Ryan Ray, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan RayNovember 4, 2015

A bill to allow guns on Florida’s college campuses passed a House panel on higher education Wednesday morning, amid a heated debate on the role of firearms in public spaces. The bill passed easily through the House Higher Education & Workforce Subcommittee, though former police officer and Democratic Rep. Dave Kerner spoke against the bill and joined impassioned […]

Ryan RayNovember 3, 2015

Amid reports of low turnout in Orlando municipal elections, Democratic Mayor Buddy Dyer defeated Republican veteran and businessman Paul Paulson by a wide 63-to-33 margin on Thursday. “Sunshine“ Lisa Grund, a local medical student, took in about 4 percent of the vote. District 4 City Commissioner Patty Sheehan also scored another term against challengers Randy Ross, who gathered 20 percent of the vote, and Aretha […]

Ryan RayNovember 3, 2015

A pair of bills to allow businesses to write off the costs of installing solar panels on commercial properties got the green light Tuesday from a Senate panel. “Occasionally a bill comes along both the Baptists and the bootleggers can agree on, and this is one of those proposals,” said St. Petersburg Sen. Jeff Brandes. The […]

Ryan RayNovember 3, 2015

Amid a heated inter-industry debate among representatives of title insurance companies and homeowners’ and condominium association managers, a bill to shift certain closing costs onto the latter passed the House Civil Justice Committee on Tuesday with two “no” votes. Republican Rep. John Wood‘s HB 203 is based on the premise that HOAs and condo associations are charging […]

Ryan RayNovember 2, 2015

Coral Springs Rep. Jared Moskowitz filed a bill Monday to create a Florida Holocaust Memorial at the state Capitol in Tallahassee. Moskowitz’s HB 513 would direct the Department of Management Services to receive recommendations from the Florida Historical Commission on where and how to build a memorial within the Capitol complex honoring the millions of victims of Nazi extermination […]

Ryan RayNovember 2, 2015

A gaggle of Republican House members gathered outside the Capitol Monday morning to register their opposition to a bill they call the “home tax” – and to smash it in effigy. “Any time you are taking money from homeowners, it’s a tax hike,” Rep. Dennis Baxley said. “We always have to be vigilant because increased costs […]

Ryan RayNovember 2, 2015

As the rollicking presidential campaign of New York real estate mogul Donald Trump recently took a moment to put forth a policy proposal or two, Floridians may have noticed one that seemed familiar. “Under a Trump Administration, all veterans eligible for VA health care can bring their veteran’s ID card to any doctor or care facility that […]

Ryan RayOctober 30, 2015

Judge Joseph Lewis Jr. of the 1st District Court of Appeal dealt a blow to advocates of so-called “campus carry” Friday when he affirmed a lower court’s decision in favor of the University of Florida against the gun rights group Florida Carry. It took UF to court over the school’s policy prohibiting guns in campus-owned […]

Ryan RayOctober 29, 2015

A working group of engineers, researchers, and municipal officials from four South Florida counties has amended their short- and long-term projections on the severity of rising sea levels Thursday, saying they expect six to 10 inches of sea level rise by 2030, and between 28 and 57 inches by 2100. The four-county Southeast Florida Regional […]

Ryan RayOctober 29, 2015

The Senate campaign of U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy saw a significant windfall Thursday as five members of the chamber he seeks to join endorsed his campaign. According to an announcement, Murphy can now count former Democratic National Committee Chairman and Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island […]

Ryan Ray

“Campus carry” bill approved by House higher ed panel

Incumbents win the day in Orlando as Buddy Dyer, Patty Sheehan, Sam Ings win

Bills to encourage solar panel installations OK’d by Senate panel

Disputed real estate estoppel bill clears House panel, but has a long way to go

Bill filed to create Florida Holocaust Memorial

Lawmakers vow to “smash the home tax”

Donald Trump veterans’ plan mirrors David Jolly’s

1st DCA upholds UF policy against guns in student housing

Southeast Florida regional climate group amends sea level rise projections

Patrick Murphy picks up endorsements from 5 sitting Democratic senators