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

Scott PowersJanuary 24, 2017

U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, whose district oversees one of the largest and fastest growing Puerto Rican diasporas in the states, has been appointed a seat on a Congressional subcommittee that oversees Puerto Rican affairs. Soto, an Orlando Democrat who is of Puerto Rican descent himself – a first for Florida’s congressional representatives – announced Tuesday […]

Scott PowersJanuary 24, 2017

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The first shoe has fallen in newly-elected chairman Stephen Bittel‘s reorganization of the Florida Democratic Party with executive director Scott Arceneaux on his way out. The party announced Tuesday that Arceneaux, who has served in that role through the tenures of three previous state party chairs, is stepping down, though not immediately. When Bittel won a […]

Scott PowersJanuary 23, 2017

Two bills that would increase Bright Future scholarship benefits and rework how colleges and universities measure progress and deal with top professors sailed through the Florida Senate Education Committee Monday. Senate Bills 2 and 4, both introduced by Sen. Bill Galvano, drew some concerns about how they might affect non-traditional and working students but little […]

Scott PowersJanuary 23, 2017

A new bill introduced by state Rep. Bob Rommel would keep secret the identities of candidates for the presidencies and other top executive positions at Florida’s state colleges and universities through most of the selection process. House Bill 351, introduced by the Naples Republican Monday, would create exemptions in Florida’s open records and open meetings […]

Scott PowersJanuary 21, 2017

By the end of this year Orlando’s gleaming new $211 million train station should be virtually finished at Orlando International Airport, but it may be many years before trains start rolling in – if at all. The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority is building a train station based on a vision of the future in which […]

Scott PowersJanuary 20, 2017

CareerSource Florida, the corporation that serves as the state’s workforce preparation and placement agency, interviewed three finalists Friday to replace Chris Hart as president, including the agency’s current vice president of policy, Michelle Dennard. Dennard, Mikkel Dixon, the executive director of Florida Career College in Margate; and Kyla Gutierrez-Guyette, the project director of ResCare Workforce Services in Orlando; all were interviewed […]

Scott PowersJanuary 19, 2017

State Rep. Tom Goodson filed a bill Thursday to expand the Central Florida Expressway Authority into Brevard County, yet it seems no one on the expressway authority knows why. Goodson filed House Bill 299, which would expand the authority’s realm from its current Orange, Seminole, Osceola and Lake counties base, eastward into the Space Coast county. […]

Scott PowersJanuary 19, 2017

Kennedy Space Center is getting back in the rocket business, now that SpaceX is back in business. SpaceX is planning to launch its next rockets in the next few weeks from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A . They will be the first rockets to blast off from Kennedy Space Center since the space shuttle program was […]

Scott PowersJanuary 19, 2017

Contending that parents are double-taxed for children, Florida’s U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and Utah’s Mike Lee are again pushing a plan to eliminate the so-called “parent penalty” in tax reform, with a letter to leaders of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. “Our tax code today treats parents unfairly. The payroll taxes that help […]

Scott PowersJanuary 18, 2017

The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee has created a new standing subcommittee on cybersecurity and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson will be the ranking Democrat to help lead it. Little else is determined at this point. U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona, chair of the Armed Service Committee, announced the panel’s creation Wednesday afternoon and appointed U.S. […]

Scott Powers
Hurricane Milton satellite imagery as of 5 a.m. Oct. 7, via NOAA via AP.

Darren Soto appointed to subcommittee overseeing Puerto Rico

Scott Arceneaux out as Florida Democrats’ chief

Bill Galvano’s higher-ed reform bills sail through Senate committee

Bob Rommel files bill to shield college presidential searches from Sunshine Laws

Orlando is building the train station, not sure when or if trains will arrive

CareerSource Florida narrows in on new president

Surprise to Central Florida Expressway Authority: Tom Goodson wants it in Brevard

SpaceX to reopen legendary Kennedy launch site

Marco Rubio, Mike Lee, push their ‘parent penalty’ tax reform issue with leadership

Bill Nelson to help lead new Senate panel on cybersecurity