Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaMay 3, 2017

The Governor’s Office now has received nearly 500 emails asking Gov. Rick Scott to veto a contentious bill that allows retailers to sell distilled spirits in the same store as other goods. A tally shows 491 emails urging a veto and none in support of the measure (SB 106), according to Scott spokesman McKinley Lewis. The bill passed […]

Michael MolineMay 2, 2017

Senate President Joe Negron conceded the obvious Tuesday night: The House and Senate won’t wrap up budget negotiations in time to adjourn as scheduled on Friday. “You know the timetable as well as I do, with the 72-hour requirement. So we will definitely not complete the budget work prior to the end of Friday, and […]

Michael MolineMay 2, 2017

House Speaker Richard Corcoran insisted Tuesday that he still hoped to complete a budget deal in time to adjourn on schedule Friday — but other lawmakers and Tallahassee’s lobbyists have begun clearing their calendars for next week. “I think it’s 90 percent likely,” Corcoran said of chances the negotiations with the Senate could be wrapped […]

Jim RosicaMay 2, 2017

State Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, the House’s point man on gambling, said an impossibility of compromise over slot machines killed the 2017 gambling bill. “We were too far apart and the Senate wanted to bring it in for a landing during budget conference, and we were not going to be able to do that,” he […]

Jim RosicaMay 2, 2017

The Seminole Tribe of Florida “will react accordingly” to the demise of a gambling bill this Legislative Session, the Tribe’s top outside lawyer said Tuesday. Chief negotiators for the House and Senate said earlier Tuesday they wouldn’t resolve their differences over the legislation before the scheduled end of the 2017 Legislative Session on Friday. When asked whether the Tribe plans […]

Michael MolineMay 2, 2017

The Senate adopted an amendment Tuesday easing mandatory-minimum prison sentences in a bill cracking down on trafficking in synthetic opioids, including fentanyl and carfentanil. Senate President Joe Negron ruled that Sen. Randolph Bracy’s amendment had passed on a voice vote, following an impassioned debate touching on the drugs’ dangers and the damage minimum-mandatory sentencing has […]

Jim RosicaMay 1, 2017

Senate President Joe Negron on Monday said lawmakers are “getting close” to a deal on a gambling overhaul bill for the year. The same day, however, a House Democrat who’s on the Conference Committee on Gaming tweeted “Nope” about the same thing. Negron was asked about the legislation during a media availability after the day’s floor […]

Michael MolineMay 1, 2017

Senate President Joe Negron held out hope Monday evening that he and House Speaker Richard Corcoran could resolve lingering disagreements about the state budget in time to present a bill Tuesday and adjourn as scheduled on Friday. “I know there was some real good progress made today on a number of issues, particularly in the […]

Michael MolineMay 1, 2017

The Senate approved a proposed ballot measure Monday to raise the value of Florida’s homestead exemption, improving chances that separate legislation to expand gambling would survive the Legislative Session. The vote was 28-10, within the required three-fifths majority. House leaders, who have been reluctant to open Florida to additional gambling options, have made approval of […]

Michael MolineMay 1, 2017

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved some $75 million in tax breaks Monday, including repeal of Florida’s tampon tax, that would be central to passing an $83 billion budget and ending the Legislative Session on time Friday. The committee also approved across-the-board pay raises for state workers, with extra money for high-risk employees, plus an option to […]

Opponents of ‘liquor wall’ bill have begun veto effort

Joe Negron acknowledges the Legislative Session will enter extra innings

Lawmakers, lobbyists begin to contemplate an extended session

Jose Felix Diaz: ‘We were too far apart’ from Senate on gambling

Lawyer: Seminole Tribe ‘will react accordingly’ to gambling bill’s death

Opioid-crackdown bill picks up potentially deadly amendment in Senate

Joe Negron: Lawmakers ‘getting close’ to agreement on gambling

Joe Negron sees ‘good progress’ toward budget deal as session enters final week

Homestead exemption expansion wins supermajority vote in Senate

Tax breaks clear Senate Appropriations as session enters final scheduled week