Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan RayMarch 9, 2016

The Florida Senate passed a shorter alternative to an omnibus anti-corruption bill to tighten ethics standards and make it easier to prosecute corruption on Wednesday, amid a flurry of bill action. The proposal, HB 7071, passed on a 39-0 vote. The measure lowers a legal threshold for prosecution from “with corrupt intent” to “knowingly and intentionally” […]

Jim RosicaMarch 3, 2016

A squabble over tourist taxes, a last-minute amendment to the Senate’s tax cut package, sucked up about half of the 2016 Legislative Session’s last Senate Appropriations meeting, killing bills left hanging on the agenda. The panel OK’d the House plan (HB 7099) after amending it with the Senate’s own tax package. The legislation promises about $129 million in […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 2, 2016

Sen. Don Gaetz is hoping to breathe new life into a proposal that allows concealed weapon permit holders to openly carry their weapons. The Niceville Republican filed an amendment Wednesday evening to a bill (SB 612) sponsored by Sen. Alan Hays that looks to remove slungshots from the state’s concealed weapon law. Hays’ bill allows […]

Ryan RayFebruary 24, 2016

A bill to provide funds for a “proper burial” for boys who died at the infamous Arthur Dozier School for Boys passed the Florida Senate on Wednesday. The bill also authorizes the Department of State to “preserve historical resources, records, archives, and artifacts” related to the site. The Dozier school is said to be the site […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 24, 2016

Wednesday saw the Jacksonville-centric Discretionary Sales Surtax bill clear the Senate Rules Committee (SB 1652), scheduled at the same time as the third reading in the House (HB 1297). Central to the pitch: bill sponsor Rob Bradley and Mayor Lenny Curry, whose sales job gets better with every committee stop… especially important because Curry will have to sell […]

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 […]

Tag: Don Gaetz

Senate passes abridged public corruption bill

Tug of war over tax package kills bills

Don Gaetz files amendment in attempt to resurrect open carry of guns proposal

Dozier school relief bill passes Senate unanimously

Jax Pension Tax bill clears final Senate committee

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