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

Scott PowersDecember 7, 2017

State Sen. Kathleen Passidomo has launched a powerful and alarming promotion of her bill to create a new Florida-based project to take care of babies born to opioid-addicted mothers. Passidomo, a Republican from Naples, posted social-media advertising featuring a video produced with Golisano Children’s Hospital of Fort Myers, talking about babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome, […]

Scott PowersDecember 6, 2017

Stories of first responders to the 2016 massacre at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub who have developed post-traumatic stress disorder, including a police officer dismissed Tuesday night, spurred several Orlando lawmakers Wednesday to renew their call for Florida’s Workers Compensation to provide mental health coverage for them. Democratic state Sen. Victor Torres of Orlando and Democratic state […]

Scott PowersDecember 6, 2017

A House of Representatives panel approved a bill that would award $750,000 from Orange County to a man injured when his motorcycle was struck by a county work van in 2006. The award, if it receives ultimate approval by the Florida Legislature, is far less than the $2.9 million awarded to Robert Allan Smith in […]

Scott PowersDecember 6, 2017

After hearing what he called “horrible” stories of pets being left chained outside during Hurricane Irma, state Rep. Bobby Olszewski has filed a bill that would make that against the law in Florida, requiring owners to do all they can to get shelter for their animal companions. House Bill 907 would kick in anytime an […]

Scott PowersDecember 6, 2017

With the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program and other health programs expiring, U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy has introduced a reauthorization bill that is becoming the Democrats’ favored vehicle facing Republican alternative measures. On Tuesday Murphy introduced House Resolution 4541, which would reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) community health centers funding, and other critical public health […]

Scott PowersDecember 5, 2017

Former prosecutor Jennifer Spath has filed to run for the special election in House District 39, seeking to replace form state Rep. Neil Combee, who resigned last month to take a federal job. Spath, a Republican from Bartow, is a fourth generation Floridian who said she’ll be running on conservative principles, including support for gun rights, […]

Scott PowersDecember 5, 2017

Note: An earlier version of this story inaccurately reported the vote of state Rep. Chris Latvala. After facing down Democrats’ harsh questioning of the bill’s intentions, a Florida House committee voted nearly along party lines Tuesday to approve a measure to require most public employees’ unions to meet a dues-paying threshold or face recertification. The […]

Scott PowersDecember 5, 2017

State Rep. Jason Brodeur wants life insurance companies to keep their hands off customers DNA. Broder, a Sanford Republican, filed House Bill 855 Monday forbidding insurance companies from using genetic testing to assess risks for life insurance, for disability insurance, and long-term care insurance. There’s already a federal law keeping that information private, but Brodeur […]

Scott PowersDecember 4, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott‘s administration upped the pressure on Orlando’s State Attorney Aramis Ayala with a letter Monday demanding answers on why she apparently missed a deadline for filing notice of a death penalty case and accusing her of possible “willful disregard” of the law. The letter from Scott’s general counsel Daniel Nordby might be setting […]

Scott PowersDecember 4, 2017

Republican state Rep. Rene Plasencia is pushing a bill that would return control to local school boards to decide how to evaluate teachers. Plasencia, of Orlando, is rallying support for his House Bill 427, introduced in late October and referred to the House PreK-12 Innovation Subcommittee, PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee, and Education Committee. The bill would allow […]

Scott Powers
Image via X (Duke Energy).

Kathleen Passidomo backs SB 434 push with video of addicted babies

Pulse first responder with PTSD spurs call for mental health coverage

House panel approves $750K to man injured in Orange County wreck

Bobby Olszewski files bill to protect pets during emergencies

Stephanie Murphy CHIP reauthorization bill lining up as Democrats’ offering

Republican Jennifer Spath enters HD 39 special election race

Public union dues-or-recertification bill passes House panel

Jason Brodeur bill would block life insurance companies from considering DNA

Governor’s office accuses Aramis Ayala of negligence, possible ‘willful disregard’

Rene Plasencia bill seeks to turn teacher evaluations back to school boards