Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiJune 26, 2018

The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, the Southern Poverty Law Center and the James Madison Institute were among the groups discussing this year’s iteration of the Caruthers Institute report “Stepping Up: Florida’s Top Juvenile Pre-Arrest Diversion Efforts” on a Tuesday morning conference call. Dewey Caruthers, president of The Caruthers Institute, which conducts the study, […]

Scott PowersJune 25, 2018

The city of Orlando announced Monday it has ended its pilot project for the police to use Amazon Rekognition facial recognition software but held the door open for possible further use even as the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida called it a potential invasion of residents’ privacy, free speech and due process rights and […]

Staff ReportsApril 9, 2018

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Howard Simon, the longest-serving American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) official, is retiring at the end of the year. Simon spent the last 21 years as head of the ACLU of Florida, and directed the organization’s Michigan office for 23 years before that. “His cumulative 44-year career … is the longest in the ACLU’s 98-year history,” the group […]

Jim RosicaMarch 20, 2018

A proposed constitutional amendment to give equal rights to crime victims won preliminary approval from the full Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) on Monday. Commissioners voted 30-3 to send the measure (P96) to the panel’s Style and Drafting Committee for preparation as a ballot question. Hank Coxe, Arthenia Joyner and Bob Solari voted against it. The proposal still faces a final […]

Staff ReportsFebruary 27, 2018

The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida says it’s suing state Rep. Chuck Clemons, a Newberry Republican, “for blocking a constituent from the representative’s official social media accounts.” Clemons fired back Tuesday that the suit was “frivolous and a waste of taxpayer time and money.” From the press release: The constituent, Morgan Attwood of Gainesville, tweeted […]

Phil AmmannMay 31, 2017

Florida’s vicennial Constitution Revision Commission is drawing fire for a lack of transparency in scheduling a vote on a package of procedural rules for changes to the state’s constitution. A letter Wednesday from a coalition of advocacy groups said CRC Chair Carlos Beruff is throwing shade on the process by disbanding the eight-person Rules Working […]

Jim RosicaApril 12, 2017

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For as many people who asked the Constitution Revision Commission to do something, there were others who wanted the panel to do nothing at all. And that’s not counting the fringe speakers Wednesday night who told the commission they were “imposters” and “impersonating delegates of the people.” The 37-member panel, which convenes every 20 years […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 14, 2017

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A federal case on the state’s new abortion law has taken another twist with a filing from Attorney General Pam Bondi‘s office. Late Monday, her office notified the court of proposed rules related to the law that could affect Senior U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle‘s consideration of a pending request for a preliminary injunction. The controversy in question involves part of the law […]

Staff ReportsFebruary 1, 2017

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida announced a bevy of new staff “in preparation for the upcoming fights in the Florida legislature, in the courts, and in cities and counties across the state of Florida,” according to a Wednesday news release. Deputy Director Melba Pearson was an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County for […]

Associated PressDecember 13, 2016

A federal judge is being asked to block additional parts of a contentious Florida abortion law. The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida filed a lawsuit late Monday on behalf of several ministers, rabbis and organizations that provide abortion counseling services to women. The lawsuit contends that the law violates constitutional rights by requiring groups […]

Tag: American Civil Liberties Union of Florida

Strides made in pre-arrest diversion programs; gaps in schools, rural counties persist

Orlando ends use of facial recognition software

Personnel note: ACLU of Florida’s Howard Simon to retire

‘Marsy’s Law’ wins initial OK as state constitutional amendment

Don’t block me, bro: ACLU sues lawmaker over social media Heisman

Advocacy groups blast CRC Chair Carlos Beruff for ‘throwing shade’ on process

On display in Tallahassee: What people want – and don’t want – from constitutional rewrite panel

Pam Bondi steps into federal case over state’s abortion law

Personnel note: ACLU-FL staffs up for Donald Trump era

Federal judge asked to block part of Florida abortion law