Gary Fineout, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Gary FineoutJune 1, 2015

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The Florida Legislature began its 20-day Special Session on Monday, with legislative leaders sounding more open to compromise as they race against the clock to pass a new state budget. The conciliatory tone espoused by House Speaker Steve Crisafulli and Senate President Andy Gardiner was different than just a few weeks ago when the Republican-controlled […]

Gary FineoutMay 31, 2015

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With a looming deadline, Florida legislators return to the state Capitol this week promising to do what they couldn’t during the 60-day regular session that ended May 1. And that’s pass a new state budget that covers everything from money for schools and hospitals to paying for child abuse investigations. Legislative leaders are already promising […]

Gary FineoutMay 31, 2015

Slot machines could be installed at several Florida dog and horse tracks if a far-reaching court ruling holds. A Florida appeals court on Friday ordered state regulators to award a license for slot machines to a facility located 25 miles west of Tallahassee. The decision has the potential to once again upend the state’s complicated […]

Gary FineoutMay 30, 2015

Living in a (semi)-tropical paradise has a price – and apparently, not even going nine years without a major hurricane strike will change that. While Florida’s property insurance market has stabilized somewhat since eight storms battered the state in 2004 and 2005, as storms such as Hurricane Wilma caused billions in damages, the state still […]

Gary FineoutMay 18, 2015

Backers of Florida’s largest private-school voucher program scored a significant victory Monday in an increasingly bitter legal battle. Circuit Judge George Reynolds tossed out a lawsuit that contended that the program that serves nearly 70,000 students across the state by placing them in private and mostly religious schools is unconstitutional. Reynolds ruled that the groups […]

Gary FineoutMay 18, 2015

Florida’s Republican-led Legislature will return to the state Capitol in June and try to do what they couldn’t do during their 60-day session that crashed to a halt. GOP legislative leaders announced late Friday that they have come up with a long list of items they want to tackle during a 20-day special session, including […]

Gary FineoutMay 13, 2015

Although no deal was reached, Sen. Tom Lee, a Brandon Republican, said that a “fair amount of progress” was made during discussions Wednesday between the House and Senate budget chiefs at the Capitol. “It was super productive,” said Rep. Richard Corcoran, a Land O’Lakes Republican. “I think today we moved the ball down the field […]

Gary FineoutMay 13, 2015

Florida’s nine-year streak of avoiding hurricanes is helping the state reach a historic milestone: for the first time ever, the state-created fund designed to help pay out claims after storms has enough cash and assets on hand to pay off everything it could owe. New estimates show the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund should have $17 […]

Gary FineoutMay 3, 2015

During the recently-concluded legislative session, Senate President Andy Gardiner constantly warned about the threat to the state’s hospitals if they were to lose more than $1 billion that now comes from the federal government. There’s a good reason Gardiner understands hospitals: he works for one. Gardiner’s employment is legal, but it highlights a common practice […]

Gary FineoutMay 1, 2015

A last-ditch effort to force the Florida Legislature back to work floundered on Friday after the state’s highest court ruled that there would be no “beneficial result” to force the state House to reconvene. The Florida Supreme Court ruled unanimously against the lawsuit filed by state Senate Democrats that asked the court to order the […]

Gary Fineout
Lake Mary, Florida, celebrates their 10-7 win against Boerne, Texas during the United States Championship baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Saturday, Aug. 24, 20204. (AP Photo Tom E. Puskar.

Florida legislators return with plan to end budget stalemate

Legislature to resume budget, health care fight

Several dog, horse tracks could get slot machines if court decision holds

Despite storm-free seasons, Florida insurance still pricey

Florida judge throws out lawsuit against voucher program

ICYMI: Legislators agree to do budget, health care during session

Top Florida legislators work on budget deal

Florida’s hurricane insurance fund strong for storm season

Florida legislators push bills tied to their private jobs

Court order brings acrimonious legislative session to close