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

Jim RosicaFebruary 29, 2016

A 122-page “proposed committee substitute” that dropped Sunday night on the House’s 2016 gambling legislation would keep intact the guts of the proposed Seminole Compact, while allowing for expanded gambling opportunities throughout the state. The measure, set for consideration in the House Finance and Tax Committee Monday, makes proposed revisions to the new gambling deal (HB […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 25, 2016

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Legislative leaders issued a joint statement on the 2016-17 state budget Thursday night: Members, We are pleased with the progress President (Tom) Lee and Chair (Richard) Corcoran (the Senate and House budget chiefs) have made and are optimistic we will be ready to begin the budget conference this weekend. We will update you as early […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 25, 2016

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Capping two days of ‘will he or won’t he’ guessing, House Judiciary Chairman Charles McBurney on Thursday did not call up a bill that would change the state’s Stand Your Ground law. Thursday’s meeting was the committee’s last get-together for the 2016 Legislative Session. When asked why, the Jacksonville Republican told reporters, “I had concerns from the […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 25, 2016

Fifteen legislative lobbying firms and 12 executive-branch lobbying firms were randomly selected Thursday for audits of their 2015 compensation reports. This is the second time under a 2005 state law that lobbying firms were subject to random audits. Lawmakers required that 3 percent of firms registered to lobby in the state would be picked at random. Here is the […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 25, 2016

Less than three months after his death, a court battle has broken out over the estate of Florida Supreme Court Justice Leander J. Shaw Jr. Among the disclosures in court documents filed in Leon County, where Shaw lived after retiring from the court in 2003: Shaw, the first black chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court, died without having drawn […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 25, 2016

A man who was escorted out of a Senate committee hearing last week was arrested by Capitol police Wednesday and charged with trespassing and resisting an officer, both misdemeanors. Antonio Ringo Davis, 35, of no fixed address, was booked into the Leon County Jail, where he remained Wednesday morning. Davis caused a scene at the Senate Government […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 24, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday signaled he would approve a bill to remove and replace a statue of a Confederate army general as one of Florida’s two entries in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall. The House passed the Senate’s bill (SB 310) by a vote of 83-32 earlier in the day. The House put aside its version (HB 141) […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 24, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday suggested, with as much subtext as he could muster, that lawmakers need to come around on his two main budget goals for 2016-17: $1 billion in tax cuts and $25o million for business incentives. After all, legislative leadership passed their priority bills early on, which Scott happily signed. The message was […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 24, 2016

There were still no definite answers Wednesday on whether the House will consider a Senate-approved change to the state’s Stand Your Ground law. The Senate bill, backed by state Sen. Rob Bradley, “shifts the burden of proof from the defendant to the prosecution” in pretrial hearings on whether a use of force was justifiable, according to […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 24, 2016

The Senate’s alimony overhaul bill cleared its second review panel Wednesday, though it was again rushed through in the remaining minutes of a committee hearing. The Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice OK’d the bill (SB 668), aimed of getting rid of “forever alimony,” on a 5-2 party-line vote. As in its first hearing in the Judiciary […]

Jim Rosica

Lawmakers file 122 pages of changes to Seminole Compact

Budget conference to begin this weekend

Stand Your Ground bill dies in Judiciary panel

The results are in: Lobbying firms randomly selected for audits

Accusations fly in court fight over Justice Leander Shaw’s estate

“Capitol Pitbull Dude” arrested at Senate Office Building

Rick Scott says he’ll sign Confederate statue bill

Rick Scott calls session “successful” – but still hasn’t got what he wants

Stand Your Ground bill still in legislative limbo

Alimony bill clears 2nd committee in Senate