Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 23, 2016

The state’s oversight panel for public high-school athletics can breathe a collective sigh of relief after this past legislative session. Conservative lawmakers have had the Florida High School Athletics Association in their crosshairs for the last five years. They’ve said constituents have long complained about their children not being able to play certain sports because of strict […]

Ryan RayMarch 23, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott continued a flurry of post-Legislative Session activity Wednesday morning, signing nine bills passed during the 2016 lawmaking period into state law. The highest-profile bills meeting the governor’s approval include a requirement that Florida law enforcement test all rape kits within 120 days of their submission, the creation of a needle exchange pilot program in […]

Ryan RayMarch 16, 2016

Florida said hello to its new official state honey – tupelo, of course – when Gov. Rick Scott signed into law a bill to make myriad tweaks to the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services on Wednesday. House Bill 7007, which originated in the House sponsored by Rep. Jake Raburn and the Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee, is […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 14, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott is declaring a legislative victory despite the fact that the Legislature shot down most of his top priorities during the 2016 Session. Scott spent Monday on a five-city swing as part of his “Million, Billion Jobs Victory Tour.” During stops in Orlando, St. Petersburg and Fort Myers, the Naples Republican talked about […]

Associated PressMarch 14, 2016

Florida lawmakers went home when they were supposed to this year. That alone made the 2016 Legislative Session more successful than last year. In an often contentious process where far more bills die than go to the governor, it was a rare year in Tallahassee. How so? Lawmakers passed restrictions on abortion and killed a […]

Associated PressMarch 12, 2016

The Legislature passed about 275 bills during the 2016 session that ended Friday. That means about 1,600 bills died. Here’s a look at some that succeeded and some that failed. ___ WINNERS – An $82.3 billion dollar budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. – Requirements that doctors who perform abortions have admitting […]

Drew WilsonMarch 12, 2016

Conservative group Americans for Prosperit-Florida congratulated the Legislature for “standing firm against corporate welfare” as the 2016 Legislative Session came to a close Friday. AFP-FL spent the better part of the Session blasting Gov. Rick Scott’s controversial Florida Enterprise Fund plan, which asked lawmakers to set aside $250 million in economic incentives money in the […]

Peter SchorschMarch 11, 2016

What a difference a year makes. Tallahassee went from the dysfunction of 2015 – the House going home early, no budget, a Special Budget Session – to the trains-on-time Session of 2016. Heck, the chilly capital even warmed up to the high 70s by Sine Die. No wonder there are more winners than losers this year than last. […]

Drew WilsonMarch 11, 2016

With the 2016 Legislative Session in the books, the Florida Retail Federation said Friday that Florida’s 270,000 retail businesses have plenty of reasons to celebrate. The trade group said “a number of positive retail-specific bills” made it through the House and Senate and their impact will be felt at “pharmacies, grocers, convenience stores, restaurants, law […]

Drew WilsonMarch 11, 2016

The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America said it was disappointed lawmakers capped off the 2016 Legislative Session without passing insurance regulations for Uber and Lyft drivers. “Twenty-nine other states have passed legislation addressing insurance coverage requirements for TNCs, and it is past time for Florida to do the same,” the group said in a […]

Tag: 2016 Legislative Session

Florida Legislature eases transfer rules for high-school athletes

Rick Scott signs 9 bills into law

Rick Scott signs Ag Department changes into law

Rick Scott calls 2016 with Legislature “a very good Session”

Unlike 2015, Florida lawmakers go home happy, on time

A look at bills that passed and died in Florida this year

Americans for Prosperity-Florida applauds lawmakers for curbing “corporate welfare”

Takeaways from Tallahassee: Winners & Losers of the 2016 Legislative Session

Tax holiday, skimmer laws give Florida Retail Federation plenty of Session cheer

Property Casualty Insurers “disappointed” by failure to pass ride-sharing regulation