Scott Powers, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersDecember 19, 2018

Pardons for the Groveland Four are heading for a hearing. Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said Wednesday that he is sending a letter to the Florida Office of Executive Clemency invoking Rule 17, which allows any member of the Florida Cabinet to place a case “of exceptional merit” on the upcoming agenda of the […]

Scott PowersDecember 19, 2018

Lest anyone think that U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy‘s ascendency this fall into leadership of the Democrats’ centrist “Blue Dog Coalition” is about the Winter Park congresswoman rebranding herself with that group’s history of conservative politics, a Washington Post story Tuesday suggests she is, rather, helping rebrand the Blue Dogs. For Murphy it’s not a matter of […]

Scott PowersDecember 19, 2018

Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio called for the Florida Cabinet to provide an action of posthumous justice for the Groveland Four during a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate Tuesday night, declaring, “It is time to do the right thing for the Groveland Four!” Rubio’s comments brought to the U.S. Capitol the case of […]

Scott PowersDecember 18, 2018

Citing Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis‘ environmental platform, Democratic state Sen. Linda Stewartis taking another shot at getting oil and gas hydraulic fracturing, fracking, banned in the state of Florida. Stewart filed SB 146 putting a fracking ban back on the Senate’s plate for the seventh or eighth time this decade, this time anticipating momentum and help […]

Scott PowersDecember 18, 2018

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubiowants to overhaul the formulas Medicaid uses to reimburse states and ultimately hospitals for treating indigent patients, which could bolster low-income states, with Florida in line for an additional $600 million over time. Rubio announced Tuesday he has introduced the State Accountability, Flexibility and Equity for Hospitals Act, seeking to update federal […]

Scott PowersDecember 17, 2018

Help with Indian River Lagoon restoration projects and otherwise let cities and the county run their own affairs, area leaders told Volusia County’s Legislative delegation Monday. Time and again, representatives of Volusia County, Daytona Beach and other cities and towns in the county urged support for septic-to-sewer and other environmental protection projects aimed at improving […]

Scott PowersDecember 17, 2018

Democratic state Rep. Anna Eskamani declared that Richard Corcoran has “no professional background in education” in a letter to the Florida Board of Education urging it to conduct a national search before picking Florida’s next Education Commissioner. Corcoran, the pick by Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis for the job, is set to be considered by the Florida Board of […]

Scott PowersDecember 14, 2018

State Reps. Holly Raschein, Chris Latvala, and Jay Trumbull are among seven members appointed by Speaker Jose Oliva to chair House appropriations subcommittees. That trio plus state Reps. Jayer Williamson, MaryLynn Magar, Randy Fine, and Clay Yarborough join Appropriations Committee Chair Travis Cummings of Clay County to lead House budgeting efforts over the next two […]

Scott PowersDecember 13, 2018

An international backlash against Airbnb’s November decision to not work with Israeli rental home hosts in Israel’s West Bank settlements is emerging in Florida with Surfside declaring the vacation rental home marketing platform is in violation of its law and Miami set to follow with a resolution condemning the company. The municipalities’ backlash comes after Airbnb […]

Scott PowersDecember 13, 2018

Brightline expects to start construction this winter on its planned, privately owned, higher-speed passenger railroad connecting South Florida to Orlando and envisions the first trains to start rolling into Orlando International Airport as soon as late 2021. Patrick Goddard, president and chief executive officer of Virgin Trains USA, also known as Brightline and formerly known as […]

Scott Powers
Image via AP.

Jimmy Patronis seeking Groveland Four pardons

Stephanie Murphy says ‘Blue Dogs’ bite will come from pragmatism

Marco Rubio calls for justice for Groveland Four

Linda Stewart thinks this time may be the charm for anti-fracking bill

Marco Rubio’s bill seeks to change Medicaid hospital reimbursements, aid Florida

Indian River aid, Home Rule urged to Volusia lawmakers

Anna Eskamani calls Richard Corcoran ‘politically motivated and unqualified’ to be education chief

House appropriations subcommittee chairs settled

Cities hitting Airbnb over Israel West Bank listings policy

Brightline expects trains to roll into Orlando as soon as 2021