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Staff ReportsFebruary 17, 2016

The Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee on Wednesday voted 5-3 to approve a bill that targets funding for family planning and women’s health. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Kelli Stargel, says clinics that offer abortion services, like Planned Parenthood, are prohibited from receiving state funding. Laura Goodhue, executive director of the Florida Alliance […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 17, 2016

A Senate committee rejected a proposal Wednesday to scale back the state’s certificate of need (CON) program for licensing hospitals, hospices, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities. LobbyTools reports that SB 1144, filed by Niceville Republican state Sen. Don Gaetz, sought to give exemptions from the CON requirement to facilities that provide “charity care in […]

Ryan RayFebruary 16, 2016

The Senate Health Policy Committee on Tuesday gave the nod to state Surgeon General John Armstrong. Members granted him confirmation to extend his tenure as head of the state’s health care apparatus, but just barely by a 5-4 vote Armstrong has been under heightened scrutiny in Tallahassee because of recent public failures in the state’s health […]

William MarchFebruary 15, 2016

Some two dozen bills have been filed in this year’s Legislative Session to compensate people injured by the mistakes or negligence of government agencies: wrongly convicted prisoners, children abused by foster parents, people maimed or killed in accidents with police vehicles, and even a football player who died during practice. Many have waited for years, […]

Drew WilsonFebruary 12, 2016

A bill aiming to help Floridians with disabilities find work and get job training passed through the full Senate Thursday with a unanimous vote. Senate Bill 962, sponsored by Niceville Republican Sen. Don Gaetz, requires the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, or VR, to come up with an improvement plan by Oct. 1 that lays out […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 10, 2016

As the Florida Senate began considering its proposed $80.9 billion budget, state Sen. Don Gaetz on Wednesday defended his recommendation for a $30 million competitive grants program for after-school mentoring instead of direct funding. Gaetz, who chairs the Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee, said he wanted to save nonprofits on “expensive lobbying and the anguish of the Legislative Session.” […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 3, 2016

Sen. Don Gaetz defended a proposal that shifts how after-school and mentoring programs are funded, saying the proposal increases total funding for these programs. “There is nothing in this budget that cuts one penny out of any of these programs,” said Gaetz, chair of the education appropriations subcommittee, during the Senate Appropriations meeting Wednesday. “Instead, […]

Drew WilsonFebruary 1, 2016

Bills that would iron out rules for direct primary care contracts and encourage healthcare companies to give free health care to low-income Floridians passed the Senate Committee on Health Policy Monday. SB 1144, sponsored by Niceville Republican Sen. Don Gaetz, would allow new medical facilities to bypass a lengthy review process known as “certificate of […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 29, 2016

State Sen. Joe Negron, a former budget panel chief, told his colleagues last month in an acceptance speech for his upcoming Senate presidency that the state must do more for its troubled children and teens. “We should not and we will not tolerate serious wrongdoing by young people but, at the same time, let’s not criminalize adolescence,” he said, […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 27, 2016

Although the Senate bill to remove the statue of a Confederate general from one of Florida’s two places in the National Statuary Hall Collection advanced in committee Wednesday, it was hardly smooth sailing. Momentum for such legislation began last summer, after the South Carolina Legislature removed the Confederate battle flag from its statehouse grounds after a racist […]

Tag: Don Gaetz

Capitol Reax: Abortion, Florida Keys Stewardship Act, certificates of need, guns, balance billing, gaming

Senate panel rejects bill scaling back Florida’s certificate of need program

Senate panel narrowly votes to confirm Scott admin Surgeon General

Floridians injured by government struggle for compensation

Senate unanimously passes job training bill for Floridians with disabilities

Senate budget: Don Gaetz questioned over mentoring funding

Don Gaetz defends decision to shift mentoring funding to a grant system

Senate committee passes 2 key bills expanding health care access

Senate budget eliminates direct funding for youth mentoring

Proposal to remove Confederate statue passes through Senate panel after debate