Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Associated PressApril 1, 2015

A package of bills moving through the Legislature seeks to enhance the education and employment prospects for disabled children. The bills, which passed the state Senate Wednesday, have a powerful champion: State Senate President Andy Gardiner, who has a child with Down syndrome. One bill allows universities to set up courses of post-secondary study for […]

Associated PressApril 1, 2015

A package of bills moving through the Legislature seeks to enhance the education and employment prospects for disabled children. The bills, which passed the state Senate Wednesday, have a powerful champion: State Senate President Andy Gardiner, who has a child with Down syndrome. One bill allows universities to set up courses of post-secondary study for […]

Ryan RayApril 1, 2015

Florida’s so-called “dreamers”- undocumented youth who were brought to this country as children – received a rude April Fools joke from the Senate majority this afternoon. Sen. Darren Soto introduced an amendment to SB 2500, better known as the Senate budget proposal, that would have prevented Attorney General Pam Bondi from pursuing a lawsuit against the Obama […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 1, 2015

Amid a deteriorating budget stalemate that is splitting Republican legislators, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson stepped into the fray with a message that the loss of more than$2 billion in Medicaid dollars for hospitals is a real threat. “The day of reckoning is here,” said Nelson, who made a quick visit to the state Capitol Wednesday, […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 1, 2015

Amid a deteriorating budget stalemate that is splitting Republican legislators, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson stepped into the fray with a message that the loss of more than$2 billion in Medicaid dollars for hospitals is a real threat. “The day of reckoning is here,” said Nelson, who made a quick visit to the state Capitol Wednesday, […]

Gary FineoutMarch 31, 2015

Amid growing budget discord that could derail this year’s session of the Florida Legislature, Senate President Andy Gardiner dispatched two top Republican senators to Washington to talk with federal officials about more than $1 billion in health care grants the state could soon lose. Gardiner, an Orlando Republican who works for a hospital, took the […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 24, 2015

Counties, agriculture, industry groups and environmentalists all raised concerns Tuesday as a Senate committee passed its first version of a water bill. House Speaker Steve Crisafulli and Senate President Andy Gardiner have said passing water legislation is a top priority in the 2015 Legislative Session. The House bill, opposed by environmentalists, passed the chamber 106-9 […]

Mitch PerryMarch 24, 2015

President Barack Obama‘s diplomatic breakthrough with Cuba in December has been met mostly with approval in the Tampa Bay area from political and business leaders. A Pinellas County delegation visited the communist island for the first time in January, while the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce is planning another visit in May. Tampa area U.S. […]

James CallMarch 20, 2015

This week in Florida politics, gulfs widened: The separation between the House and Senate, environmentalists and lawmakers, and relevancy and the Democratic Party grew wider and deeper. The Senate moved $5 billion further away from the House over a state budget for next year. The Senate has a plan to fill the hole created by […]

James CallMarch 19, 2015

A marijuana lobbyist said to me a couple of weeks ago that he suspected the latest challenge to the Charlotte’s Web rule would “smoke out” people’s true intention, whether they disliked the rule or disliked the law. It’s the end of the third week of the session and we’re getting to the “smoke out” point on a […]

Tag: Andy Gardiner
Aerial photo courtesy Jesse Biter.

Bills for disabled kids' education, employment pass Senate

Bills for disabled kids’ education, employment pass Senate

Senate passes language preventing Pam Bondi suit against feds, takes it back

Bill Nelson says Florida shouldn't be playing chicken with health care for the poor

Bill Nelson says Florida shouldn’t be playing chicken with health care for the poor

Florida senators meet with feds on health care money

Senate panel clears water bill; environment, industry groups concerned

Senate denounces Obama overture to Cuba

The week that was in Florida politics — March 20

The day that was in Florida politics — March 19