Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaJanuary 19, 2018

A proposed constitutional amendment to give equal rights to crime victims on Friday cleared its only review panel and heads to the full Constitution Revision Commission. The amendment, if OK’d for the 2018 statewide ballot and passed by 60 percent of voters, includes the right “to refuse an interview, deposition, or other … request by the defense,” […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 17, 2018

A proposed constitutional amendment aimed at limiting gambling’s expansion in the state now has enough signatures to be placed on the 2018 ballot. Division of Elections records show the “Voter Control of Gambling” amendment now has 817,766 valid signatures—more than the 766,200 needed for placement. The total doesn’t count signatures still undergoing verification. The Division posted its […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 8, 2018

A Democratic state Senator from South Florida has filed legislation expressly allowing dog trainers to give anabolic steroids to racing greyhounds. The bill (SB 1774), filed Friday afternoon by Kevin Rader of Delray Beach, is for the 2018 Legislative Session that begins Tuesday. In Florida, live dog racing is still conducted at 12 tracks. The measure […]

Jim RosicaDecember 18, 2017

A Tallahassee judge will hear argument on whether to throw out Orlando attorney John Morgan‘s lawsuit over the ban on smoking medical marijuana. Circuit Judge Karen Gievers scheduled a Jan. 25 hearing on the state’s motion to dismiss, court records show. The suit originally was filed in July by People United for Medical Marijuana, the political committee behind […]

Jim RosicaDecember 14, 2017

An epic 238-page lawsuit filed by Joe Redner‘s Florigrown company—replete with references to Encyclopedia Britannica, ancient Roman medical texts and the Nixon White House tapes—alleges that the state is failing its responsibility to carry out the people’s will when it comes to medical marijuana. The complaint was filed Wednesday in Leon County Circuit Civil court […]

Jim RosicaDecember 13, 2017

Attorney General Pam Bondi finally explained why she won’t publicly support a proposed ban on greyhound racing in Florida or any other constitutional amendment. Bondi sits on the 37-member Constitution Revision Commission (CRC), which convenes every 20 years to review and propose changes to the state’s governing document. But, as the state’s chief legal officer, she’s also […]

Drew WilsonDecember 13, 2017

The committee backing a 2018 ballot initiative that would automatically restore voting rights to nonviolent Florida felons brought in more than $1.1 million in contributions in November. November’s $1.16 million haul marked the best fundraising month yet for Floridians for a Fair Democracy, which headed into December with $562,134 on hand. The vast majority of […]

Jim RosicaDecember 7, 2017

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In what is likely a dead-on-arrival proposal, two South Florida lawmakers said they will push for a legislatively-initiated state constitutional amendment approving Medicaid expansion in Florida. Sen. Annette Taddeo of Miami and Rep. Lori Berman of Lantana, both Democrats, announced their resolutions (SJR 1136 and HJR 911) at Thursday press conference in the Capitol. “The resolutions will put before the […]

Jim RosicaNovember 29, 2017

The main backer of a proposed constitutional amendment that would automatically restore some felons’ voting rights after they complete their sentences told Florida Politics his effort now has collected over 900,000 signatures. “Knowing that we set the goal of collecting 1 million, the fact that we are less than 100,000 petitions away from our goal […]

Jim RosicaNovember 28, 2017

A review panel has killed a proposed constitutional amendment that would have added financial oversight duties to the state’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The proposal (P68), filed by Commissioner Tom Lee, died on a tie vote in the Constitution Revision Commission‘s Executive Committee on Tuesday as some panel members raised fiscal and legal questions. A parliamentary […]

Tag: constitutional amendment

Crime victims’ bill of rights clears lone constitutional review panel

Gambling amendment wins enough signatures for ballot

Kevin Rader files bill to legalize steroids in racing dogs

Judge sets hearing in ‘no smoke’ medical marijuana case

Joe Redner’s Florigrown files mammoth medical marijuana lawsuit

Pam Bondi explains why she won’t endorse dog racing ban

Committee backing voting restoration amendment raises $1.1M in November

Annette Taddeo, Lori Berman press for Medicaid expansion by ballot

Voting restoration amendment has 900,000 signatures

Tom Lee’s proposal to augment CFO duties dies in committee