March 2017 - Page 33 of 105 - Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschMarch 21, 2017

It seems like every year the Florida Legislature revisits the idea of decoupling, which is not a term to describe modern romance, but rather a gaming term. It’s what happens when venues operate a casino without the requirement to also run live horse or dog racing. Seems simple enough; but every year, decoupling doesn’t pass because, inevitably, […]

Staff ReportsMarch 21, 2017

The head of Associated Industries of Florida came out in opposition Tuesday to the Senate’s plan to repeal a tax break to the insurance industry. “AIF supports reducing the business rent tax,” AIF president & CEO Tom Feeney said. “However, we cannot support this tax break on the back of creating what would be the largest Florida […]

Scott PowersMarch 21, 2017

Bills that would expand Florida’s efforts to control Burmese pythons and other invasive species and to require companies to report toxic spills moved swiftly through a Senate committee Tuesday morning. The toxic spill bill, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Bill Galvano of Bradenton, is largely a response to the massive Mosaic spill last summer that […]

Staff ReportsMarch 21, 2017

The Florida Health Care Association has made carving out nursing homes from the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (SMMC) program their top priority, touting its ability to save the state money. However, a new roadblock may have just made that task infinitely more challenging. The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) recently released an agency bill […]

Mitch PerryMarch 21, 2017

Legislation that would refigure the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority (TBARTA) had its first hearing in the Florida Legislature, where it became clear changes may be needed if its to pass. The bill was introduced by Clearwater state Senator Jack Latvala earlier this month, and is being sponsored in the House by Plant City Republican Dan Raulerson. The bill (HB […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 21, 2017

The Naples Daily News isn’t a usual go-to source on northeast Florida politics, but it dropped a blockbuster story about Sen. Aaron Bean on Monday. The claim: “Bean helped secure a $1 million special appropriation in this year’s budget for an early mental health screening program run by Catherine Drew, the wife of Nassau County Tax Collector John Drew. Bean and John Drew […]

Associated PressMarch 21, 2017

President Donald Trump is rallying support for the Republican health care overhaul by taking his case directly to GOP lawmakers at the Capitol, two days before the House plans a climactic vote that poses an important early test for his presidency. Top House Republicans unveiled revisions to their bill in hopes of nailing down support. […]

Joe HendersonMarch 21, 2017

I could waste words here on President Donald Trump’s hallucinations about the truth, but why bother. Y’all know that story as well as I do. The president either is delusional or cynical about what the people will believe or maybe both. There is a bigger story, though, one that reduces all the drama about nonexistent wiretaps […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 21, 2017

The American Action Network kicked off Tuesday with pro-AHCA radio spots in 28 Congressional districts nationwide, and three of them are in Florida. Those three: CD-3, the home of Rep. Ted Yoho; CD-6, the home of Rep. Ron DeSantis; and CD-8, the home of Rep. Bill Posey. All three have expressed concerns about the American Health Care Act. Posey […]

Mitch PerryMarch 21, 2017

As the Florida Legislature continues to debate the implementation of a popular medical marijuana initiative, voters believe the state is moving too slow in doing so, according to a new poll released Tuesday. The survey by nationally-recognized pollster Tony Fabrizio of Fabrizio, Lee & Associates found that 44 percent of Floridians believe the implementation of Amendment 2 is going too […]

Month: March 2017
FEMA. Image via AP.

Don’t throw decoupling out with the proverbial gaming bath water

Tom Feeney calls Senate plan “largest Florida tax hike in many years”

Bills to expand python control, pollution reporting move on

Hefty price tag added to long-term care carve out

Bill creating Tampa Bay area transit authority gets first hearing in Legislature

A look at Aaron Bean’s accuser, Carlos Slay

Donald Trump to Capitol in last-ditch lobbying for health care bill

Joe Henderson: No matter what comes out, Donald Trump’s true believers don’t seem to care

American Action Network radio spots target GOP resistance to AHCA

New poll shows Floridians thinking lawmakers going too slow in implementing medical marijuana initiative