Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

James CallMarch 18, 2015

Sen. Denise Grimsley’s effort to tear down the wall has morphed into moving the door. More than 100 people crowded into a Senate meeting room Wednesday when the Regulated Industries Committee considered a proposal ending a prohibition on grocery stores stocking liquor and spirits alongside beer and wine. Grimsley, a Sebring Republican, fought back against an unfriendly amendment offered by […]

James CallMarch 18, 2015

Sen. Denise Grimsley’s effort to tear down the wall has morphed into moving the door. More than 100 people crowded into a Senate meeting room Wednesday when the Regulated Industries Committee considered a proposal ending a prohibition on grocery stores stocking liquor and spirits alongside beer and wine. Grimsley, a Sebring Republican, fought back against an unfriendly amendment offered by […]

James CallMarch 18, 2015

The Senate Appropriations Chairman is drawing a line in the sand. Sen. Tom Lee wants clarity on health care spending before moving forward on building a budget, and both Sen. Aaron Bean and Sen. Renee Garcia are looking for the money to help him produce a balanced spending plan. The federal Low Income Pool program expires in June, and the more than […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 17, 2015

Despite testimony urging them to be wary of tapping into any increased Medicaid funding, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services on Tuesday passed its Medicaid expansion bill that would provide coverage to an estimated 800,000 uninsured Floridians. Though the committee had been given three hours to debate and discuss SB 7044, sponsored […]

James CallMarch 16, 2015

It was a day of announcements at the state Capitol. Morning broke with former legislator Joe Scarborough announcing that U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is selling his Tallahassee house. Details here. Rubio had purchased a three-bedroom/two bath house with fellow lawmaker David Rivera in 2005. It has been a bit of a headache for Rubio: The two were unable to unload […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 16, 2015

Legislative heavyweights lined up outside the third floor Capitol clinic on Monday. The four most influential legislators in health care — Reps. Jason Brodeur and Matt Hudson and Sens. Rene Garcia and Aaron Bean — weren’t talking Low Income Pool, telemedicine, Medicaid expansion, or any other health care issues, though. They lined up to weigh in and compete in the 2015 Biggest […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 16, 2015

Legislative heavyweights lined up outside the third floor Capitol clinic on Monday. The four most influential legislators in health care — Reps. Jason Brodeur and Matt Hudson and Sens. Rene Garcia and Aaron Bean — weren’t talking Low Income Pool, telemedicine, Medicaid expansion, or any other health care issues, though. They lined up to weigh in and compete in the 2015 Biggest […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 11, 2015

Health Policy Committee Chairman Aaron Bean and Vice Chairwoman Eleanor Sobel are working together on a Senate Medicaid expansion plan. The two are not agreed how it should be administered. Bean champions a little-known program called Florida Health Choices. Sobel has thrown her weight behind the better-known Florida Healthy Kids Corp., which administered the popular […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 11, 2015

Health Policy Committee Chairman Aaron Bean and Vice Chairwoman Eleanor Sobel are working together on a Senate Medicaid expansion plan. The two are not agreed how it should be administered. Bean champions a little-known program called Florida Health Choices. Sobel has thrown her weight behind the better-known Florida Healthy Kids Corp., which administered the popular […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 10, 2015

The Florida Senate is considering a Medicaid expansion and wants to create a new program to administer it called the Florida Health Insurance Affordability Exchange. Senate Health Policy committee members not only will debate the merits of tapping into available Medicaid funding under the federal health care law — often called Obamacare — but also […]

Tag: Aaron Bean
Please stay aware ... and safe.

Senate scales back “‘whiskey and wheaties” bill

Senate scales back "'whiskey and wheaties" bill

Five minutes with Tom Lee — Talk of playing cards while building a budget

Medicaid expansion passes its 2nd Senate panel unanimously

The day that was in Florida politics — March 16

Capitol heavyweights aim to slim down in “Biggest Loser” contest

Capitol heavyweights aim to slim down in "Biggest Loser" contest

If Florida Health Choices is a gift for Richard Corcoran, he’ll return it

If Florida Health Choices is a gift for Richard Corcoran, he'll return it

Senate Health Policy panel to decide how Medicaid expansion would be handled