Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschNovember 16, 2017

Rachel Cone, a veteran of state and local governments and early hire of Gov. Rick Scott‘s administration, is joining top Tallahassee lobbying firm Southern Strategy Group. In the run-up to Scott’s 2014 re-election campaign, she was one of the go-to senior staffers who was known for doing her homework, being a straight shooter and maintaining […]

Peter SchorschNovember 16, 2017

State Reps. Chris Latvala and Kathleen Peters have not shown “integrity” or acted “in the public interest” in how they have publicly responded to accusations of sexual harassment against state Sen. Jack Latvala, according to a lawyer for one of his accusers. Tallahassee attorney Tiffany R. Cruz wrote a letter to House Speaker Richard Corcoran to complain about […]

Ana CeballosNovember 16, 2017

As state Rep. Neil Combee prepares to leave the Florida House to take a post in President Donald Trump’s administration, he announced Thursday that state Rep. Jennifer Sullivan will be taking over his chairmanship at the Oversight, Transparency & Administration Subcommittee. “Be kind, be generous and do a good job,” Combee told teary-eyed members of […]

Peter SchorschNovember 16, 2017

Robert “Hawk” Hawken, the director of legislative affairs for FCCI Insurance Group for the past 30 years, will transition to the lead role of a retained consultant and lobbyist for the company, it announced in a news release Thursday. The change is effective May 1, 2018. “FCCI is as committed as ever to our government affairs business,” said FCCI executive vice president Tom […]

Danny McAuliffeNovember 15, 2017

A significant group of lawmakers involved with Florida’s ongoing battle against opioid addiction are starting to grasp the big picture behind drug-related crimes. The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice met Wednesday to discuss the criminal justice system’s role in fighting the opioid epidemic. Though likely not planned, the meeting took place shortly […]

Ana CeballosNovember 15, 2017

Some Florida lawmakers say that seeing the positive impact of criminal justice reform efforts in other states has given them new impetus to push for measures that aim to reduce the state’s prison population by giving sentences that “fit a just result.” The early bipartisan undertaking to reform the state’s criminal justice system — an […]

Jim RosicaNovember 15, 2017

State Sen. Tom Lee fired off a tweetstorm Wednesday in support of his proposed constitutional amendment to ban greyhound racing in Florida. Lee—a Thonotosassa Republican, previous Senate president and current candidate for Chief Financial Officer—called dog racing “cruel and inhumane,” and added the “greyhound industry opposes any real reform.” (His tweets are at bottom.) He filed […]

Danny McAuliffeNovember 15, 2017

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South Florida Democrats are aiming to better nursing homes through legislation including tighter regulations and the unrestricted use of electronic monitoring devices, also known as granny cams, by patient family members. Rep. Katie Edwards and Sen. Gary Farmer filed the similar bills (HB 655 and SB 896) on Tuesday and held a conference Wednesday morning. Both lawmakers had nursing […]

Scott PowersNovember 15, 2017

Calling child protective investigators “absolute heroes” who are overworked and under-appreciated, the head of Florida’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) pitched a House of Representatives committee for money to hire more. DCF Secretary Mike Carroll told the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee Wednesday that his department struggles to keep enough investigators on staff because their […]

Mitch PerryNovember 15, 2017

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A likeness of educator and civil-rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune is one step closer to replacing a statue of a Confederate general as one of Florida’s two representatives in the U.S. Capitol. On Wednesday, the Senate Appropriations Committee cleared a bill (SB 472) to replace the statue of Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith with Bethune, who lived 1875-1955. Only Sen. Dennis Baxley, an Ocala […]

Influence

Personnel note: Southern Strategy Group gets its steel magnolia

Chris Latvala, Kathleen Peters lack ‘integrity,’ lawyer says

Jennifer Sullivan to take over Neil Combee’s chairmanship

Personnel note: Robert Hawken changing roles at FCCI

Following disturbing drug reports, Senate workshops opioid crisis

Lawmakers champion efforts to reform criminal justice system

Tom Lee defends dog racing ban; Pam Bondi noncommittal

Granny cams, tighter regulations part of Democratic nursing home legislation

Mike Carroll calls child protective investigators ‘heroes,’ calls for more funding

Mary McLeod Bethune statue may replace Confederate general in Capitol