Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bruce RitchieApril 28, 2015

The Florida House adjourned the 2015 Legislative Session on Tuesday, leaving bills dealing with water policy, hydraulic fracturing, septic tank waste and Duke Energy Florida in doubt. As the Senate was discussing fracking legislation, House Speaker Steve Crisafulli told House members there was no reason to keep House members in Tallahassee because of an impasse […]

Bruce RitchieApril 27, 2015

A bill that would allow Duke Energy Florida to issue bonds for the shutdown of its Crystal River nuclear plant isn’t necessarily doomed in the House because of bill changes made by the Senate on Friday, a leading House supporter said. HB 7109 allows Duke Energy Florida to issue bonds for the $1.4 billion nuclear […]

Bruce RitchieApril 24, 2015

The Senate on Friday voted to send an amended Public Service Commission bill back to the House after Sen. Jack Latvala indicated that Capitol lobbyists are not pleased with it. HB 7109 would limit PSC members to serving three four-year terms and require those who lobby to register the PSC Nominating Council to register as […]

Bruce RitchieApril 23, 2015

A Senate bill amendment to bar legislators from being on the Public Service Commission within two years of leaving office was withdrawn Thursday. Sen. John Legg, a Republican from Lutz, had filed the amendment to SB 288, a PSC bill that was brought up on second reading Thursday. The amendment was withdrawn because of a […]

Bruce RitchieApril 22, 2015

Sen. John Legg says he considers former Rep. Jimmy Patronis to be a friend and a fine man, but he doesn’t think he should have gone so quickly from the Legislature to the Public Service Commission. So Legg has filed a bill amendment he said is aimed at preventing that from happening in the future. Patronis, […]

Bruce RitchieApril 21, 2015

The Florida House on Tuesday voted down bill amendments that would have repealed or scaled back a 2006 state law that allows utilities to charge in advance for nuclear power plants that may never be built. HB 7109 is a bill that establishes term limits for Public Service Commission members and provides for Duke Energy […]

Bruce RitchieApril 20, 2015

Democrats have filed at least 16 amendments to a House bill involving the shutdown of the Crystal River nuclear plant to include eliminating the advanced cost recovery fee for nuclear power plants. HB 7109 was amended in its final committee stop on April 9 to include a deal allowing Duke Energy Florida to seek Public […]

Bruce RitchieApril 16, 2015

Sen. Jack Latvala on Thursday cautioned against any elected state official opposing his bill that would allow Duke Energy Florida to issue bonds for closing its Crystal River nuclear plant. His warning came after a vote on the House version was delayed this week. Duke says the plant closing cost is $1.4 billion. Latvala said […]

Bruce RitchieApril 10, 2015

A group of large power customers says that if proposed legislation involving Duke Energy Florida is going to save customers money, then that language should be put in the bill. HB 7109 was amended on Thursday to provide the Florida Public Service Commission with authority to approve bonds that could be issued by Duke to […]

Bruce RitchieApril 7, 2015

A Senate committee on Tuesday OK’d a bill amendment to provide for financing the shutdown of the Crystal River nuclear plant to save Duke Energy Florida customers more than $600 million. SB 288 was a bill that primarily strengthened ethics requirements for the Florida Public Service Commission. But Sen. Jack Latvala, a Clearwater Republican and […]

Fracking, land management and water bills left in doubt

Duke Energy bill not doomed by Senate changes, key House supporter says

Senate sends PSC bill back to House with changes that “folks in the hall” don’t like

PSC/Duke Energy bill teed up for Senate vote after amendment withdrawn

Amendment filed to stop Legislature-to-PSC pipeline

Democrats’ amendments repealing nuclear fees voted down

House Democrats pile amendments on nuclear plant bill

Jack Latvala warns against opposing his nuke plant financing bill

“Trust but verify” on Duke Energy deal, industrial power customers say

Panel OK’s Duke Energy deal; Jack Latvala says he couldn’t “find holes” in it