Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 15, 2015

The Senate has proposed a tandem of bills that, combined, would transform Florida’s mental health and substance abuse laws as well as increase the amount of federal Medicaid money used fund the programs. The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human services will discuss two bills — released late Friday — at its March 16 […]

James CallMarch 15, 2015

At the state Capitol this week the budget begins to take shape and Rep. Richard Corcoran increasingly becomes the man to watch. By the end of the week the Senate will have released its budget allocation and Corcoran and Sen. Tom Lee, the two chambers’ appropriation chairs, will move closer to center stage as a spending plan begins […]

Guest AuthorMarch 15, 2015

FDOT’s recent announcement of their plans to expand Florida’s Turnpike in Palm Beach County brought to mind something my father often said: “Bigness is the problem.” When agencies grow too large, they function like massive cruise ships – great at moving forward, but so poor at changing course they need tug boats to help them. […]

Associated PressMarch 15, 2015

Miami Beach has fired a historian hired to write a book commemorating the city’s centennial. The Miami Herald reports that City Manager Jimmy Morales fired Seth Bramson on Friday over concerns with his manuscript for the coffee table book. The city’s Hispanic Affairs Committee complained that Bramson used the terms “Hispanic” and “Spanish” interchangeably in the […]

Associated PressMarch 15, 2015

Miami-based Havana Air is expanding its operations to include Key West. The airline had been flying preapproved passengers between Miami and Havana for the last 18 months. Its first flights from Key West to Havana took off on Friday. CEO David Nesslein tells The Key West Citizen that Havana Air hopes new U.S. rules relaxing […]

Associated PressMarch 15, 2015

Miami Beach is installing 50 free sunblock dispensers to help visitors protect themselves against sun damage and skin cancer. The lotion dispensers will be located at public swimming pools, parks and beach entrances near lifeguard stands. Destination Brands and Mount Sinai Medical Center sponsored the project. The head of the hospital’s melanoma program tells The […]

Mike SchneiderMarch 15, 2015

Florida’s clerks of court are leading the nation in making electronic state court records available to the public online. But in the process, they’re creating two-tiers of public viewers with varying privileges based on how much information users are willing to provide about themselves. Any member of the public will be able to look up […]

Mitch PerryMarch 15, 2015

Although the vote by the Florida House of Representatives last week to repeal Florida’s 38-year ban on gay adoption was hardly overwhelming, there was little open dissent on the House floor, with only a handful of lawmakers even discussing the legislation before voting on it. Among those who did so movingly was Ocala Republican Dennis […]

Guest AuthorMarch 15, 2015

Some governors are slow learners. Gov. Rick Scott is beyond slow. He doesn’t learn. He doesn’t appear to care about public access to records, meetings and information traditionally available to Floridians. Most governors have a bit of trouble getting used to working in the fishbowl of state government, particularly if they won election without stopping […]

Peter SchorschMarch 14, 2015

There are no shortcuts to be had on the drive between St. Petersburg and Tallahassee. It’s either up and down I-75 and left/right on I-10 or north and south on U.S. 19. Either route takes about over four and a half hours to complete. Of the nearly five hundred times I’ve journeyed to and from the Capital […]

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Senate bill seeks additional federal Medicaid dollars for mental health and substance abuse programs

The week ahead in Florida politics

Timothy Hullihan: Wrong-way thinking drives Turnpike expansion

Miami Beach fires historian hired to write centennial book

Miami-based Havana Air adds flights from Key West to Cuba

Free sunblock dispensers installed in Miami Beach

Access to Florida online court records varies by hierarchy

Conservative House Republican Dennis Baxley reverses his vote for gay adoption

Lucy Morgan: Scott gets an F for openness, an A for secrecy

Takeaways from Tallahassee – No shortcuts