Staff Reports, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Staff ReportsMarch 13, 2018

Gov. Rick Scott was in Jacksonville Tuesday afternoon signing two bills that will help military members get jobs in Florida. While he was in town, he also lent his support to a potential constitutional amendment that would benefit families of first responders and service members who gave their lives in duty. HB 29, the “Don Hahnfeldt Veteran and […]

Staff ReportsMarch 13, 2018

Attorney General Pam Bondi has filed a complaint against the non-profit charged “with renovating and operating The Ritz Theatre in downtown Winter Haven,” her office said in a press release Tuesday. The Ritz Theatre 100, Inc. was named as defendant, as was Stella C. Heath, its executive director. “The complaint alleges that misconduct and mismanagement by the […]

Staff ReportsMarch 13, 2018

Tillerson out Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump abruptly ousted his Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, in what is the latest shakeup in his 14-month-old presidency. It is a move that could have serious ramifications for the U.S. economic and foreign policy. According to The New York Times, Tillerson learned of his firing Tuesday morning when […]

Staff ReportsMarch 13, 2018

Before the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) convened its final public hearing Tuesday in St. Petersburg, Gov. Rick Scott joined others to support Marsy’s Law for Florida. A proposed constitutional amendment would grant equal rights to defendants and convicted criminals, and to victims and their family members. “It’s very important that Marsy’s Law becomes the law of the land,” Scott said. Most states […]

Staff ReportsMarch 13, 2018

The head of the Florida Retail Federation said Tuesday that one of the trade association’s “biggest successes” was helping block a criminal justice reform that would have raised the threshold for a felony theft charge. “Keeping the threshold at its current limit of $300 will help to protect retailed by deterring theft, discouraging criminals from […]

Staff ReportsMarch 13, 2018

Gov. Rick Scott appointed four new judges Monday, including the assistant U.S. attorney who helped prosecute a South Florida eye doctor linked in a corruption case to Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey. Scott named Carolyn Bell to the 15th Judicial Circuit for Palm Beach County. She was one of the federal prosecutors to […]

Staff ReportsMarch 12, 2018

After the Legislature passed an $88.7 billion budget Sunday, Florida Realtors are heaping praise on lawmakers for including $31 million in cuts to the business rent tax and $110 million for affordable housing projects. “I’m so proud of our membership for responding to our call for action to cut the business rent tax,” said Bill Martin, […]

Staff ReportsMarch 12, 2018

The Florida Chamber of Commerce wanted to see the cost of living for Floridians reduced this Session, but after lawmakers’ focus turned to the Parkland school massacre, the measures passed by the Legislature did not impress the organization. “Rightly so, the last three weeks of Session were focused on school safety following the Parkland tragedy,” […]

Staff ReportsMarch 12, 2018

Sen. Jeff Brandes promised criminal justice reforms, a sweeping transportation bill, banning fees on consumer report security freezes and “merlot-to-go,” but only half of those came true by the time the 2018 Legislative Session wrapped up. As the process moved toward the 60-day finish line, the Pinellas County Republican was optimistic about his bold proposals. […]

Staff ReportsMarch 12, 2018

The January 2018 jobs numbers are out, and they still paint a rosy economic picture. Per a release from the Department of Economic Development: The unemployment rate of 3.9 percent in January 2018 was the same as it was in December, yet down 0.7 percentage point from a year ago. As has been the case for […]

Staff Reports
Five Nights at Feddy’s. (Courtesy of Universal Orlando)

Rick Scott signs veterans’ bills, pushes for constitutional amendment in Jacksonville

Pam Bondi to fight for Winter Haven’s Ritz Theatre

Delegation for 3.13.18 — Insights from the Beltway to the Sunshine State

Backers push for Marsy’s Law—a crime victims’ ‘bill of rights’

Retailers say blocking criminal justice proposal was among ‘biggest successes’

Rick Scott names four new circuit judges

Florida Realtors laud lawmakers for cutting business rent tax

Florida Chamber sums up likes, dislikes this Session

Jeff Brandes loses a couple of priorities, but brings home other wins

January unemployment rate held below 4 percent