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Drew WilsonJune 21, 2015

As of June, none of the 12 Florida Senators running for reelection is facing much of a challenge — Democratic Sen. Jeff Clemens is the only incumbent to draw an opponent so far, but it won’t derail him from another term. District 29 looks set as well, with Democratic Rep. Jim Waldman having a clear path to take over for outgoing Sen. Jeremy […]

Phil AmmannJune 20, 2015

No rest for the weary Florida lawmaker. Make that about 80 days of rest. Even as the Sine Die hanky fell on the 2015A Special Legislative Session, and ink dries on a $79 billion budget sitting on Gov. Rick Scott’s desk, plans for next year’s session are already well under way. A joint memo released […]

Phil AmmannJune 19, 2015

Citing “blatant political maneuvering and a disregard for the wishes of voters,” few lawmakers can take pride in the 2015 Legislative Session, says Pamela Goodman, President of the Florida League of Women Voters. Her primary concerns in the recently ended Special Session A were notable failures in accepting federal Medicaid expansion money to cover more […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 16, 2015

The Legislature can pass the budget at 5:37 p.m. Friday and call it quits. After meeting late into Monday night and adding $300 million more in spending, the General Appropriations Act was electronically furnished to the Legislature, governor and Cabinet at 5:37 p.m. Tuesday. The Florida Constitution requires the Legislature to wait 72 hours before […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 15, 2015

House Republicans earlier this month rejected a Senate proposal to extend health coverage after a bitterly divisive debate that last nearly seven hours. House leaders such as Rep. Jason Brodeur and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli contended a better way was to fix other problems with the state’s health care laws. The answer from the Senate? […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 12, 2015

Legislative leaders on Friday said the House and Senate budget chairs would continue to work over the weekend in order to bring the General Appropriations Act in for a landing. The goal is for a copy of the budget to be on lawmakers’ desks by Tuesday so they can wait the mandated 72 hours before […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 12, 2015

Budget chairmen Sen. Tom Lee and Rep. Richard Corcoran came to terms early Friday on what was the biggest stumbling block during the 2015 session and what Lee called the “linchpin” of the budget: supplemental Medicaid funding. After working for days, the House made a Low Income Pool offer to the Senate that takes advantage […]

Staff ReportsJune 11, 2015

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday passed a $400 million tax package reduction, absent the direction of Chairman Sen. Tom Lee who was preparing for a noon budget meeting with House counterpart Richard Corcoran. HB 33A was placed on the Senate Special Order Calendar so it will be on second reading Friday, the end of […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 10, 2015

A House health care panel on Wednesday took up and passed six bills that, combined, leaders say will reduce the cost of health care and, in turn, increase access to doctors and services. The Health and Human Services Committee spent two hours hearing the bills, which range from establishing a new health care provider called […]

Staff ReportsJune 10, 2015

Senate President Andy Gardiner announced a few programming notes after a more or less pro forma floor Session late Wednesday morning. Among them: The 6 o’clock rule — which has been broken a handful of times this conference season, including an 8:45 meeting of the Education budget panel — remains in effect whether budget chiefs Richard Corcoran and Tom Lee come to […]

Tag: Andy Gardiner
Image via AP.

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No rest for the weary: 2016 legislative committee meeting schedule announced

Florida League of Women Voters blast record budget that ‘ignores Constitution’

Tick Tock: Budget is on the desks

Steve Crisafulli downplays Senate rejection of House health care proposals

Everybody’s working over the weekend, really

House, Senate agree on new LIP model

Senate panel OKs $400 million tax package; budget chairs meet at high noon

House passes 6 health care disruption bills from committee

Andy Gardiner lays out Senate schedule for rest of Session