Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan NicolJune 6, 2018

U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart may have just helped open the door to more offshore drilling in parts of the U.S. But Florida appears to be in the clear for now. Members of the House Appropriations Committee voted today on an amendment to prevent the expansion of offshore drilling into new areas, including the Atlantic and […]

Staff ReportsMarch 29, 2018

Democratic state Sen. Darryl Rouson of St. Petersburg is calling on Gov. Rick Scott to “fix the ‘fatally flawed’ voting rights restoration process for convicted felons.” U.S. District Judge Mark Walker of Tallahassee this week issued a permanent injunction declaring Florida’s restoration process in violation of the 1st and 14th Amendments. “It is past time for Florida to revise […]

Scott PowersMarch 13, 2018

Saying there’d been no effort to address assault weapons in the Florida Legislature Session that just ended, Democratic former state Sen. Chris Smith has offered an amendment to the Florida Constitution that would ban them. Smith, the former Senate Democratic leader from Fort Lauderdale who is one of 37 members of the Florida Constitution Revision Commission, […]

Scott PowersMarch 7, 2018

An attempt by Orlando Democratic state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith to get the state to provide $1 million to help build a Pulse nightclub memorial in Orlando drew some crossover votes from Republicans (including many from Central Florida) but failed in the House Tuesday night. The proposed amendment, which would have added $1 million for […]

Scott PowersFebruary 12, 2018

Saying that a newbie mistake had been made, Democratic candidate Clark Anderson indicated Monday morning he will refund a $2,000 donation made to his Florida House District 30 campaign by his wife Mari-Jean Anderson, and file an amendment to his January campaign finance report. The $2,000 donation showed up in the finance report posted Friday for […]

Ana CeballosJanuary 23, 2018

Florida is home to more than 1.5 million citizens who can’t cast a vote in elections unless granted clemency by Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet. But that could change in November. State election officials on Tuesday verified that the constitutional amendment that would automatically restore the voting rights of convicted felons—except for those convicted […]

Staff ReportsJanuary 18, 2018

A proposal to allow the automatic restoration of non-violent ex-felons’ voting rights cleared a Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) committee on Thursday. The CRC’s Ethics and Elections Committee OK’d the measure (P7) by a 6-2 vote. “If successful, Smith and Joyner’s proposal would bring Florida in line with most of the states in the nation that already allow […]

Jim RosicaNovember 29, 2017

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Candidates for legislative office would have to live in their districts when they qualify to run under a constitutional change cleared Wednesday. The Constitution Revision Commission‘s Legislative Committee OK’d the proposal (P50), filed by Commissioner and former state Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, unanimously and without debate. Diaz also chairs the committee. The constitution now says a […]

Jim RosicaNovember 28, 2017

A review panel has killed a proposed constitutional amendment that would have added financial oversight duties to the state’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The proposal (P68), filed by Commissioner Tom Lee, died on a tie vote in the Constitution Revision Commission‘s Executive Committee on Tuesday as some panel members raised fiscal and legal questions. A parliamentary […]

Jim RosicaNovember 1, 2017

The Tallahassee-based First Amendment Foundation, the state’s public records and open meetings watchdog, is giving a thumbs down to a proposed Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) amendment on “privacy” for the 2018 ballot. Foundation President Barbara Petersen, in a letter this week to Lisa Carlton, chair of the CRC’s Declaration of Rights Committee, said her group […]

Tag: amendment
Image via Palatka Main Street.

Mario Diaz-Balart votes against amendment barring offshore drilling

Darryl Rouson on voting rights: Fix this now

Chris Smith proposes adding assault weapon ban to state constitution

Carlos Smith’s $1M Pulse memorial amendment draws some Republicans, but fails

Clark Anderson refunding, redoing contribution from wife

Initiative that would restore felons’ voting rights qualifies for 2018 ballot

Voting rights proposal advanced by constitutional review board

Constitutional change on candidate residency OK’d by panel

Tom Lee’s proposal to augment CFO duties dies in committee

Open government watchdog barks at privacy measure