Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaJanuary 5, 2016

The Florida Senate’s bronze seal, which usually hangs behind the Senate President’s lectern, was removed this week not only to replace the seal’s depiction of the Confederate flag but also in anticipation of still more design changes, a spokeswoman said Tuesday. In October, the Senate decided to remove a Confederate flag from the chamber’s official seal and replace […]

Mitch PerryDecember 31, 2015

Say goodbye to 2015, which will go on record as the hottest year ever on Earth — at least until next year. While Florida continues to bask in unwelcome humidity during this holiday week, Missouri contends with rivers swelling to historic levels, with at least 21 people killed there and in Illinois by a powerful winter storm […]

Phil AmmannDecember 15, 2015

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With a tip of the hat to LobbyTools, here are the latest movements – both on and off – the legislative merry-go-round. On: Caitlin Butler, formerly Florida field director for Turning Point USA, is now district secretary for Altamonte Springs Republican State Rep. Bob Cortes. Off: Jonathon Little is no longer Cortes’ legislative assistant. He […]

Mitch PerryDecember 8, 2015

The Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation spent hours (and hours) on Tuesday discussing proposed legislation that would bring ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft into compliance with the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission, but whether they actually moved the issue forward at the end of the day is dubious. The setting for the local group of state lawmakers […]

Ryan RayDecember 3, 2015

The Senate Committee on Appropriations heard from Gov. Rick Scott‘s chief budget aide Wednesday morning, when she presented Scott’s $79.3 billion proposed budget for the 2016-2017 fiscal year before hearing some pushback from Senate Democrats on state worker pay, social services, and health care. The presentation was a calmer affair than in the House, however, where […]

Jim RosicaNovember 2, 2015

Once again, lawmakers have filed what’s known as a “claim bill” to compensate the family of Devaughn Darling, a Florida State University freshman linebacker who died during a February 2001 practice. State Rep. Mia Jones, a Jacksonville Democrat, submitted the bill (HB 3513) on Monday, with a Senate companion sponsored by Democratic Leader Arthenia Joyner of Tampa. The Darling family […]

Jim RosicaOctober 22, 2015

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Making the Tampa Bay region look like a game of Twister, Senate Rules Chairman David Simmons late Thursday filed his own proposed map redrawing the state’s Senate districts. For instance, Simmons’ map creates a 16th District that takes in about the same area currently represented by GOP Sen. Jack Latvala of Clearwater, not by jumping the bay, […]

Jim RosicaOctober 21, 2015

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State Sen. Bill Galvano has filed a proposed new Senate district map for his Reapportionment Committee, meaning there will be one “base map” going forward to discuss and amend. Galvano posted the map to the Senate’s redistricting website at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Among other things, it contains a district that crosses Tampa Bay – the 19th, […]

Ryan RayOctober 20, 2015

Tuesday saw a rapid fire morning for gun legislation in Tallahassee, with pro-Second Amendment groups getting the better of the shoot-out. A pair of bills to expand where and how Floridians can carry firearms – on college campuses and without concealment, respectively – advanced in Senate committees, as did one that strengthens the state’s “Stand Your […]

Ryan RayOctober 19, 2015

The House Democrats gathered Monday morning in the Capitol for their pre-Special Session planning period and media availability, where caucus leader Rep. Mark Pafford vowed that he and his 39-strong opposition party will not let up in applying pressure to Republican leaders who have overseen “catastrophic” dysfunction in Tallahassee. Pafford went on to diagnose the problem as a “lack […]

Tag: Arthenia Joyner

State Senate seal could be changing – again

Mitch Perry Report for 12.31.15 — Say goodbye to hottest year ever. Until next year.

Latest on the legislative staffing merry-go-round

Hillsborough Legislative Delegation OKs measure to regulate Uber and Lyft, but future unclear

Senate budget run-down from Rick Scott’s budget chief calmer than in House

Devaughn Darling claim bill filed again

David Simmons files map for Senate redistricting

Bill Galvano files proposed Senate redistricting map

Controversial gun bills advance in Senate

Democratic leader Mark Pafford vows to keep pressure on during 2016 Session