Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bruce RitchieMarch 31, 2015

Amendment 1 supporters on Tuesday flooded senators with calls urging them to support funding for land-buying in advance of Senate floor action on the state budget Wednesday. In November, 75 percent of voters statewide supported the water and land conservation funding initiative that provides an estimated $741 million in the 2015-16 state budget. The proposed […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 25, 2015

A 2015 Legislative Session that already was busy with water bills and Amendment 1 funding just got a huge growth management bill in the House. A House subcommittee on Wednesday passed a sweeping committee substitute for HB 933 despite objections from cities, counties and environmental groups. “We’ve got a lot to consider,” Rep. Mike La […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 23, 2015

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has filed what is the first challenge to a local comprehensive plan amendment since sweeping growth management law changes passed in 2011. Legal watchers on either side of growth management issues — development and environmental — say the DEO move against the city of Mascotte in Lake County is […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 3, 2015

Supporters of clean water and conservation rallied two weeks ago at the Capitol but the biggest water day of the 2015 Legislative Session may come Wednesday. HB 7003, the House water policy bill shepherded by Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-Lehigh Acres and chairman of the House State Affairs Committee, likely will pass the House. And the Senate […]

Bruce RitchieFebruary 27, 2015

A bill that would substantially change state review of proposed large development projects has been filed, but whether it will pass the Senate and House remains a big question. Trilby Republican Sen. Wilton Simpson, chairman of the Senate committee that oversees growth management, has filed SB 562, which would eliminate the existing state review process […]

Bruce RitchieFebruary 26, 2015

A bill that would substantially change state review of proposed large development projects has been filed, but whether it will pass the Senate and House remains a big question. Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby and chairman of the Senate committee that oversees growth management, has filed SB 562, which would eliminate the existing state review process […]

Tag: 1000 Friends of Florida
TALLAHASSEE, FLA. 3/4/25-House Democratic Leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, talks with the media about Gov. Ron DeSantis’ State of the State speech during the opening day of the 2025 Legislative Session, Tuesday at the Capitol in Tallahassee. COLIN HACKLEY PHOTO

With Senate budget amendments teed up, calls flood senators

Add growth management to a busy legislative session

DEO files first challenge to a local government land-use change

Water bills are on tap Wednesday but environmentalists are not cheering

Bruce Ritchie: Will bill to end state review of large developments pass?

Bruce Ritchie: Will bill to end state review of large developments pass?