Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryFebruary 26, 2015

Six weeks after he said he was considering filing such legislation, St. Petersburg Republican state Sen. Jeff Brandes on Thursday filed a bill that prohibits law enforcement agencies from retaining property and assets seized from individuals who are not convicted of a crime. Civil forfeiture is a controversial legal process that allows police to take assets from […]

Mitch PerryDecember 12, 2014

As always, Howard Simon is a very busy man. The executive director of the ACLU of Florida for over 17 years was in Tampa early Friday morning as the featured guest speaker at the annual Tampa/Hillsborough County Human Rights Council awards breakfast at the DoubleTree Hotel in Westshore. Simon said one of the chief reasons he […]

Mitch PerryDecember 4, 2014

Once again, Rick Scott has had his plans to drug test Floridians thwarted by a judge – this time by the three justices who comprise the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court has ruled that a 2011 Florida law mandating that all applicants for the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program submit to […]

Guest AuthorNovember 2, 2014

Over the years, I’ve observed that Floridians want their politicians to be driven by Florida values. This election season, voters must be wondering: how has Gov. Rick Scott lived up to key Sunshine State commitments? Rewarding hard work:  Floridians don’t want handouts they believe in working for a living. That’s why they believe in […]

Tag: ACLU
The Jacksonville Jaguars trade running back Tank Bigsby to the Philadelphia Eagles for draft picks. Image via AP/Gerald Herbert.

Jeff Brandes files bill to amend civil forfeiture law in Florida

Florida ACLU head Howard Simon on the police, same-sex marriage and restoration of ex-felon voting rights

Another court slams Rick Scott on urine testing

Ralph Nader: Nine Florida values that Rick Scott opposes