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

Jim RosicaFebruary 22, 2016

State Rep. Matt Gaetz has introduced his own amendment to a judicial term-limits bill that will be before the House Tuesday, inspired by the debate over naming a successor to the late U.S. Supreme Court Antonin Scalia. That amendment reads in part: “… if a justice of the (state) supreme court dies within one year […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 22, 2016

Former Florida Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham on Monday filed his friend-of-the-court brief with the state Supreme Court, arguing against the expansion of slot machines. Graham’s brief is for a Gadsden County case in which the operators of a racetrack in Gretna say they should be allowed to also offer slot machines because voters […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 22, 2016

State Rep. Jared Moskowitz on Monday began filing last-minute amendments to the House’s judicial term-limits bill. The measure (HB 197) likely will be dead on arrival when it gets to the Senate. Indeed, the Senate version of the (SB 322) has yet to be heard with three weeks left in the 2016 Legislative Session. Under the legislation, pushed […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 19, 2016

The bill meant to be the vehicle for the House of Representatives’ 2016 business and economic incentives package will be considered by the full chamber soon. But it still doesn’t have a dollar amount. House Speaker Steve Crisafulli yanked the legislation (HB 1325) from its remaining committee stops this week, meaning it will go straight to […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 18, 2016

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State Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, the Florida House of Representatives’ point man on gambling, said Thursday said the Senate’s current version of the Seminole Compact and accompanying gambling overhaul is “too much” for his tastes – and that of his membership. “There’s a lot of extra slot parlors in the Senate bill,” said Diaz, the […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 18, 2016

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Senate President Andy Gardiner says he’s still unclear whether changes made this week to the proposed gambling deal between the state and the Seminole Tribe of Florida would violate an existing agreement between the two. “We probably have to get some revenue estimating numbers to find out,” he told reporters after Thursday’s floor session. “There are […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 18, 2016

The Florida Senate on Thursday began considering a bill creating a legal presumption that parents deserve equal time with their children after a divorce. A vote on the measure (SB 250) could take place next week. In sum, it says starting with the assumption of 50-50 time-sharing at the beginning of custody cases is in […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 18, 2016

An appellate court has said “pay up” to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) in a financial dispute with Pinellas County over the cost of “secure juvenile detention care.” The 1st District Court of Appeal, in an opinion released Thursday, ruled against the department in a case the judges noted was “one of many now pending before this […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 18, 2016

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House Speaker Steve Crisafulli on Thursday said the budget conference process won’t begin just yet. The Merritt Island Republican announced the news to members of this chamber in an email: From: Crisafulli, Steve Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2016 9:16 AM Subject: Conference will not begin this weekend Members: There is positive forward progress in the […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 18, 2016

Dozens of state officials whose appointments need Senate approval will be considered Thursday by the Florida Senate, records show. Among Gov. Rick Scott‘s top officials on the docket are Corrections Secretary Julie Jones, Children and Families (DCF) Secretary Mike Carroll, and Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Commissioner Rick Swearingen. Swearingen replaced former Commissioner Gerry Bailey, forced […]

Jim Rosica

Matt Gaetz and the “Scalia amendment”

Bob Graham weighs in against expanding slot machines

Jared Moskowitz still trying to amend judicial term limits bill

House economic incentives bill heading to floor

Jose Felix Diaz says House would “riot” over Senate gambling legislation

Andy Gardiner questions impact of changed Seminole Compact, gambling bill

Child time-sharing bill goes before full Senate

Pinellas County wins a round in money dispute with state

Steve Crisafulli says no budget conference yet

It’s confirmations day in Florida Senate