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

Michael MolineMarch 15, 2017

The House Appropriations Committee voted Wednesday to take food stamps away from 229,000 Floridians, including 157,000 children and 44,000 elderly and disabled people. CS/SB 581, approved 18-9, would return eligibility standards for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps, to pre-recession levels, Republican sponsor Frank White said. No state money is at issue, he said — […]

Michael MolineMarch 15, 2017

Citizens Property Insurance Corp. can buy back some $300 million in reinsurance against a catastrophic storm because the risk of that happening is now projected to have fallen. The company’s board of governors voted unanimously to approve the move during a conference call Wednesday. Citizens, Florida’s property insurer of last resort, bought the coverage from […]

Michael MolineMarch 15, 2017

A bill that would ban professional sports teams from building or refurbishing stadiums on public land passed the House Appropriations Committee Wednesday on a 21-8 vote. CS/HB 77, by Bryan Avila, says “a sports franchise may not construct, reconstruct, renovate, or improve a facility on public land leased from the state or a political subdivision thereof.” […]

Michael MolineMarch 15, 2017

A committee test turned into an anticlimax Wednesday for a Senate bill that would trade a tax break for insurance companies for one to benefit phone, cable, and satellite communications customers. The Appropriations Subcommittee on Finance and Tax adjourned abruptly after approving a bill making technical changes to align Florida’s corporate income tax to the […]

Michael MolineMarch 14, 2017

The Legislature has been arguing over assignment of benefits reform for years, to no avail. Tuesday, Tampa Republican James Grant found out why — the hard way. The lesson was delivered by the House Insurance & Banking Subcommittee, which defeated by a single vote Grant’s bid to resolve the issue by boosting consumer protections and […]

Michael MolineMarch 14, 2017

The House Insurance & Banking Subcommittee voted Tuesday narrowly against requiring workers to pay their own attorney fees in disputes over benefits. The tally went 8-7 against an amendment by Republican Jay Fant to scrap most of a proposed committee bill addressing escalating workers’ compensation premiums. The panel proceeded to approve the underlying bill, 14-1. Fant was […]

Michael MolineMarch 13, 2017

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House Democrats elected Kionne McGhee, a former prosecutor whose challenges as child included poverty, the murder of two family members, and a diagnosis of mental retardation, as their leader-designate Monday. He won 23 votes against 17 for Bobby Dubose. McGhee now stands to lead his caucus effective at the beginning of the organizational session that […]

Michael MolineMarch 13, 2017

A Senate committee approved legislation Monday earmarking 75 percent of Florida’s take from the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster for the eight worst-affected counties, and ensuring that small counties will be represented on the oversight board. But the Commerce and Tourism Committee delayed a vote on another high-profile bill, SB 236, to dismantle tax subsidies for […]

Michael MolineMarch 13, 2017

Magic Johnson visited with Senate Democrats Monday to praise Medicaid managed care programs that are using town hall meetings and church outreach to steer HIV, dental, geriatric, and other health care to poor people in 60 Florida counties. The programs have served 9,500 people with HIV during the past four years, Johnson said. Moreover, “our […]

Michael MolineMarch 10, 2017

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Legislation beginning to work its way through the House and Senate would help businesses voluntarily comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act — and possibly avoid “drive-by lawsuits” targeting noncompliance. “The ADA was taken away from Americans with disabilities by a handful of law firms — most out of South Florida — that have filed […]

Michael Moline
Photo of Bob Graham at a Rick Scott State of the State address in 2013. Photo via the Florida Times-Union.

House panel votes to undo post-financial meltdown food stamps expansion

Citizens Insurance buying back $300 million in catastrophic coverage

House budget panel votes to get tougher on public contributions to pro teams

Committee hearing delayed on Anitere Flores’ tax swap legislation

AOB reform passes House subcommittee, but it wasn’t pretty

House committee rejects attorney-fee amendment, OKs workers’ comp bill

Kionne McGhee elected leader-designate of Florida House Democrats

Vote on stadium-subsidies bill delayed, but panel votes aid to rural counties

Magic Johnson visits Tallahassee to talk up Medicaid managed care

Measures would promote ADA compliance — and, with luck, discourage litigation