Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 9, 2017

Industry advocates said a Senate proposal filed this week could change the way nursing homes that accept Medicaid are paid without severely impacting high-quality nursing homes. Sponsored by Sen. Aaron Bean, the bill (SB 712) transitions nursing homes that accept Medicaid payments to a prospective payment system. But LeadingAge Florida CEO Steve Bahmer said Bean’s […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2017

A bill that passed the House 107-0 Thursday would provide shelter for Florida principals who had a questionable foreign court issue a cash judgement against them. HB 623, filed by Northeast Florida Republican Cord Byrd and co-sponsored by Rep. Frank White, offers additional circumstances in which an out-of-country foreign judgment need not be recognized. White, a candidate for Attorney General, […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2017

Senate Bill 476, filed Tuesday in the Florida Senate by Jacksonville Republican Aaron Bean, amends and expands existing statute regarding terrorism. The bill creates a more expansive definition for “terrorism” and “terrorist activities.” Additionally, the measure explicitly prohibits “using, attempting to use, or conspiring to use” training from a “designated foreign terrorist organization.” Terroristic crimes, intended […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 23, 2017

A bill to set up a civil citation program for juveniles statewide advanced Monday through a Florida Senate committee. However, questions about removing officer discretion may need to be addressed before the proposal gets widespread support from lawmakers later this Session. Miami Republican Senator Anitere Flores’ bill (SB 196) would mandate law enforcement officers to offer a civil citation […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 2, 2017

Now that 2017 is all but upon us — after a tumultuous 2016 electorally — what’s next for Northeast Florida politics? One assurance: unlike in 2016, with a massive electoral turnover in the region’s Washington and Tallahassee delegations, as well as in both the state attorney and public defender offices, 2017 won’t see that. With […]

Scott PowersDecember 14, 2016

Turnover of staff at Florida’s prisons is so high that a substantial majority of guards in some prisons have less than two years experience, Corrections Secretary Julie Jones said Wednesday before the Senate Criminal Justice Appropriations Subcommittee. Jones was at the subcommittee’s introductory meeting to push hers’ and Gov. Rick Scott administration’s priorities. They start with […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 30, 2016

The Duval County Legislative Delegation selected a new chair and a new vice-chair on Wednesday, during a meeting in Jacksonville. Stepping down from the chair: Mia Jones, who reminded the new members that “home is where the rubber meets the road,” and to not fall into the trap of putting state issues over local concerns. Selected […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 30, 2016

Northeast Florida Sens. Aaron Bean, Rob Bradley, Audrey Gibson, and Travis Hutson all have new committee assignments. Happily for Northeast Florida, the first three listed will be in a position to have say over the upper house’s purse strings in the coming Session. Bean will be one of three First Coast Delegation Members on the Appropriations Committee, with leadership […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 29, 2016

A recurring issue in Florida presents a particular type of tragedy: babies dying during open heart surgery. The issue extends far beyond Florida, sadly. CNN noted that in 2015, some hospitals had death rates over 12 percent. And to put that number in perspective, half of the hospitals that perform pediatric heart surgeries nationally do not […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 29, 2016

In 2014, the Florida Legislature enacted a pilot program designed to make it easier for foster children to get driver’s licenses and auto insurance. In 2017, Sen. Aaron Bean seeks to make that program permanent, via Senate Bill 60, to ensure children in “out-of-home care” permanently have a way to secure driver’s licenses and defray the […]

Tag: Aaron Bean
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Aaron Bean files bill focused on nursing home Medicaid reimbursement rates

Cord Byrd bill nixing questionable foreign court money judgments clears House

Florida Senate bill expands definitions, penalties for terrorism

Bill to expand juvenile civil citations raises questions on officer discretion

A.G. Gancarski’s 10 predictions for Jacksonville politics in 2017

Julie Jones says prisons need higher pay to stop ‘churn in the hiring’

Duval Delegation elects Jay Fant new chair, Aaron Bean vice-chair

Northeast Florida Senators to feature heavily on Appropriations Committee

Aaron Bean introduces pediatric cardiac care bill

Program for driver’s licenses for foster children could be made permanent