Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschMarch 11, 2018

Nobody expected a tragedy like Parkland to suck all the oxygen out of the Legislature’s 2018 Regular Session. Lobbyists were left scrambling to save their clients’ priorities as lawmakers hustled to rejigger the budget to accommodate hundreds of millions of dollars for school safety and mental health initiatives. Some survived, many did not; although that’s […]

Danny McAuliffeMarch 9, 2018

Some superintendents aren’t keen on arming school personnel, and they’ve offered a suggestion to Gov. Rick Scott to prevent the concept’s fruition. On Friday, the Florida Association of District School Superintendents President Robert Runcie penned a letter to Scott urging him to veto Section 40 of the “Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act,” […]

Jim RosicaMarch 7, 2018

The Florida Senate on Wednesday passed the latest version of comprehensive gambling legislation for 2018, and asked the House to go into conference to bang out a compromise. Bill sponsor Travis Hutson offered an amendment to the House bill (HB 7067) that already passed off the floor. The chamber OK’d it 22-10, sending it back. Hutson—a St. Augustine […]

Jim RosicaMarch 7, 2018

A consortium of pari-mutuel owners is working on a proposal to increase the money they give to the state if lawmakers agree to grant slot machines in counties that OK’d them in local referendums, industry sources told Florida Politics early Wednesday. The play is to match or beat the revenue share—estimated at $200 million-$300 million […]

Danny McAuliffeMarch 3, 2018

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The Florida Senate took the better part of eight hours during a rare Saturday session to work through 128 amendments — only one of which passed the floor — on a single bill. And even with the amendment’s approval, partisan spirits haven’t changed on the proposal designed to address issues unearthed in the wake of […]

Jim RosicaMarch 3, 2018

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A win turned into a loss Saturday, as the Republican-controlled Senate first approved—then killed—an amendment on a school safety bill that would have mandated a moratorium on assault rifle sales in the state. The legislation, called the “Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act” (SB 7026), is in response to the Valentine’s Day shooting […]

Jim RosicaMarch 3, 2018

The Florida Senate on Saturday began its consideration of a school safety bill in response to the Valentine’s Day deadly shooting at Broward County’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Senate President-designate Bill Galvano, a Bradenton Republican, presented the latest version of the bill (SB 7026), a summary of which is below. He was still taking […]

Mitch PerryMarch 2, 2018

On Friday, Senate leaders put off a vote on a package of school safety measures. That delay led Rep. Jay Fant to suggest that if the Legislature can’t get everything right on such an important issue by the end of next week, a special Session “would not be inappropriate.” “I do think that sometimes when we […]

Jim RosicaMarch 2, 2018

In a rare move, the Senate will meet on Saturday to consider school safety legislation. With the Session clock ticking down, Senate President Joe Negron announced the weekend sitting on Friday morning in a memo to fellow senators. The 2018 Legislative Session is scheduled to end next Friday. A floor session is planned for 10 a.m.-1 […]

Jim RosicaMarch 1, 2018

A strike-all amendment planned for the Senate’s 2018 gambling bill will add an authorization for slot machines in counties where voters OK’d them in local referendums, Senate President-designate Bill Galvano said Thursday. The Senate bill (SB 840) is now slated for consideration before the Appropriations Committee Friday. Galvano, a Bradenton Republican, is the Senate’s lead […]

Tag: Bill Galvano

Winners and losers emerging from the 2018 Legislative Session

Superintendents want Rick Scott to veto school marshal funding

Senate passes gambling bill, requests conference

As Session creeps to close, blockbuster gambling deal emerges

Post-Parkland Senate bill primed for floor vote

GOP blocks Democratic attempts to change school safety bill

Senate begins discussing school safety bill

Jay Fant: Special Session may be needed for gun issues

Senate will meet Saturday to consider school safety bill

Reanimated: Senate gambling bill, with changes, back in play