Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Michael MolineMarch 28, 2017

House budget writers stuck to the plan Tuesday in rolling out details of their proposed $12.3 billion for transportation and tourism. It would eliminate economic incentives programs including Enterprise Florida, and sharply reduce spending on Visit Florida. “We’re basically following the tenets of (HB) 7005, the policy bill that was passed a couple of weeks ago,” […]

Michael MolineMarch 28, 2017

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The Florida House would spend $31.3 billion on health care programs during the next budget year, cutting money for hospitals and county health departments, but boosting spending on mental health and substance abuse programs. Chairman Jason Brodeur outlined the proposal Tuesday morning during hearings before the Health Care Appropriation Subcommittee. It was one of five […]

Staff ReportsMarch 24, 2017

The House will vote on a state budget on April 13, if all goes according to plan. The Appropriations Committee is to release its budget bill and related documents to senators and the public no later than 8 a.m. on March 31, according to a copy of the timeline posted by LobbyTools. The full committee […]

Michael MolineMarch 23, 2017

The Florida House voted Thursday unanimously to direct two-thirds of the $400 million the state is due from the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster to the worst-affected counties in the Panhandle. HB 7077 requires 75 percent of all payments that Florida receives from the settlement agreement between the five Gulf states and BP […]

Michael MolineMarch 21, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott wouldn’t say Tuesday whether he would permanently suspend State Attorney Aramis Ayala. But Scott insisted his special prosecutor would be the one to seek the death penalty against Markeith Loyd, despite Ayala’s challenge to his order reassigning her. Under questioning by reporters at the state Capitol, Scott said only: “We are going […]

Michael MolineMarch 17, 2017

The Legislature will have $271 million more than it expected to spend this year, but close to 90 percent of the new money is a one-shot deal, and won’t help budget writers with ongoing demands upon a state budget projected at close to $83 billion. State economists arrived at their new forecast during a revenue estimating conference Friday. […]

Michael MolineMarch 16, 2017

The House released its bad-case and worst-case scenarios for the next state budget Thursday. Neither is very pretty. Florida faces would pay hospital less to treat poor people. The state would build less affordable housing. There’d be fewer prosecutors and public defenders. Museums, historical preservation, and economic development would be slashed. For example: “The long-range […]

Michael MolineMarch 13, 2017

A Senate committee approved legislation Monday earmarking 75 percent of Florida’s take from the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster for the eight worst-affected counties, and ensuring that small counties will be represented on the oversight board. But the Commerce and Tourism Committee delayed a vote on another high-profile bill, SB 236, to dismantle tax subsidies for […]

Michael MolineMarch 9, 2017

A bipartisan coalition of House members and senators endorsed Gov. Rick Scott’s request to increase mental health funding by $25 million, but said even more money is needed to move Florida out of the basement in funding for treatment. “At the end of the day, we’re 49th (in funding among the states), which means we’ve […]

Michael MolineMarch 7, 2017

The Florida Senate is in session. Senators convened at 9:30 with a prayer and the traditional singing of the national anthem. “They need wisdom, direction, and understanding,” Pam Olsen, president of the Florida Prayer Network said during the invocation. “Keep their marriages strong” while the members are “here doing the people’s business,” she prayed. “I […]

Tag: 2017-18 state budget

House and Senate cement their differences on Visit Florida funding

House budget would cut jobs, money for hospitals and county health units

House releases timetable for voting on its proposed state budget

House votes to steer most BP oil spill settlement money to the Panhandle

Rick Scott reviewing options in Aramis Ayala death-penalty situation

Florida’s revenue picture improves a little — but not enough to really matter

House spending reduction targets would spread plenty of pain

Vote on stadium-subsidies bill delayed, but panel votes aid to rural counties

Legislative coalition urges leaders to find money for mental health programs

Florida Senate convenes in Tallahassee, adopts compromise budget rules