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

Jim RosicaMarch 2, 2018

The House and Senate gambling bills were heard separately Friday, but one lawmaker already is folding his hand. “The chances of a gaming bill passing this session are none,” said Rep. Joe Abruzzo, a Boynton Beach Democrat. “Let’s go home.” A strike-all amendment had been OK’d on the Senate’s legislation (SB 840) in the Appropriations […]

Jim RosicaMarch 2, 2018

In a rare move, the Senate will meet on Saturday to consider school safety legislation. With the Session clock ticking down, Senate President Joe Negron announced the weekend sitting on Friday morning in a memo to fellow senators. The 2018 Legislative Session is scheduled to end next Friday. A floor session is planned for 10 a.m.-1 […]

Jim RosicaMarch 2, 2018

A coalition of progressive and other groups has asked the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) to consider a constitutional amendment that would “ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines.” The Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, Progress Florida, the League of Women Voters of Florida and 10 others sent a letter to CRC chair Carlos Beruff on Friday. Noting […]

Jim RosicaMarch 1, 2018

Senate Appropriations Chairman Rob Bradley told reporters Thursday “major (budget) issues are still unresolved” but “we’re having great communications” with the House. “It’s been a very smooth process,” he said. No doubt helping matters is the relative closeness of the two chambers in terms of total spending for next year. The House and Senate went […]

Jim RosicaMarch 1, 2018

A strike-all amendment planned for the Senate’s 2018 gambling bill will add an authorization for slot machines in counties where voters OK’d them in local referendums, Senate President-designate Bill Galvano said Thursday. The Senate bill (SB 840) is now slated for consideration before the Appropriations Committee Friday. Galvano, a Bradenton Republican, is the Senate’s lead […]

Jim RosicaMarch 1, 2018

A line-item to fund veterans workforce training wasn’t zeroed out, state Sen. Anitere Flores said Thursday. The apparent move raised eyebrows among some watchers of the Health and Human Services budget conference. Both chambers seemed to agree on $1 million in the 2018-19 state budget. “We’re just changing the funding source,” she told Florida Politics. “We […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 28, 2018

The good news out of the first meeting of the Legislature’s general government budget conference, held Wednesday night, was how close the House and Senate already are. A relatively small gulf of about $9.2 million separated the two budgets, worth roughly $2 billion each, from the House Government Operations & Technology Appropriations Subcommittee, and the Senate […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 28, 2018

A raft of House bills related to alcoholic beverages, including one dealing with booze-delivery apps, were discussed Wednesday and set up for votes. Among them, one (HB 667) would expressly allow Floridians to use a smartphone app to order alcoholic beverages for home delivery. It’s supported by Uber, among others. Delivery through apps such as Drizly and Shipt is […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 26, 2018

A House panel on Monday cleared the chamber’s gambling legislation for 2018, making it available for the floor. But the bill (HB 7067) still is far from the Senate position. And it continues to bother Democrats by devoting money from gambling to the “Schools of Hope” backed by Speaker Richard Corcoran, which the minority party sees as […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 26, 2018

Updated 5:45 p.m. Sunday — One gaming lobbyist still isn’t convinced the Legislature will pass comprehensive legislation this year, texting in response to our story, “Zombie bill of the session.” — The House’s gambling bill for 2018 on Sunday was added to the Commerce Committee‘s agenda for Monday. The legislation (HB 7067) was added minutes before […]

Jim Rosica

Sucker bet? Gambling bills on the move in both chambers

Senate will meet Saturday to consider school safety bill

Progressive groups call for constitutional amendment on guns

Rob Bradley on the budget: ‘A smooth process’

Reanimated: Senate gambling bill, with changes, back in play

Veterans training still being funded, Anitere Flores says

Government operations budget conference: ‘How far apart we aren’t’

Bottoms up: Bevy of booze bills ready for vote in House

All or nothing: House gambling bill moves to floor

It lives: House gambling bill back for Monday