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

Jim RosicaOctober 1, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday appointed the general counsel of the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office as the newest judge on the 18th Judicial Circuit. Melissa Souto of Sanford previously was an attorney with the Law Office of Sherman and Souto, the Governor’s Office said in a press release. “I am confident that Melissa will serve with distinction and […]

Jim RosicaOctober 1, 2015

Screen-Shot-2015-09-29-at-4.42.47-PM-1024x1024.png

Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump and Mike Huckabee have signed on to speak at the Republican Party of Florida’s Sunshine Summit in Orlando this November. The party made the announcement in a Thursday press release. Trump, the real estate tycoon and reality show star, still leads his competitors in the polls, with 25.5 percent in the Huffington […]

Jim RosicaOctober 1, 2015

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam says he’s expanding the “Fresh From Florida: On the Menu” program, meaning more restaurants will be highlighting state-produced produce, seafood and other foodstuffs. Putnam announced the move in a press release on Thursday. The new eateries in the program include Blue Bamboo and Grinders American Diner in Jacksonville, BellaBrava and Stillwaters Tavern in St. Petersburg, the 101 Restaurant in Tallahassee, and 30 locations of […]

Jim RosicaOctober 1, 2015

black-and-white-city-skyline-buildings-large-1024x1024.jpg

New York City is now in Gov. Rick Scott‘s crosshairs as the next place to plunder for jobs to bring to the Sunshine State. Scott’s office on Thursday announced the Republican governor would embark on another “domestic economic development mission” to The City So Nice They Named it Twice from Oct. 6-8. He’ll be enticing […]

Jim RosicaOctober 1, 2015

Nearly 30 new laws go into effect Thursday, Oct. 1, ranging from prohibiting placing “tracking devices” on people’s cars and outlawing “revenge porn” to making it a crime to impersonate a firefighter. One omnibus highway law becoming law allows a law enforcement agency to spend up to $5,000 “to cover funeral and burial expenses of a […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 30, 2015

A Pasco County senator on Wednesday filed legislation to protect businesses that do work for government agencies from being harassed with lawsuits over public records violations. Sen. Wilton Simpson, a Trilby Republican, explained in a statement that “scammers use Florida’s open government and sunshine laws to target and intimidate job creators for unjust financial gain.” “Many Florida business owners contract […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 30, 2015

State Sen. Gwen Margolis will try again to get the sale, possession and use of powdered alcohol, or “palcohol,” banned in Florida. Margolis, a Miami-Dade Democrat, filed her bill (SB 392) on Wednesday for the 2016 Legislative Session, which begins in January. A similar bill she sponsored last session passed the Senate on a 35-2 vote […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 30, 2015

It’s still not clear how much a proposed constitutional amendment allowing medical use of marijuana will cost the state to implement, nor how much Florida will gain financially from it. The state’s Financial Impact Estimating Conference, made up of various state officials, met Wednesday to go over nearly 600 pages of reference material on the initiative. One […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 30, 2015

A Tallahassee-area judge who presided over several high-profile state-related lawsuits has been ordered off the bench immediately and permanently. Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford also once ordered a woman to pay $15,000 in restitution at a rate of $1 per month, stretching the full repayment into the year 3249. The Florida Supreme Court declared Fulford “involuntarily retired from judicial service,” […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 30, 2015

Screen-Shot-2015-09-30-at-10.32.12-AM-1024x1024.png

Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie on Wednesday continued to call out political insiders and reporters for focusing on ‘inside baseball’ matters that don’t matter to most American voters. The New Jersey governor, appearing on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program, used the example of the race to be the next speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. […]

Jim Rosica
A sign that reads, Gaza Solidarity Encampment, is seen during the Pro-Palestinians protest at the Columbia University campus in New York, Monday April 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

Melissa Souto appointed circuit judge

Donald Trump, Mike Huckabee added to Sunshine Summit

Email Insights: More restaurants to serve ‘Fresh from Florida’ food

Rick Scott takes Manhattan next week

New laws go into effect on Oct. 1

Wilton Simpson files legislation on public records litigation

South Fla. lawmaker refiles ‘palcohol’ bill

State panel talks dollars and cents of medical pot

Supreme Court orders judge ‘involuntarily retired’

Chris Christie: Americans don’t care about inside-DC politics