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

Jim RosicaSeptember 11, 2015

State Sen. Dorothy Hukill has filed legislation to further drop the state tax on cellphone service and cable and satellite television. The Port Orange Republican filed her bill (SB 256) on Friday morning. Her bill would cut the “communication services tax,” or CST, another 2 percent to 2.92 percent, and the separate rate on direct-to-home satellite service […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 11, 2015

The On 3 Public Relations firm has released a handy-dandy guide assembling all the latest campaign finances for the 2016 Senate and House races. The latest disclosures show “everything raised and spent August 1-31, 2015 by House and Senate candidates,” firm principal Christina Johnson said. There’s also a column for “cash-on-hand” amounts per candidate. Candidates had a […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 11, 2015

State Sen. Jeff Clemens on Friday filed a Senate companion bill (SB 258) to a piece of House legislation that aims to outlaw sexual conversion therapy on patients under 18. Conversion therapy generally refers to a course of treatment, including talk therapy, to change one’s orientation from homosexual to heterosexual. Last Thursday, state Rep. David Richardson, a […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 11, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott released a brief statement Friday saying news of a terrorist group sympathizer being from Florida was “infuriating.” Scott’s office said Joshua Ryne Goldberg of Orange Park was charged with “attempting to plant a bomb at a September 11th memorial ceremony in Kansas City, Missouri this weekend.” According to Fox News and CBS, Goldberg presented […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 11, 2015

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 5 p.m. to include comments from Gary Rutledge. The results of the first-ever audits of lobbyists’ compensation forms are in, with auditors finding a number of firms either under-reporting or over-reporting the money they made in 2014. In another case, auditors couldn’t tell who had paid a particular bill. […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 10, 2015

State Sen. Tom Lee won’t give up on trying to amend Florida law on alimony and child custody. On Thursday, Lee filed a bill (SB 250) to change the way divorces are handled in state courts. It marks at least the third time since 2013 that Lee, a Brandon Republican, has supported such an overhaul […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 10, 2015

A Tampa Bay-area lawmaker wants to “streamline” the process for minors to expunge or seal their criminal records. State Rep. Chris Latvala, a Clearwater Republican, filed his bill (HB 147) on Thursday for the 2016 legislative session. And fellow state Rep. Chris Sprowls, a Palm Harbor Republican and assistant state prosecutor, agreed to co-sponsor the measure. […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 10, 2015

Editor’s note: This post was updated to reflect that the Judicial Nominating Commission has yet to finalize the short list of names it will send to the governor for consideration. Alan Abramowitz, head of the state’s child-advocate program, also has been a prosecutor and a public defender in Florida’s courts. Now he wants to add “judge” […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 9, 2015

The Florida Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday said it would lead a “Washington, D.C. fly-in” to meet with members of Florida’s congressional delegation. Chamber board members will be “urging support of job creators and pushing back against burdensome regulations.” Here’s the press release: With job creators facing a tidal wave of overreaching federal regulations, the Florida Chamber […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 9, 2015

An appellate court on Wednesday granted a Walton County man’s request for a new trial on sex-crime charges because an alternate juror accidentally sat in on deliberations. Riordan Boblitt, 25, had been charged with lewd or lascivious battery on a teen and attempted sexual battery, according to the decision. A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court […]

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Dorothy Hukill wants further cut to state cellphone tax

On3PR consolidates latest campaign finance reports

Jeff Clemens files Senate version of “conversion therapy” ban

Rick Scott “infuriated” by Florida tie to terrorist group

Lobbying audit reports find discrepancies big and small

Tom Lee will try again to overhaul alimony, custody laws

Chris Latvala’s bill would “streamline” sealing of juvenile records

Alan Abramowitz among applicants for circuit judge

Florida Chamber of Commerce to hold D.C. ‘fly-In’

Sex-crime convictions reversed because of juror mix-up