Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaApril 26, 2017

A bill to allow craft distillers to sell more product directly to customers was set for a final vote Wednesday, was instead “temporarily postponed,” then finally voted out later in the day. The House eventually passed the measure (HB 141) by a 114-2 vote. Its sponsor, state Rep. Cyndi Stevenson, a St. Johns Republican, was one of […]

Jim RosicaApril 26, 2017

Voters next year could decide whether to approve a measure that would amount to a reduction in their property tax. The House on Wednesday passed a measure (HJR 7105) on a 81-35 vote to increase the current $25,000 homestead exemption. The language “increas(es) the homestead exemption by exempting the assessed valuation of homestead property greater […]

Michael MolineApril 26, 2017

The Senate voted, 35-0, Wednesday to apologize for decades of abuse at the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys and Florida Schools for Boys at Okeechobee. Addressing 14 middle-aged and elderly survivors viewing from the Senate gallery, Sen. Daryl Rouson said: “We say to you, we apologize. We are sorry.” The House voted to apologize […]

Staff ReportsApril 26, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott, while on a trade mission to Argentina, urged the Florida Legislature to include his economic incentives programs when finalizing the next state budget. “Lawmakers cannot be shortsighted at the expense of Florida families by cutting funds for tourism marketing and economic development,” Scott said in a written statement distributed by his office. “I would be […]

Jim RosicaApril 26, 2017

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The Florida Legislature has voted to tear down the booze ‘wall.’ The House, on a by-a-nose vote of 58-57, Wednesday passed the Senate’s bill (SB 106) to allow retailers, at least those who choose to do so, to remove the ‘wall of separation’ between hard liquor and other goods. The legislation now heads to Gov. Rick Scott. […]

Michael MolineApril 26, 2017

House and Senate negotiators have agreed on the broad outlines of a new state budget, and were haggling over the details before appointing members to conference committees, Senate President Joe Negron said Wednesday. “We’ve reached an agreement on the substance of the budget, and we’ve also reached agreement on a way that we can get […]

Staff ReportsApril 26, 2017

Assignment of benefits reforms ardently sought by the insurance industry and business passed the Florida House Wednesday on a vote of 91-26. A spokeswoman for the Consumer Protection Coalition, a business-oriented lobby aligned with the Florida Chamber of Commerce, immediately praised the action. “The House’s action is a big step toward ending costly AOB abuse […]

Staff ReportsApril 26, 2017

The end of the 2017 Session is quickly approaching, and that can only mean one thing: It’s time to get your bets in. Yep, it’s time for #CateSineDie. Here’s how Kevin Cate, the media guru for which the annual parlor game is name after, put it Wednesday morning: “I love traditions and this is one […]

Jim RosicaApril 26, 2017

The Florida House made several major offers Wednesday to get a gambling deal done this session, including authorizing decoupling for dog and horse tracks if county voters OK it in a local referendum. House and Senate negotiators met in the morning in their ongoing effort to agree on an omnibus gambling bill for 2017, including an […]

Michael MolineApril 26, 2017

There were competing accounts Wednesday of negotiations over the next state budget, with the Senate’s top Democrat saying a deal’s been struck. The chambers have agreed to meet in the middle on the $4 billion that separates their respective proposed budgets, taking $2 billion from the Senate plan and adding $2 billion to the House […]

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Image via Ron Desantis Rumble

Craft distillery bill put on hold, then passed

House passes increased homestead exemption measure

Florida Senate votes apology for abuse at Dozier School for Boys

From Argentina, Rick Scott keeps up the chatter for economic incentives

Legislature votes to tear down the ‘liquor wall’

Budget deal would include Lake O plan, lower property taxes for schools

Florida House approves assignment of benefits reform legislation

A sign the end is near: It’s time to play #CateSineDie

House takes giant steps in gambling negotiation

Top Senate Democrat says chambers will split the difference on state budget