Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersMay 13, 2017

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham announced the endorsements of three key Democratic women lawmakers Friday afternoon. The former congresswoman has picked up the endorsements of state Reps. Amy Mercado of Orlando, Barbara Watson of Miami Gardens, and Lori Berman of Lantana. Graham is campaigning against fellow Democrats Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and Winter Park affordable housing […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 2, 2017

The House overwhelming approved its version of a medical marijuana implementing bill, setting the bill up for final negotiations with the Senate later this week. The House voted 105-9 to approve a bill (HB 1397) that would implement the 2016 medical marijuana constitutional amendment. “Understanding the level of pain and the level of need patients […]

Scott PowersApril 27, 2017

Sometimes fate plays that unexpected card that makes all the difference, such as Wednesday when the Florida House of Representatives narrowly approved the controversial “whiskey & Wheaties” bill, allowing whiskey to be sold in grocery stores. Earlier that day a 30-year-old Monticello man driving in Tallahassee was distracted by a device, didn’t see the red […]

Scott PowersApril 26, 2017

Orlando Democratic State Sen. Victor Torres and his wife Carmen Torres were injured in a car crash Wednesday morning in Tallahassee but have been released from the hospital. The three-car crash – with the Torreses in the middle – occurred early Wednesday right in front of the Capitol Building, at the corner of Apalachee Parkway […]

Scott PowersApril 24, 2017

More than a dozen Democratic Florida House members have formed the Progressive Legislative Caucus, with firebrand state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith of Orlando elected as its first chair. The caucus held its organization meeting last week with Smith becoming chair, state Rep. Amy Mercado of Orlando vice chair, and state Rep. Joseph Abruzzo of Boca […]

Mitch PerryApril 19, 2017

A modified proposal to protect black bears in Florida won support Wednesday in the Senate committee on Environmental Preservation and Conservation. But SB 1304 was measurably reduced in scope from Orlando Republican Linda Stewart‘s original bill. Stewart’s initial proposal would have banned bear hunting in Florida for 10 years. The amended bill calls for no such action. The proposal came […]

Peter SchorschApril 18, 2017

Perhaps they’ve been reading the rash of vitriolic emails and op-eds from Florida for Care, or the equally brutal reporting and editorializing from the Tampa Bay Times this past weekend. Maybe it was the litany of emotional public comment at Tuesday’s hearing. Whatever it was, Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee – led by the […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterApril 13, 2017

The House approved an $81.2 billion budget Thursday afternoon, sending the proposed fiscal 2017-18 spending plan to conference. The House voted 89-26 to approve the budget proposal after about 45 minutes of debate, mostly from Democratic members raising concerns over spending for public school education, the environment and health care. “I have to rise in […]

Scott PowersMarch 1, 2017

As state Rep. Amy Mercado declares, Florida’s now-annual black bear hunt has become a “slaughter.” Mercado and fellow Orlando Democratic state Sen. Linda Stewart laid out bills Wednesday to ban the hunts for 10 years, as well as steps to keep bears happy enough in the forests and stop raiding neighborhoods. “The bears, we’ve encroached […]

Scott PowersJanuary 26, 2017

Concerned that there are under-the-radar problems with teen children abusing parents, state Rep. Amy Mercado is seeking to create a parent abuse reporting system that could give the parents some of the same protections the state extends to children being abused by parents. Mercado, an Orlando Democrat, filed House Bill 431 this week, aiming to […]

Tag: Amy Mercado
Elizabeth Martinez Strauss. Image via campaign.

Gwen Graham gets backing of Amy Mercado, Lori Berman, Barbara Watson

House passes medical marijuana implementing bill, sends to Senate

Fate takes a hand in whiskey & Wheaties bill as Amy Mercado cares for her parents

Victor Torres, wife Carmen Torres, recovering after car crash

House forms first-ever Legislative Progressive Caucus

Senate panel OKs modified bill to protect black bears

House Democrats wake up on weed

House approves its spending plan, setting it up for budget negotiations

Linda Stewart, Amy Mercado introduce bills to protect bears, their food and habitat

Amy Mercado, Victor Torres seek ‘parent abuse’ reporting system