Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaDecember 11, 2017

Fantasy sports advocates have said their hobby is a game of skill and shouldn’t be considered gambling. There’s one sticking point with that position in Florida: A state law prohibits betting on games of skill, making it a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to 60 days in jail. But a state Senator backing a bill to […]

Peter SchorschDecember 7, 2017

Sixty Days — A prime-time look at the 2018 Legislative Session The Last 24 Sen. Annette Taddeo of Miami and Rep. Lori Berman of Lantana said they will push for a legislatively-initiated state constitutional amendment approving Medicaid expansion in Florida. The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Environment and Natural Resources approved two priority environmental projects […]

Jim RosicaDecember 7, 2017

A proposal to exempt fantasy sports from state gambling regulation cleared a Senate committee Thursday—but with one notable opponent. “I don’t think the issues raised are clear,” said Sen. Dorothy Hukill, a Port Orange Republican and vice-chair of the Regulated Industries Committee, which handles gambling policy. Aside from Hukill’s ‘no’ vote, that committee otherwise moved […]

Peter SchorschDecember 6, 2017

Sixty Days — A prime-time look at the 2018 Legislative Session The Last 24 While the pundit class may gnash its teeth over President Donald Trump announcing a move of the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, Gov. Rick Scott stands with his “partner in the White House.” Meanwhile, Scott’s request for lawmakers to boost […]

Jim RosicaDecember 6, 2017

State Sen. Dana Young is defending her fantasy sports bill for 2018, saying the Seminole Tribe’s criticism of her measure and related legislation is “off point.” On Wednesday, the Tampa Republican referred to a February legal opinion by former Florida Supreme Court Justice Ken Bell for DraftKings, a leading fantasy sports website. The day before, the […]

Jim RosicaDecember 6, 2017

The Seminole Tribe of Florida‘s top in-house lawyer told lawmakers this week that their fantasy sports bills are a dealbreaker. A $200 million dealbreaker. The Tribe now says fantasy sports bills filed for the 2018 Legislative Session, if passed, would violate the Seminole Compact. That’s the gambling agreement struck by the state and the Seminoles […]

Ana CeballosDecember 5, 2017

As Florida House members work to roll out their budget, the chairman of that chamber’s budget committee said Tuesday they are aiming for a simpler version of the massive $87 billion budget Gov. Rick Scott has proposed. “Our goal is to pass a balanced budget — I don’t want to say one that is more […]

Peter SchorschDecember 5, 2017

Sixty Days — A prime-time look at the 2018 Legislative Session The Last 24 After House Democrats formally designated him as their next leader on Tuesday, Rep. Kionne McGhee asked his fellow D’s in the Republican-controlled chamber to stay hopeful and not “underestimate the power of the donkey.” Sen. Bobby Powell and others argued for […]

Peter SchorschDecember 5, 2017

In what’s shaping up to be one of the 2018 Legislative Session’s “food fights,” an upstart Miami firm has hired Ballard Partners’ Brian Ballard and Mat Forrest. It’s not so much a traditional food fight as usually riles the Capitol halls, but a David and Goliath battle of the “status quo” versus a “market disrupter.” […]

Jim RosicaDecember 5, 2017

Miguel Rodriguez is only 24, but he already lost nearly a decade of his life to the criminal justice system. He attended a Tuesday press conference at the Capitol to argue for changes to the way Florida prosecutes juvenile offenders, including what’s known as the direct-file process, in which some minors are charged and handled in […]

Tag: 2018 Legislative Session

Obscure Florida law prompts need for fantasy sports legislation

Sixty Days for 12.7.17 — A prime-time look at the 2018 Legislative Session

Fantasy sports bill moves after one high-profile ‘no’ vote

Sixty Days for 12.6.17 — A prime-time look at the 2018 Legislative Session

Seminole Tribe criticism of fantasy sports is ‘off point,’ Dana Young says

Seminole Tribe fires warning letter to Legislature over fantasy sports

Florida House aims to roll out slimmer version of budget than Rick Scott

Sixty Days for 12.5.17 — A prime-time look at the 2018 Legislative Session

Lobby up: TIKD hires Ballard Partners for traffic ticket ‘food fight’

Stop prosecuting kids as adults, advocates say