Brendan Farrington, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Brendan FarringtonJune 25, 2017

Florida has more registered Democrats than Republicans, but the balance of power in government doesn’t even come close to reflecting that. Despite a 2010 constitutional amendment aimed at preventing political gerrymandering, Republicans dominate Florida politics. Democrats only hold 41 of 120 state House seats, 15 of 40 Senate seats and are outnumbered in in the […]

Brendan FarringtonJune 10, 2017

Florida became the first state with a law that spells out that prosecutors, and not defendants, have the burden of proof in pretrial “stand your ground” hearings when Republican Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill Friday. The measure was among 16 bills that Scott signed, including a bill that gives students and school employees a […]

Brendan FarringtonMay 29, 2017

Lucy McBath is afraid many more people will die if Florida Gov. Rick Scott signs a bill making it harder to prosecute when people claim they commit violence in self-defense. She already lost her son, an unarmed black teenager, when a white man angry over loud music and claiming self-defense fired 10 times at an […]

Brendan FarringtonApril 27, 2017

Florida could become the first state to issue what’s essentially a birth certificate for women who’ve had miscarriages under a bill the Legislature sent to Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday. The Grieving Families Act would give parents the option of receiving a state-issued certificate if a pregnancy is lost between nine weeks and 20 weeks […]

Brendan FarringtonApril 20, 2017

A lawyer representing a state senator who could be punished for using a racial slur and other vulgarities said Thursday that the remarks — as offensive as they were — are protected by free speech and that other senators have used similar language. Tallahassee attorney Steve Andrews wrote to the Senate lawyer reviewing the case […]

Brendan FarringtonApril 3, 2017

There’s widespread agreement between lawmakers, law enforcement and child advocates that the state can do more to help juveniles who make stupid mistakes to stay out of trouble and avoid a criminal record that could follow them the rest of their lives. But what approach it should take is still a matter of disagreement. “Everybody’s […]

Brendan FarringtonMarch 20, 2017

A small, all-natural dairy isn’t being deceptive when it calls its skim milk “skim milk,” a federal appeals court ruled Monday in a victory for the creamery that’s fighting the state’s demand to label the product “imitation” because vitamins aren’t added to it. The ruling overturns a decision last March when a federal judge sided […]

Brendan FarringtonMarch 10, 2017

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Florida will require a unanimous jury recommendation before the death penalty can be imposed under a bill lawmakers sent to Gov. Rick Scott on Friday. Lawmakers rushed to get the bill passed on the fourth day of their legislative session in hopes of fixing a death penalty law that’s been found unconstitutional twice since January […]

Brendan FarringtonMarch 5, 2017

Florida’s “stand your ground” law, a source of contention for years, could soon provide even more protection to people who invoke it. Some lawmakers want to make prosecutors prove a defendant wasn’t acting in self-defense before proceeding to trial. Florida has been a leader in giving citizens immunity in cases of self-defense, with its “stand […]

Brendan FarringtonFebruary 28, 2017

The Republican-dominated Legislature’s tense relationship with the state Supreme Court is hanging over this year’s legislative session as lawmakers take up two bills to deal with the aftermath of court rulings that Republicans don’t like. One of them is a fix to the state’s death penalty rules and the other a revision of the “stand […]

Brendan Farrington

Florida politics lopsided despite required fair districts

Florida law shifts burden of proof in ‘stand your ground’

Florida could pave new changes in ‘stand your ground’ laws

Florida passes bill to issue certificates for miscarriages

Lawyer: Frank Artiles’ racial slurs offensive, but also free speech

Helping kids who make mistakes: Florida considering 2 ideas

Court: Florida dairy’s skim milk is skim milk, not imitation

Florida’s death penalty fix heads to Rick Scott

State could flip burden of proving ‘Stand Your Ground’

Legislature at “open war” with state Supreme Court