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

Jim RosicaJuly 19, 2017

The executive committee of Enterprise Florida (EFI), the state’s public-private economic development organization, Wednesday recommended lawyer Pete Antonacci to be its next CEO. The vote for Antonacci, formerly Gov. Rick Scott‘s general counsel and now head of the South Florida Water Management District, is largely a formality. The full board is expected to approve Antonacci’s nomination; he’s […]

Jim RosicaJuly 19, 2017

If the state thinks a law requiring women to wait 24 hours before getting an abortion is constitutional, it needs to prove it, a Tallahassee judge said during a Wednesday hearing. Circuit Judge Terry Lewis—a 28-year veteran of the bench—gave the Attorney General’s Office 60 days to develop evidence to counter a Supreme Court decision this […]

Jim RosicaJuly 18, 2017

Agriculture Commissioner and Republican candidate for governor Adam Putnam Tuesday said “there is absolutely a pathway” to bring back open carry and to permit what’s called “campus carry” in Florida. “We have a track record of law-abiding citizens in Florida who submit their fingerprints, undergo background checks, and lawfully exercise their Second Amendment right,” he told […]

Jim RosicaJuly 18, 2017

State Rep. Tom Goodson, a Brevard County Republican, is among 14 applicants so far for vacancies on the state’s Public Service Commission, according to a preliminary list released Monday. The terms of Commissioners Art Graham and Ronald Brisé are up at the end of the year, but both men have reapplied for their positions. They were last reappointed by Gov. Rick […]

Jim RosicaJuly 17, 2017

A Tallahassee judge sided with life insurance companies Monday, restricting preliminary information-gathering by the state in defense of a new law requiring insurers to track down beneficiaries. The outside lawyer for the Department of Financial Services, which advocated for the measure, said he plans to appeal the decision that allows only limited discovery. “We believe, respectfully, […]

Jim RosicaJuly 17, 2017

A Tallahassee attorney who fronted “large sums of money” to a professional poker player is suing after the player lost over $22,000 of that bankroll in unauthorized side gambling, according to a lawsuit filed last week. Hal Lewis is a name partner in the Fonvielle Lewis Messer & McConnaughhay personal-injury law firm and a poker […]

Jim RosicaJuly 17, 2017

Life insurers will be in court Monday in their lawsuit against the Department of Financial Services over a law requiring them to track down insurance beneficiaries. Circuit Judge Terry Lewis is set to hear argument in the Leon County Courthouse about their request to cancel planned depositions of their employees, which they call “burdensome, harassing and irrelevant.” The […]

Jim RosicaJuly 14, 2017

A proposed constitutional amendment aimed at limiting gambling’s expansion in the state is now over the 100,000 signature mark. Division of Elections records show the “Voter Control of Gambling” amendment now has 104,416 signatures toward getting on the 2018 statewide ballot. But that’s still a long way from the 766,200 signatures needed for the initiative’s ballot placement. […]

Jim RosicaJuly 13, 2017

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Former state Rep. Tom Grady will take Jimmy Patronis‘ place on the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC), Gov. Rick Scott announced Thursday evening. In picking Grady, a Naples attorney and a friend of Scott’s, the governor passed over the three alternates he previously selected to fill an empty seat on the commission, which will review the state’s governing document […]

Jim RosicaJuly 13, 2017

The Florida Supreme Court Thursday dismissed a challenge of Gov. Rick Scott‘s veto of reimbursements to homeowners whose healthy citrus trees were torn down by the state. The homeowners had asked the court to undo Scott’s veto of more than $37 million by filing a petition for writ of mandamus, an order to an elected official to perform a certain […]

Jim Rosica
Golf ball and golf club in bag on green grass

Pete Antonacci likely next head of Enterprise Florida

Judge gives state 2 months to defend abortion waiting period

Adam Putnam sees ‘pathway’ to open carry, campus carry

Tom Goodson, others apply for Public Service Commission

CFO’s office largely loses fight to get info from insurance companies

‘Busted’: Lawyer, poker player at odds over ‘staking’ deal

CFO’s office back in court over insurance benefits case

Gambling control amendment surpasses 100,000 signatures

Rick Scott names Tom Grady to constitutional review panel

Squeezed: Supreme Court denies challenge of citrus veto