Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaMay 5, 2017

Lawmakers on Friday passed a bill requiring lottery ticket warning labels after removing a requirement that warnings also be displayed at counters where tickets are sold. The Senate approved the measure (HB 937) on a 23-15 vote, sending it back to the House. The House then OK’d that version 114-3. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Sullivan, a Mount […]

Michael MolineMay 4, 2017

It was better late than never Thursday for five member projects inserted at the very last minute into the compromise $83 billion state budget. The House and Senate each had items to stuff into the budget during the last conference committee meeting of the evening. Actually, one of the items won funding earlier in the […]

Staff ReportsMay 4, 2017

The Florida Legislature has passed a bill that will give a renewable-energy tax break to commercial and industrial properties with solar installations. The measure (SB 90) was sent to Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday after passing the Senate unanimously. If signed into law, businesses that install solar panels to their properties would not have to […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 4, 2017

The Florida Senate voted 31-7 to approve an amended version of a medical marijuana bill, sending it back to the House for a final vote on Friday. But with the clock running out on the 2017 Legislative Session, the fate of the proposal remains unclear. The Senate amended the House bill (HB 1397) to limit […]

Michael MolineMay 4, 2017

Could someone in the Senate please ask Kevin Rader to knock it off? That’s the gist of a letter Tallahassee attorney Steven Andrews wrote to Senate general counsel Dawn Roberts last week. “Would you kindly ask Sen. Rader to stop disseminating my client’s picture around the Capitol on stationery that bears the Senate’s seal?” Andrews […]

Michael MolineMay 4, 2017

House and Senate budget negotiators traded final offers Thursday and pronounced their work done, bar some last-minute tidying up. “The budget is closed,” Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Lavala said. “We’ve got a couple of question marks, but this is not an opportunity to entertain any new issues. We’re going to resolve one or two issues, […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 4, 2017

With just days left in the 2017 Legislative Session, the Senate appears poised to take up and amend the House version of a bill to implement the 2016 medical marijuana constitutional amendment. The Senate placed the House bill (HB 1397) on Thursday’s Special Order calendar on Wednesday evening. The Senate proposal (SB 406) was on […]

Jim RosicaMay 4, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott says he doesn’t understand lawmakers’ inability to pass comprehensive gambling legislation this year—especially when he gave them a head start. Scott spoke with FloridaPolitics.com reporter Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster in Naples Thursday, after a stop of his “Fighting For Florida’s Future” tour. Part of the legislative package was a deal negotiated by Scott with the Seminole […]

Michael MolineMay 4, 2017

When Lee Jacobson heard that that an insurance omnibus bill had been pulled from the Rules Committee onto the Senate floor Wednesday, he hightailed it to Tallahassee. The Orlando insurance and personal-injury attorney, active in the Florida Justice Association, was watching his daughter play soccer at the time. “I ran home, threw two suits in […]

Jim RosicaMay 4, 2017

State Sen. Tom Lee on Wednesday filed an amendment for the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles bill that would regulate the operations of ridebooking services like Uber and Lyft. The language would prohibit local governments and governmental bodies, including airport authorities, from cutting deal with “transportation network companies” (TNCs) to operate exclusively in their […]

Influence

Legislature passes Florida Lottery warning bill

Member projects make it into state budget at the last possible moment

Renewable-energy tax break bill headed to Rick Scott

Senate approves amended medical marijuana bill, sends back to House for final vote

Steve Andrews getting involved in Kevin Rader’s crusade against lobbyist

Appropriations chiefs declare budget talks ‘closed’ — but with an asterisk

Rob Bradley files amendment to House medical marijuana bill to add retail caps, 10 new licenses by Oct. 1

Rick Scott: Legislature’s inaction on gambling ‘doesn’t make any sense’

Insurance bill sponsor insists it won’t become a train for AOB, PIP

Tom Lee quietly files amendment affecting Uber, Lyft