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

Jim RosicaNovember 4, 2015

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David Plouffe, President Barack Obama‘s 2008 campaign manager, says the lasting popularity of Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump and Ben Carson shows that “the old (political) rules don’t apply” anymore. Plouffe, now chief adviser to the Uber ride-hailing service, appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program Wednesday. Trump, the real estate tycoon-turned-reality TV star, and Carson, a retired […]

Jim RosicaNovember 4, 2015

A House panel on Wednesday approved a bill that would require local law enforcement wearing body cameras to develop guidelines for their use. The Criminal Justice subcommittee unanimously cleared the bill (HB 93), sponsored by state Rep. Shevrin Jones, a West Park Democrat. The bill would allow the decision to wear body-cams to remain with local police and sheriffs. […]

Jim RosicaNovember 4, 2015

A bill aimed at removing the statue of a Confederate Army general representing Florida at the U.S. Capitol cleared its first House committee on Wednesday. The Economic Development and Tourism subcommittee unanimously OK’d the bill (HB 141), which asks Congress to remove the statue of Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith and replace it with another “prominent Florida citizen.” State Rep. Jose […]

Jim RosicaNovember 3, 2015

The Florida House of Representatives Tuesday passed its version of a redrawn state Senate district map, sending it back to the Senate for a likely conference process. The map was passed 73-47, with all Democrats in opposition and some Republicans joining them, including state Reps. Matt Gaetz, Chris Latvala and Ray Pilon. A long line […]

Jim RosicaNovember 3, 2015

Following their Senate colleagues, the House Democratic Caucus plans to vote against the proposed Senate district map. At a Democratic caucus meeting before Tuesday’s session, House Democratic Leader Mark Pafford informally asked the crowd whether any member intended to vote for the map. No one signaled they would. The version of the map the Senate […]

Jim RosicaNovember 3, 2015

A measure that would impose term limits on Florida’s appellate-level judges cleared its first House committee on Tuesday. The House Civil Justice subcommittee approved the bill (HB 197) on an 8-5 vote largely along party lines, though one Republican, George Moraitis of Fort Lauderdale, voted against it. State Rep. John Wood, the Winter Haven Republican sponsoring […]

Jim RosicaNovember 2, 2015

Once again, lawmakers have filed what’s known as a “claim bill” to compensate the family of Devaughn Darling, a Florida State University freshman linebacker who died during a February 2001 practice. State Rep. Mia Jones, a Jacksonville Democrat, submitted the bill (HB 3513) on Monday, with a Senate companion sponsored by Democratic Leader Arthenia Joyner of Tampa. The Darling family […]

Jim RosicaNovember 2, 2015

The House redistricting panel on Monday OK’d along party lines a map filed by its chair to redraw the state Senate districts. The Select Committee on Redistricting voted 9-4 to approve the map that chair Jose Oliva, a Miami Lakes Republican, had said borrows from the plaintiffs’ proposal. The full House will next take up that […]

Jim RosicaNovember 2, 2015

A panel of state lawmakers going over the first-ever audits of lobbying firm income on Monday started bringing up a common question: Why are we doing this? “I may be an outlier … (but) I don’t understand how the public’s interest is advanced by this exercise,” said state Sen. Rob Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican who sits on the Joint […]

Jim RosicaNovember 2, 2015

A joint panel of the Florida Legislature will go over the first round of lobbying firm audit reports at its meeting Monday morning. The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee plans to meet, starting at 9:30 a.m. The results of the first-ever audits of lobbyists’ compensation forms were released last month. Auditors found a number of firms either under-reporting […]

Jim Rosica

David Plouffe: Popularity of Donald Trump, Ben Carson shows “old rules don’t apply”

Police body-camera bill OK’d by House panel

Confederate statue bill clears first House committee

House passes redistricting map

House Democrats will vote against redistricting map

Term limits for appellate judges OK’d by House panel

Devaughn Darling claim bill filed again

Fla. House panel clears Jose Oliva map for state Senate districts

Auditing panel muses whether lobbyists should be audited

Legislative panel will discuss recent lobbying audits