Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Christine Jordan SextonApril 28, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott filed a lawsuit in federal court in Pensacola on Tuesday seeking declaratory relief that the Obama administration violated the U.S. Constitution by withholding supplemental Medicaid funding from the state in the form of Low Income Pool money. The lawsuit was filed shortly after the House of Representatives announced it was adjourning for […]

Ryan RayApril 28, 2015

Former Senate Democratic leader Sen. Chris Smith debated on the Senate floor against SB 284, a private property rights enhancement bill telling his colleagues — coyly at first — “It’s hard to argue against a bill with so many House co-sponsors,” and later, more directly, “I mean, if we want to send a message …” […]

Mitch PerryApril 28, 2015

Shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday, Florida House Speaker Steve Crisafulli stunned observers when he announced the House of Representatives would adjourn three days before the Legislative Session’s scheduled conclusion. He laid the cause to the continued impasse with the Senate over Medicaid expansion. “No, we didn’t get everything we wanted,” Crisafulli told House members. “And […]

Staff ReportsApril 28, 2015

In the growing rift between the chambers, the House of Representatives has sidelined a number of special-needs bills pushed by Senate President Andy Gardiner and agreed to in a joint priorities’ agenda by both chambers before the start of session. Florida Democratic Party Chair Allison Tant blasted the move in a press release saying it’s […]

Ryan RayApril 28, 2015

A small clutch of activists gathered on a foggy Tuesday morning to deliver petitions to Gov. Rick Scott and legislative leaders. Executive Director of Audubon Florida Eric Draper was handed a bottle of water infused with a blue-green algae bloom beforehand, FedExed straight from Central Florida the afternoon before. The green, murky water came from Lake Okeechobee and is […]

Ryan RayApril 27, 2015

Advocates for ride-sharing firms Lyft and Uber evidently did not reach an agreement this weekend with traditional taxi cab and limousine stakeholders, as a ride sharing policy bill sponsored by Rep. Matt Gaetz was temporarily postponed Monday for the second time in as many appearances on the House floor. HB 817 is generally considered a pro-Uber piece of legislation, but it recently took on […]

Ryan RayApril 27, 2015

Former Democratic Rep. Joe Saunders is “talking to family and friends about what the future may hold” now that Rep. Rene Plasencia – who narrowly defeated Saunders in a razor-thin contest in District 49 last November – has opted to run in a more Republican-leaning adjacent district in 2016. Saunders took to social media on Sunday and later caught up with Florida […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 27, 2015

Senate President Andy Gardiner on Monday sent letters to federal and state officials regarding Florida’s effort to win approval of a revamped hospital funding formula. The uncertainty over the loss of more than $1 billion in federal aid has resulted in a budget standoff between the House and Senate. The Agency for Health Care Administration […]

Ryan RayApril 27, 2015

Where things stand on a number of “legislative food fights” is a complicated question in today’s adversarial climate at the Capitol. The $4 billion chasm between the House and Senate budget proposals casts a shadow on every corner of legislative business, both appropriations and policy measures. “Bill aren’t just dying; they’re being massacred,” Rep. Frank Artiles told […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 25, 2015

The House and Senate exchanged and rejected budget offers on Friday and with one week left in the Session the two chambers continue to disagree over how to finance health care and whether 800,000 working Floridians should receive health care access. House Speaker Steve Crisafulli said if the chambers cannot find a “reasonable approach to […]

Tag: Andy Gardiner
Image via AP.

Rick Scott sues feds over Obamacare, Low Income Pool dollars

Bills dying en masse as House adjourns Sine Die

House abruptly calls it quits, blames Medicaid impasse

Democratic Party chair calls stalling special-needs bills “reprehensible”

Everglades Trust delivers petitions urging Rick Scott to buy U.S. Sugar land

Legislature’s Uber regulation efforts stuck in neutral

Democrat Joe Saunders considers comeback in House District 49

Andy Gardiner sends letters to feds, state on Medicaid expansion

The latest on 5 legislative food fights

Offers fly but still no budget agreement