Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiApril 9, 2015

In the First Election in March, incumbent Jacksonville District 14 City Councilman Jim Love, a Republican, won handily over Jason Tetlak, an idealistic Democrat who will be remembered for losing the support of his party by endorsing Bill Bishop for mayor. A fixture in the Riverside/Avondale area (and one who lives eight houses down from me), Love has […]

Melissa RossApril 9, 2015

Standing in the shadow of the city’s Tillie Fowler Memorial, a bipartisan group of female supporters endorsed incumbent Mayor Alvin Brown for re-election, saying Brown kept his promises and has empowered women and men alike to succeed. The group included former WNBA President and Generation W founder Donna Orender and Brown’s former Chief Administrative Officer Karen […]

Bruce RitchieApril 9, 2015

A bill that delays a ban on the disposal of septic tank waste on farm fields across the state passed the House in anticipation of a state study of the waste disposal practice. Florida has 2.6 million septic tanks scattered across the state that annually produce 100 million gallons of waste, called septage, when they […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 9, 2015

Health insurers and HMOs may have won the battle in a House health care committee on Thursday but they may end up losing the war this session. The House Health and Human Services Committee approved a bill that would ban non-participating providers from balance billing patients in need of emergency care under, CS/HB 681. Additionally, […]

James CallApril 9, 2015

Licenses to grow and dispense medicinal cannabis under last year’s “Charlotte’s Web” law may be coming soon. The Department of Health would award licenses for medicinal marijuana 75 days after a Charlotte’s Web glitch bill becomes law, according to SPB 7066, a proposal approved Thursday by the Senate Rules Committee. Rules was SPB 7066’s last […]

Mitch PerryApril 9, 2015

At 10 a.m, and again at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, a group of activists performed a skit along the Florida Capitol courtyard — acting out a scene where eight condemned people line up next to an executioner. Their crime? Condemned to die for not having health insurance. The players were from Catalyist, a Miami-based community organization […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 9, 2015

If there is one signature event of the Alvin Brown administration, it’s One Spark. The One Spark week allows the Brown team to showcase how its public-private partnerships have helped to transform Jacksonville’s downtown, giving it a verve it hasn’t had in decades. With One Spark being so high-profile and so popular, it allows for a functional […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 9, 2015

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At the final regularly scheduled meeting of the 2015 session for his committee, House Health & Human Services Committee Chairman Jason Brodeur dropped a bomb. He announced that the chamber next year would tackle some of the thorniest issues in health care: certificate of need (CON), insurance mandates and medical malpractice. The news puts most […]

Staff ReportsApril 9, 2015

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco thinks selling spirits alongside beer and wine is not an issue of minors having increased access to alcohol, but one of properly training clerks and other employees. On Thursday, Nocco joined other law enforcement officials, businesses, and organizations who have spoken out in the effort to repeal Florida’s Prohibition-era laws […]

Mitch PerryApril 9, 2015

Under current law, pregnant workers are supposed to be protected from being fired, turned down for employment, or otherwise discriminated against just because they’re pregnant. But it still happens. Here in Florida, state law protects many different groups of people from discrimination, but one group not part of that protected class is pregnant women. That would […]

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Helene, early Sept. 27. Image via NOAA via AP.

Jim Love talks Jax cross-party endorsements and why he’s staying neutral

Leading women endorse Alvin Brown at Tillie Fowler memorial

Bill delaying septic waste ban passes House with calls for study, springs protection

House panel OKs balance billing ban, sponsor says unlikely to pass this year

Senate Rules committee approves Charlotte’s Web fix

Activists hold Medicaid gap “public execution” in Capitol courtyard

Alvin Brown, Jim Love announce Florida Theatre facade restoration

House will tackle certificate of need, malpractice in 2016, Jason Brodeur says

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco joins call to re-examine alcohol separation laws

Senate panel moves bill to add pregnant women as protected class