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

Staff ReportsMarch 24, 2017

State Rep. Cary Pigman faces a misdemeanor drunk-driving charge in St. Lucie County after a traffic stop late Thursday, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report. The FHP charged the Avon Park Republican as he was driving on Florida’s Turnpike. Pigman, first elected in 2012, is an emergency medicine physician and U.S. Army Reserve doctor who […]

Staff ReportsMarch 24, 2017

The House will vote on a state budget on April 13, if all goes according to plan. The Appropriations Committee is to release its budget bill and related documents to senators and the public no later than 8 a.m. on March 31, according to a copy of the timeline posted by LobbyTools. The full committee […]

Staff ReportsMarch 24, 2017

Florida’s unemployment rate held steady at 5 percent in February. This marks the second month in a row the state’s unemployment rate has been at 5 percent, and mirrors the unemployment rate the state experienced in the first two months of 2016, according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. The state added 239,800 jobs […]

Staff ReportsMarch 23, 2017

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society (CMOHS) Thursday selected the Tampa Bay area as the host community for its 2019 Convention, honoring Medal of Honor recipients and their families. This is the first time the weeklong event, taking place in October 2019, will be held in Tampa. “Tampa Bay’s strong military tradition coupled with our […]

Staff ReportsMarch 23, 2017

A top priority of Senate President Joe Negron’s took a hit this week, after Sen. Marco Rubio said a plan to build reservoirs wouldn’t get federal money and would wipe out farming communities. According to POLITICO Florida, Rubio said “there’s no federal money” for Negron’s proposed reservoirs. “We’re going to end up with nothing,” he […]

Staff ReportsMarch 22, 2017

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West Palm Beach attorney Michelle Suskauer has been chosen as president-elect designate of The Florida Bar, according to a Wednesday press release. Suskauer, 50, is a criminal defense attorney in a two-lawyer office in West Palm Beach. She’s married to Judge Scott Suskauer of the 15th Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County. She prevailed over Lansing […]

Staff ReportsMarch 21, 2017

David Punzak has been named vice chair of the St. Petersburg Area Economic Development Corporation (EDC) board of directors. Punzak is a shareholder with the national Carlton Fields law firm, based out of its Tampa location. He will become chairman in 2018 following his term as vice chair. “David brings a great depth and breadth […]

Staff ReportsMarch 21, 2017

The Florida Senate Tuesday passed a bill aimed at streamlining the handling of political redistricting court cases. The legislation (SB 352) was approved without debate 24-14, sending it to the House. Bill sponsor Travis Hutson, an Elkton Republican, has said the plan “locks the maps in place on qualification day,” giving clarity to candidates. It also […]

Staff ReportsMarch 21, 2017

The head of Associated Industries of Florida came out in opposition Tuesday to the Senate’s plan to repeal a tax break to the insurance industry. “AIF supports reducing the business rent tax,” AIF president & CEO Tom Feeney said. “However, we cannot support this tax break on the back of creating what would be the largest Florida […]

Staff ReportsMarch 21, 2017

The Florida Health Care Association has made carving out nursing homes from the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (SMMC) program their top priority, touting its ability to save the state money. However, a new roadblock may have just made that task infinitely more challenging. The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) recently released an agency bill […]

Staff Reports

Cary Pigman charged with early morning DUI

House releases timetable for voting on its proposed state budget

Florida’s unemployment rate holds steady at 5%

Tampa Bay area to host 2019 Medal of Honor convention

Report: Marco Rubio says ‘there’s no federal money’ for reservoir south of Lake O

Michelle Suskauer elected president-elect designate of The Florida Bar

St. Petersburg Economic Development Corporation names David Punzak as Vice Chair

Redistricting-related bill OK’d by Senate

Tom Feeney calls Senate plan “largest Florida tax hike in many years”

Hefty price tag added to long-term care carve out