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

Michael MolineApril 5, 2017

Senate President Joe Negron’s ambitious water-quality plan survived a more-than-two-hour hearing before the Appropriations Committee Wednesday, clearing the panel against only two dissents. The $1.5 billion bill would begin planning to build reservoirs and water treatment facilities south of Lake Okeechobee in hopes of avoiding repeats of June’s disastrous algae bloom in South Florida waterways. The […]

Michael MolineApril 5, 2017

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The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a proposed $83.2 billion state budget Wednesday after its chairman agreed to study a proposal to shift $1.3 million from Orlando State Attorney Aramis Ayala’s office. Sen. Randolph Bracy withdrew his amendment to restore the money after Jack Latvala said he would work on a possible floor amendment. “Let us work […]

Michael MolineApril 4, 2017

The reservoir system that Senate President Joe Negron hopes to build south of Lake Okeechobee is about to get smaller but deeper. Negron announced plans Tuesday to possibly scale back the project’s acreage while still storing between 100 billion and 120 billion gallons of water by increasing the reservoirs’ depth to 14 feet. “An amendment […]

Michael MolineApril 4, 2017

The Senate voted tentatively Tuesday to ask the voters next year whether Florida’s secretary of state should once again be an elective position. SJR 882, by Sen. Aaron Bean, would amend the state constitution to make the Secretary of State an elected member of the Cabinet beginning with the 2022 General Election. Identical legislation is pending in […]

Michael MolineApril 4, 2017

The Public Service Commission bestowed its blessings Tuesday upon a rate settlement that will allow Gulf Power Co. to raise prices by nearly $62 million per year, but give the utility less of a return on investment than it wanted. Gulf Power originally sought to charge its customers in Northwest Florida an additional $106.8 million. “I […]

Michael MolineApril 3, 2017

The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee voted 7-1 Monday to approve legislation that would require workers’ compensation carriers to compete on price rather than propose premium levels through a common ratings agency, and that would allow workers to pay attorneys hourly rates if they take insurers to court. The ‘No” vote was by Sen. George Gainer, […]

Michael MolineApril 3, 2017

A Senate committee voted Monday to give the insurance industry more control over contractors operating under assignment of benefits agreements, but also to prevent them from factoring their litigation costs into the premiums they charge. The vote was 6-2, with Republicans George Gainer of Panama City and Debbie Mayfield of Melbourne voting ‘No.” HB 1218 would […]

Michael MolineApril 3, 2017

Representatives of hospitals that invest heavily in physician training and care for the indigent held a news conference Monday to protest plans in the Legislature to slash Medicaid re-imbursement rates. The cuts would undermine the state’s investments in training doctors, alliance members argued outside the Senate Office Building in Tallahassee. Under the Graduate Medical Education […]

Michael MolineApril 3, 2017

Legislation addressing assignment of benefits abuse comes up in the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee Monday — and it’s not the version insurance and business interests like. The panel will hear SB 1218 by Sen. Gary Farmer, a trial lawyer from Broward County. A rival bill, SB 1038, by Dorothy Hukill and Kathleen Passidomo, has yet to […]

Michael MolineApril 3, 2017

The Florida House’s proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning on July 1 could make life uncomfortable for the state’s colleges and universities. The budget — agreed upon in principle, and due in bill form this week — will call for something like $2.2 billion in spending cuts, according to House leaders, for a total expenditure […]

Michael Moline
Image via Facebook (TCEC).

Joe Negron’s Lake Okeechobee plan clears Senate Appropriations Committee

Committee OKs Senate budget that contains Aramis Ayala money shift, for now

Joe Negron’s Lake Okeechobee plan undergoing another revision

Senate moves proposal to elect secretary of state closer to the ballot

PSC approves $62 million rate compromise for Gulf Power Co.

Senate panel OKs workers’ comp bill opposed by insurance industry

Senate AOB reform bill bars insurers from charging litigation costs to customers

Safety net hospitals decry Medicaid spending cuts planned for Florida

Assignment of benefits fight finally coming to a Senate committee vote

Higher education projects fail House’s strict new budget test