Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 26, 2015

There may be hope this year for Medicaid expansion in the Florida House of Representatives. House Minority Leader Mark Pafford said at a press conference on Thursday that he thinks House Speaker Steve Crisafulli may agree to a health care plan that would tap into federal Medicaid dollars to craft a plan for Florida. Why? […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 26, 2015

Despite opposition from environmental groups, a House committee on Thursday voted to file a bill allowing the Cabinet to give state park lands to adjacent landowners. The committee bill, SAC 15-02, also would establish “low-impact agriculture” as a management goal for state lands along with existing goals such as recreation and protection of endangered species. Rep. […]

Mitch PerryMarch 26, 2015

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With a Republican governor and overwhelmingly GOP-led Legislature, Florida is being well served by its legislators in Tallahassee, right? Not exactly. A new Public Policy Polling survey released Thursday shows that 58 percent of Florida voters want Medicaid expansion. Independents support it by 57 percent, while there is a 12-point difference among Republicans (33/45). Despite […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 26, 2015

A quartet of Democratic lawmakers on Thursday held a press conference to discuss issues they say will help women in the workforce. However, they Democrats are having a hard time getting those “equality” bills heard. Rep. Janet Cruz has filed an equal pay for equal work bill for five years. Dubbed the Helen Gordon Davis […]

Phil AmmannMarch 26, 2015

It may look a bit like the bridge of the starship Enterprise, but the new Florida Power & Light “smart grid” command center has one purpose: improving service reliability. FPL, the state’s largest utility, unveiled its Power Delivery Diagnostic Center, designed to manage a complex electric system that serves more than 4.7 million Florida customers. […]

James CallMarch 26, 2015

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Florida’s Charlotte’s Web law is back before the judge who in November invalidated the previous rule for the growing of marijuana and the processing of oil from the plant. Administrative Law Judge W. David Watkins will decide the challenge against the latest proposed regulations filed by the Medical Cannabis Trade Association of Florida (MCTA). He has until […]

Mitch PerryMarch 26, 2015

Winning New Hampshire doesn’t determine anything when it comes to winning the Republican presidential nomination. If that were the case, Pat Buchanan would have been the nominee in 1996, and John McCain the party’s standard bearer in 2000. But they weren’t. Bob Dole and George W. Bush rallied from their stunning early losses to capture […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 26, 2015

As we’ve reported all day, the big news out of the Jacksonville mayoral race is the poll that we commissioned Wednesday concerning the runoff elections for mayor and sheriff. It’s the first poll to address the new reality of the two top-of-the-ticket races. The automated phone poll of 1,076 likely voters from St. Pete Polls, with […]

Guest AuthorMarch 26, 2015

The uncertain future of Medicaid financing has received much attention during the past few weeks of the Legislative Session. Adding to that uncertainty is an unhealthy dose of speculation and misinformation about the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and federal reliability. As chairman of the Florida Senate’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Appropriations […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 26, 2015

Time ran short Thursday before the Senate Children and Families Committee could weigh in on whether to approve Samuel P. Verghese as Secretary of the State Department of Elder Affairs. Verghese, a New Jersey transplant, began his testimony by telling the committee that being secretary is about “serving others.” “Plain and simple, it’s about public […]

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House minority leader sees chance for Medicaid expansion this session

House panel files bill allowing state land giveaways for conservation

New survey: Most Floridians like Medicaid expansion, medical marijuana, same-sex marriage

House Democrats say “equality” issues aren’t moving through the Legislature

FPL launches high-tech Power Delivery Diagnostic Center

Judge David Watkins caught again in Charlotte’s Web; MCTA roots questioned

Donald Trump leads Marco Rubio in New Hampshire poll

Alvin Brown campaign responds to first poll of Jax runoff voters

Rene Garcia: State’s healthcare funding faces critical questions

Senate Elder Affairs panel delays vote on new secretary’s OK