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

Jim RosicaNovember 9, 2015

The lawyer for the group behind one of two proposed constitutional amendments on solar power Monday told a panel of state economists he expected the initiative would have “no fiscal impact” if passed. Attorney Neal McAliley of the White & Case law firm, representing Consumers for Smart Solar, spoke before the Financial Impact Estimating Conference on Monday. McAliley told […]

Jim RosicaNovember 9, 2015

A panel of state economists on Monday will go over the financial impact of one of two proposed constitutional amendments on solar power. The Financial Impact Estimating Conference will meet at 9 a.m. to take public comment on the amendment sponsored by Consumers for Smart Solar, a utility-backed coalition. That initiative so far has reported 139,560 of the 683,149 valid […]

Jim RosicaNovember 9, 2015

Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul said a recent report claiming fellow candidate Ben Carson fabricated a story about being offered a scholarship to West Point was a “misunderstanding.” “I think sometimes we make a mountain out of a mole hill,” Paul said. Paul, the junior U.S. Senator from Kentucky, spoke on MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews.” “I didn’t graduate […]

Jim RosicaNovember 8, 2015

Rhea Chiles, widow of former Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles, died Sunday, according to a statement from her family. She was 84. Chiles, who was being attended by hospice workers, died at her home on Anna Maria Island along the coast of Manatee County. Mrs. Chiles was known for her efforts in 1973 to create Florida […]

Jim RosicaNovember 5, 2015

The Florida Legislature became the little engine that couldn’t on Thursday, failing to agree on a new map redrawing the state Senate districts after three weeks of trying in a Special Session. This makes three out of four legislative sessions this year that ended in discord, this time in a redistricting session that itself likely […]

Jim RosicaNovember 5, 2015

The Legislature’s two redistricting chairs hastily agreed Thursday on a map the House passed earlier this week as the one lawmakers should adopt to redraw the state’s Senate districts. It’s the same map that senators already had rejected to force this week’s conference process between House chair Jose Oliva and his Senate counterpart, Bill Galvano. In a one-and-a-half-minute long […]

Jim RosicaNovember 5, 2015

With a little more than a day left in the Special Session, lawmakers scrambled to come up with a redrawn Florida Senate district map that will pass court muster, but also get enough votes to pass out of the Legislature. Senators from both parties, however, didn’t like what they saw at a Thursday morning meeting, […]

Jim RosicaNovember 4, 2015

As the Special Session for Senate redistricting drew to a close, lawmakers were taking time off. On Wednesday, two senators had excused absences and weren’t on the floor as their colleagues OK’d a conference process to finish redrawing the district map. Sen. Maria Sachs, a Delray Beach Democrat, “had a personal commitment” and Sen. Denise Grimsley, a […]

Jim RosicaNovember 4, 2015

State lawmakers filed bills Wednesday that would create exemptions to state public records law, ranging from topics involving substance abuse to cell-phone tracking. State Sen. Joe Abruzzo, a Boynton Beach Democrat, filed a bill (SB 762) that would shield the names of people involuntarily committed for substance abuse treatment. “The personal health of an individual and […]

Jim RosicaNovember 4, 2015

The Florida Senate on Wednesday agreed to go into conference to iron out the differences between its proposed map for new Senate districts and the House of Representatives’ proposal. That conference, however, will consist of only two people: Senate redistricting panel chair Bill Galvano, and his House counterpart, Jose Oliva. During the last Special Session, […]

Jim Rosica

Lawyer for solar initiative predicts ‘no fiscal impact’

State economists to review solar power amendment

Rand Paul says Ben Carson’s West Point story was ‘misunderstanding’

Rhea Chiles, former Florida first lady, dies at 84

Senate votes down redistricting map, ending Special Session

Redistricting chairs agree to go back to House-approved map

Lawmakers consider more maps as redistricting clock counts down

As Special Session winds down, lawmakers take off

Lawmakers file host of privacy-related bills

Senate rejects House map, agrees to conference