come back. In November, 75 percent of voters approved a ballot initiative called Amendment 1 that provides an estimated $741 million in fiscal 2015-16 for water and land conservation. The proposed Senate budget […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 25, 2015

A 2015 Legislative Session that already was busy with water bills and Amendment 1 funding just got a huge growth management bill in the House. A House subcommittee on Wednesday passed a sweeping committee substitute for HB 933 despite objections from cities, counties and environmental groups. “We’ve got a lot to consider,” Rep. Mike La […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 25, 2015

Sen. Thad Altman is backing up his criticism of Amendment 1 funding in the Senate proposed spending plan for 2015-16 with budget amendments to provide $350 million for conservation land-buying. The Senate Committee on Appropriations is scheduled Wednesday to consider the proposed $80.4 billion Senate budget. Amendment 1, approved by voters in November, provides an […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 24, 2015

Backers of a solar energy ballot initiative said Tuesday they’ve collected enough petition signatures to have the measure reviewed by the Florida Supreme Court. Floridians for Solar Choice says it wants to encourage solar energy production with a constitutional amendment that would prohibit governments or utilities from placing barriers on the sale or distribution of […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 24, 2015

Counties, agriculture, industry groups and environmentalists all raised concerns Tuesday as a Senate committee passed its first version of a water bill. House Speaker Steve Crisafulli and Senate President Andy Gardiner have said passing water legislation is a top priority in the 2015 Legislative Session. The House bill, opposed by environmentalists, passed the chamber 106-9 […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 24, 2015

Heads up Parrotheads! Margaritaville meets Florida politics in a couple weeks at the historic Capitol in Tallahassee. Jimmy Buffett, accompanied Mac McAnally and Robert Greenidge, will play a short acoustic music set during an Everglades Day Rally on April 7, event organizers say. Buffett, who has developed a legion of “Parrothead” followers, is no stranger to Tallahassee […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 24, 2015

A House bill that would change the state-lobbyist gift ban to allow specifically local governments to offer meeting space to legislators passed its first committee stop Tuesday. The Legislature in 2005 cracked down on lobbyist gifts after news reports of lobbyists hosting lavish dinners with legislators to discuss pending bills. The law prohibits lobbyists and the organizations […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 24, 2015

A Senate bill that shifts from utilities to local government the cost of moving power lines and other utilities in easements for roadway expansions passed a Senate committee on Monday despite opposition from local governments. SB 896 by Sen. Jeff Brades, a Republican from St. Petersburg, was prompted by a dispute between the city of Cape […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 23, 2015

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Sen. Arthenia Joyner of Tampa, the Senate Democratic leader, is filing a budget amendment to redirect $80 million toward the Florida Forever land-buying program and away from other purposes she said are not consistent with Amendment 1. Approved by 75 percent of voters in November, Amendment 1 is supposed to direct $742 million toward water […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 23, 2015

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has filed what is the first challenge to a local comprehensive plan amendment since sweeping growth management law changes passed in 2011. Legal watchers on either side of growth management issues — development and environmental — say the DEO move against the city of Mascotte in Lake County is […]

Bruce Ritchie
Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Image via Visit Florida.

Budget amendment for land-buying withdrawn but may be back, senator says

Add growth management to a busy legislative session

Senate budget amendment would provide $350 million for land-buying

Solar amendment group says it has enough signatures for high court review

Senate panel clears water bill; environment, industry groups concerned

Heads up Parrotheads! Jimmy Buffett to play Capitol for Everglades

Subcommittee OKs bill to exempt public space use from lobbyist gift ban

Cities, counties say bill would stick them with costs for moving roadside utilities

Arthenia Joyner filing budget amendment to boost land-buying

DEO files first challenge to a local government land-use change