Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaMay 1, 2018

A Tallahassee judge has ruled that life insurance companies doing business in the state don’t have to track down beneficiaries under a 2016 law (SB 966) championed by former Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater. Circuit Judge Terry Lewis, in an order granting summary judgment for the plaintiffs filed April 20, said such a requirement can only […]

Associated PressOctober 14, 2016

The fate of convicted killers on Florida’s death row – as well as the fate of people awaiting trial for murder – was put in limbo Friday after the Florida Supreme Court ruled that death sentences require a unanimous jury. By a 5-2 vote the court struck down a newly enacted law allowing a defendant […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 11, 2016

In one of his final meetings, Bill Johnson encouraged the business community to keep doing what it can to attract companies to the Sunshine State. “I traveled about 30,000 miles in the last year or so and I’ve been in almost every single county in the state,” said Johnson, the departing head of Enterprise Florida. […]

Jim RosicaMay 4, 2016

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Florida Supreme Court Justice Charles Canady has qualified to stand for this year’s judicial merit-retention election, state records show. The Division of Elections posted the update Wednesday. He’s the last of the three justices to qualify who are up for merit-retention votes. Chief Justice Jorge Labarga had qualified Monday and Justice Ricky Polston qualified Tuesday. Canady and Polston make up the court’s […]

Jim RosicaMay 3, 2016

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Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga and a raft of other appellate judges have already qualified to run for this year’s merit-retention election. The state’s Division of Elections posted the results online. In order of district, here are the judges who will stand for merit retention: 1st District Court of Appeal (Tallahassee): Ross Bilbrey, Susan Kelsey, Lori S. Rowe, […]

Ryan RayMay 2, 2016

The Florida Chamber of Commerce lent their substantial clout to four statehouse Republicans on Monday. Groveland Rep. Larry Metz, Auburndale Rep. Neil Combee, Maitland Rep. Bob Cortes, Saint Cloud Rep. Mike De La Rosa, and Orlando Rep. Eric Eisnaugle were among those who got the nod from the pro-business group. The lawmakers all received “A” grades on the Chamber’s annual legislative report […]

Peter SchorschApril 16, 2016

And so it goes, another attempt to change the state’s alimony regimen, down in flames. This year’s bill (SB 668) was complicated by the addition of language from another measure in the 2016 Legislative Session. It would have changed the beginning assumption of child custody (or “time-sharing”) to 50/50 between spouses. And that is what […]

Jim RosicaApril 15, 2016

Smaller private, charter and Christian schools in Florida say the state’s high-school athletics oversight body is preventing them from competing for state championships despite a new state law approved by Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday. But a spokesman for the organization, the Florida High School Athletics Association, says they’re simply enforcing a policy that’s been on the […]

Ryan RayApril 12, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott made progress on cleaning his post-Legislative Session plate on Tuesday, signing into law a bill to require life insurance policies to notify beneficiaries when a deceased policyholder has died. The bill – SB 966 by Republican Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto – was approved with no opposition by lawmakers on March 10. It requires insurers to use master death lists they […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterApril 12, 2016

The Associated Industries of Florida report card is out, and the Florida Legislature received passing grades. Tom Feeney, the president and CEO of the Associated Industries of Florida, said the Florida Senate voted in favor of the business community 87 percent of the time, while the Florida House voted in favor of the business community […]

Tag: 2016 Legislative Session

Judge sides with insurers in SB 966 lawsuit

Florida Court: Jury must unanimously agree on death penalty

Enterprise Florida CEO Bill Johnson: ‘Public-private partnerships play an important role in how we sell Florida’

Charles Canady qualifies for Supreme Court retention election

Jorge Labarga, other judges qualify for merit-retention election

Florida Chamber endorses A-Grade legislative Republicans

Takeaways from Tallahassee – The (veto) pen is mightier than the (legislators’) sword

Small detail in big education bill causing major headache in high school athletics

Rick Scott signs unclaimed life insurance policies bill into law

Associated Industries of Florida releases 2016 Voting Record