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

Michael MolineMarch 28, 2017

House budget writers stuck to the plan Tuesday in rolling out details of their proposed $12.3 billion for transportation and tourism. It would eliminate economic incentives programs including Enterprise Florida, and sharply reduce spending on Visit Florida. “We’re basically following the tenets of (HB) 7005, the policy bill that was passed a couple of weeks ago,” […]

Michael MolineMarch 28, 2017

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The Florida House would spend $31.3 billion on health care programs during the next budget year, cutting money for hospitals and county health departments, but boosting spending on mental health and substance abuse programs. Chairman Jason Brodeur outlined the proposal Tuesday morning during hearings before the Health Care Appropriation Subcommittee. It was one of five […]

Michael MolineMarch 27, 2017

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Florida Democratic Party Chairman Steve Bittel came to Tallahassee Monday to detail his efforts to rebuild following the November disaster. “It’s been a disheartening time,” Bittel said, but he urged members of the Leon County Democratic Party to transform their disappointment into action. “We should be angry. We lost Florida, and we shouldn’t have lost […]

Michael MolineMarch 27, 2017

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A House committee voted overwhelmingly Monday to do away with personal injury protection, or PIP, insurance in Florida. The vote in the Insurance & Banking Subcommittee was 12-2, with Jay Fant and Blaise Ingoglia the holdouts. PCS/HB 1063 passed despite concerns by insurers that they need stronger protections against bad-faith lawsuits by people injured by […]

Michael MolineMarch 27, 2017

The House version of legislation to do away with personal injury protection, or PIP, insurance in Florida will get a hearing Monday before the Insurance & Banking Subcommittee. PCS/HB 1063 is 57 pages long, but here’s the thrust: Effective Jan. 1, motorists no longer would be required to maintain PIP coverage. Instead, they would insure […]

Michael MolineMarch 24, 2017

Legislation that would exempt medical marijuana from sales taxes would cost $24.3 million per year to Florida’s tax receipts, according to an estimate by state economists Friday. HB 1397, by Fort Myers Republican Ray Rodrigues, is one of five medical marijuana bills to enact Amendment 2 that are circulating in the Legislature. It would impose […]

Michael MolineMarch 24, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott should spend less time talking about Enterprise Florida, and more seeking reform of the workers compensation system and assignment of benefits abuse, if he really cares about protecting jobs, House Speaker Richard Corcoran said Thursday. “We’re talking about a tremendous amount of bandwidth going to Enterprise Florida, going to Visit Florida,” Corcoran […]

Michael MolineMarch 23, 2017

The Florida House voted Thursday unanimously to direct two-thirds of the $400 million the state is due from the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster to the worst-affected counties in the Panhandle. HB 7077 requires 75 percent of all payments that Florida receives from the settlement agreement between the five Gulf states and BP […]

Michael MolineMarch 23, 2017

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The Florida House voted Thursday to ban the use of red light cameras to enforce traffic laws in the state. The vote on final passage went 91-22. Supporters argued the cameras don’t save lives and have become money-makers for vendors, some of them located out of state. “It has become less about public safety and […]

Michael MolineMarch 22, 2017

The business community believes trial lawyers hold the upper hand in the Legislature for the first time in years. The business community is not happy about that. “Their bills are on rocket fuel and are moving through the process,” Mark Delegal, a partner at Holland & Knight, said during a panel discussion at the Florida […]

Michael Moline
Image via AP.

House and Senate cement their differences on Visit Florida funding

House budget would cut jobs, money for hospitals and county health units

Steve Bittel visits Tallahassee to rally Democrats to ‘move forward now’

Florida House panel votes to abolish PIP insurance effective Jan. 1

House insurance subcommittee to take up repeal of Florida’s PIP mandate

Revenue conference prices sales tax exemption for medical marijuana

House Speaker: Rick Scott’s focus on Enterprise Florida is misdirected

House votes to steer most BP oil spill settlement money to the Panhandle

House votes to bar use of red light cameras to monitor intersections

Chamber laments the rise of trial bar’s influence with Florida Legislature