Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Staff ReportsMay 2, 2016

Bridges of America “and allies” are planning a press conference in Tallahassee on Monday morning. The Orlando-based nonprofit is continuing to call attention to the state’s shutdown of its Broward County prisoner re-entry program. A bipartisan group of state lawmakers has written letters of concern to Corrections Secretary Julie Jones. They’re asking her to reconsider the […]

Peter SchorschMay 1, 2016

Among the four top statewide officials, no one walked away a winner from last week’s battle over the next insurance commissioner. Neither Gov. Rick Scott nor CFO Jeff Atwater got the candidate he wanted, with both settling on the third name Atwater threw out at Friday’s emergency Cabinet meeting, David Altmaier. And that was by a design that Atwater himself, […]

Jim RosicaApril 28, 2016

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A top House Republican now is questioning the shutdown of a South Florida prisoner re-entry program. Dana Young, leader of the Florida House of Representatives’ controlling Republican caucus, wrote a letter to Corrections Secretary Julie Jones on Wednesday. The letter, released to reporters on Thursday, comes on the tail of the department’s decision to discontinue a Broward County […]

Staff ReportsApril 27, 2016

The state’s Department of Corrections has slapped a ‘top secret’ label on its plan to help ex-cons in Broward County. The department on Monday turned down a request by POLITICO Florida to release a “transition plan,” now that the state has ended its partnership with the Orlando-based Bridges of America nonprofit. Bridges of America had a contract to […]

Staff ReportsApril 25, 2016

The state’s prisons agency and a prisoner rehab program now are sparring in press releases. The Florida Department of Corrections last week said it was ending its partnership with the Orlando-based Bridges of America nonprofit. Bridges of America had a contract to run a transitional and substance abuse program in Broward County. The arrangement ends May 16, and the department told the […]

Jim RosicaApril 22, 2016

A nonprofit specializing in helping former prisoners re-enter society is slamming the state for shutting it down. Specifically, Bridges of America says the Department of Corrections is pulling the plug on its transitional and substance abuse program in Broward County. The current contract between Bridges and the department ends May 16. The state told the […]

Peter SchorschJanuary 21, 2016

A new criminal justice reform organization is holding a kickoff event Thursday in Tallahassee with anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist as featured guest. The Coalition to Advance Justice will hold the invitation-only reception to introduce the organization to key lawmakers and policy influencers. It will be at the James Madison Institute, the Florida-based conservative think tank, and […]

Staff ReportsOctober 20, 2015

Bridges of America marks its 35th anniversary with a silent auction and celebration dinner this Saturday evening in Orlando. The auction starts at 5 p.m. and the event begins 7 p.m. at the Rosen Centre Hotel‘s ballroom. Bridges of America is “the largest substance abuse, behavioral health and re-entry provider for the criminal justice community” in […]

Tag: Bridges of America

Bridges of America to hold news conference

Peter Schorsch: Testy process, minimum wage debate, geese tips

Dana Young dubious about prisoner program shutdown

State refuses to divulge new plan to help ex-prisoners

Bridges of America fighting to stay open in Broward

State ending prisoner-assistance program in Broward

New criminal-justice reform group to kick off in Tallahassee

Bridges of America holds event this weekend