Jim Rosica, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaJanuary 5, 2017

New state Sen. Lauren Book, who’s eight months pregnant with twins, also has filed legislation to exempt diapers and baby wipes from the state’s 6 percent sales tax. Book, a Broward County Democrat, filed her bill (SB 252) Thursday. A similar provision was filed last month by House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz of Tampa. The 32-year-old lawmaker, […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 5, 2017

A federal judge has turned down a request by a North Florida race track to alter his ruling allowing the Seminole Tribe of Florida to keep blackjack at its casinos. But the loss turned out to be a win for the track’s own card games. Senior U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle issued his order Wednesday. Gretna Racing in Gadsden County had moved to intervene last […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 4, 2017

A House bill would require judges to make specific findings before they can award attorney fees in public records lawsuits. State Rep. Danny Burgess, a Zephyrhills Republican and lawyer, filed the measure (HB 163) on Wednesday. It would require a judge to determine that a public agency “unlawfully refused to permit a public record to be […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 4, 2017

Christian D. Searcy doesn’t consider himself “the most political person” but suggests you don’t need a weatherman to see which way the wind is blowing on Florida’s judicial nominating panels. Searcy, president of the Searcy, Denney, Scarola, Barnhart & Shipley personal-injury law firm, reacted to Tuesday’s news about the state’s Judicial Nominating Commissions (JNCs). Gov. Rick Scott had […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 4, 2017

A bill to exempt fantasy sports play from state gambling regulation has again been filed in the Florida Legislature. State Rep. Jason Brodeur, a Sanford Republican, filed a measure (HB 149) on Wednesday. The bill would clarify that fantasy contests “reflect the relative knowledge and skill of the participants” and are not games of chance […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 4, 2017

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Eight Florida lawmakers have signed up to attend this weekend’s meeting of the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States in Scottsdale, Arizona. The three-day conference, to include a keynote address from Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, is being held at the 4-star Hotel Valley Ho. On the RSVP list: — State Rep. Halsey Beshears, a Monticello Republican. […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 3, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott has rejected all suggestions from The Florida Bar to fill vacancies in several of the state’s Judicial Nominating Commissions (JNC), the panels that recommend lawyers for judgeships. The latest rejections now add up to at least 90 of the Bar’s recommendations for JNC openings that Scott has turned down since taking office in 2011, according […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 3, 2017

The tegu lizard is dead to Frank Artiles. The Republican state senator from Miami-Dade County filed legislation (SB 230) Tuesday to eradicate the non-native reptile tegu from Florida. The lizard is “decimat(ing) the fauna and flora of the Everglades and other natural areas and ecosystems in the southern and central parts of this state at […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 3, 2017

Debra Henley left her job as executive director of the Florida Justice Association last month and is temporarily being replaced by her deputy, Paul Jess, according to a Tuesday press release. Jess, who was called a “veteran association executive and attorney,” is now interim executive director, the release said. The news comes just a couple of months after rumblings about […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 3, 2017

Social networking platform Facebook has again hired Sebastian Aleksander for the 2017 Legislative Session, lobbyist registration records reviewed Tuesday. This makes the third year in a row that Aleksander will have represented the social media behemoth, based in Menlo Park, California. Among other major websites, he also represents Yahoo! Inc., records show. Facebook’s last significant interest in Florida legislation […]

Jim Rosica
Family members appear behind a pile of debris outside their home in Steinhatchee, Fla., Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, after Hurricane Helene slammed Florida's Big Bend as a Category 4 storm Thursday night. (Ashleigh Lucas/WUFT News)

Soon-to-be new mom Lauren Book wants diapers exempt from sales tax

Judge says no to Gretna track in gambling dispute

House bill would affect public records lawsuits

Is Rick Scott co-opting Florida’s judicial nominating process?

Fantasy sports bill filed again in Legislature

Lawmakers heading to Arizona for gambling conference

Rick Scott rejects Bar’s nominees for state’s judicial panels

Frank Artiles takes on the tegu

Personnel note: Debra Henley out at FJA, Paul Jess in

Facebook again hires Sebastian Aleksander for 2017 session