Michael Moline, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Michael MolineApril 26, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott has issued another missive urging full financial support for Visit Florida. This one is a memo written to Scott by Christian Weiss, in-house economist to the governor, who warns that cutting the tourism-development program by $50 million — as House and Senate budget negotiators are considering doing — would result in a […]

Michael MolineApril 26, 2017

Sen. Dorothy Hukill wasn’t there to defend herself, so her Senate colleagues plastered her name on legislation she long has sponsored to promote financial literacy education. The vote to sign on as a co-sponsor of the amendment was 36-0. The vote to approve the bill was the same. “This has been a bill that Sen. […]

Michael MolineApril 26, 2017

The Senate voted, 35-0, Wednesday to apologize for decades of abuse at the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys and Florida Schools for Boys at Okeechobee. Addressing 14 middle-aged and elderly survivors viewing from the Senate gallery, Sen. Daryl Rouson said: “We say to you, we apologize. We are sorry.” The House voted to apologize […]

Michael MolineApril 26, 2017

House and Senate negotiators have agreed on the broad outlines of a new state budget, and were haggling over the details before appointing members to conference committees, Senate President Joe Negron said Wednesday. “We’ve reached an agreement on the substance of the budget, and we’ve also reached agreement on a way that we can get […]

Michael MolineApril 26, 2017

There were competing accounts Wednesday of negotiations over the next state budget, with the Senate’s top Democrat saying a deal’s been struck. The chambers have agreed to meet in the middle on the $4 billion that separates their respective proposed budgets, taking $2 billion from the Senate plan and adding $2 billion to the House […]

Michael MolineApril 25, 2017

The House and Senate were on the brink Tuesday evening of agreeing to a framework for negotiating s budget deal, House Speaker Richard Corcoran told the House. “We are very, very, very close to having allocations agreed to with the Senate,” Corcoran announced from the speaker’s podium, drawing cheers from the members. “And I mean […]

Michael MolineApril 25, 2017

Legislation extending $300 million in tax holidays and breaks for veterans, college students, farmers, young families, and more moved closer to a final House vote Tuesday, picking up an amendment expanding use of private contractors to collect auto tag fees. The amendment, by Republican Jason Brodeur, would let tax collectors in 64 counties where they don’t […]

Michael MolineApril 25, 2017

The House cleared its version of assignment of benefits reform for a final vote Tuesday, defeating an amendment that would have frozen property insurance rates and required a premiums rollback next summer. PCS/HB 1421 would tighten requirements for contractors to report claims to insurance companies and establish a graduated scale for determining whether contractors holding […]

Michael MolineApril 25, 2017

The House Appropriations Committee voted along party lines Tuesday to approve an $82.1 billion “standard operating budget,” in a move Democrats complained brought Washington-style dysfunction to Tallahassee. “I can tell you, we have spent every last, legitimate effort trying to compromise before we came to this point. It wasn’t for lack of effort. It wasn’t […]

Michael MolineApril 24, 2017

The House Appropriations Committee will meet Tuesday morning to consider a “standard operating budget,” pending progress in negotiations with the Senate over spending priorities for the fiscal year that begins July 1. House Speaker Richard Corcoran announced the move in a note to House members Monday evening. He acted after Senate President Joe Negron rejected […]

Michael Moline
The Yankees organization is generous with Helene relief in Florida. Image via AP.

Continuing sales pitch for Visit Florida, Rick Scott warns of hit to state revenues

Senate makes it the Dorothy L. Hukill Financial Literacy Education Act

Florida Senate votes apology for abuse at Dozier School for Boys

Budget deal would include Lake O plan, lower property taxes for schools

Top Senate Democrat says chambers will split the difference on state budget

Richard Corcoran: House and Senate ‘very, very, very’ close to budget deal

House sets up $300 million tax holiday package for final vote

House assignment of benefits reforms move closer to final vote

House ‘standard operating budget’ clears Appropriations Committee

Talks stalled, House schedules committee review of continuation budget