Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan RayFebruary 24, 2016

Sen. Dwight Bullard this week joined a multistate call by chairmen of black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian caucuses from across the nation in urging President Barack Obama to reform federal public-private mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to make home ownership more accessible to minorities. “With African-American homeownership rates declining to their lowest in decades, and with a […]

Ryan RayFebruary 24, 2016

The Florida Senate a bill that would classify computer coding as a “foreign language” for purposes of high school credit. Sen. Jeremy Ring‘s SB 468 passed the upper chamber by a vote of 35-5 after half an hour of heated debate, mostly among Ring’s fellow Democrats. Sen. Dwight Bullard said he agreed coding is an important skill for students to learn, […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 17, 2016

Hundreds of immigration activists held a rally on the fourth floor of the state Capitol in Tallahassee on Wednesday, blasting state lawmakers for producing a raft of bills this Session that the protesters consider hostile to the immigration community. Those activists received good news this past week, though, when Miami Republican Miguel Diaz de la Portillan, chairman […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 16, 2016

Florida Senate Minority Leader Arthenia Joyner‘s bill to increase salaries of all state legislators from (SB 712) was shot down in committee on Tuesday. Under her bill, the salaries of the members of representatives and senators would rise from $29,600 to $50,000 annually. The House Speaker and Senate President’s salaries would rise to $57,000. Joyner, […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 3, 2016

Democratic HD 118 candidate Robert Asencio sent out an email blast Wednesday calling out his former opponent, incumbent Republican Rep. Frank Artiles, for not knowing some of the finer details in elections law. “It appears that our Republican opponent Frank Artiles does not read the bills he votes into law,” Asencio said in the email. Asencio’s revelation that […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 28, 2016

The Florida Senate on Thursday confirmed the appointment of Jon Steverson to be the state’s Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection. The full Senate confirmed Steverson by 29-8 after a handful of Democratic senators raised concerns. Steverson has raised hackles for suggesting that the state allow timber harvesting and cattle grazing to help state parks […]

Phil AmmannJanuary 22, 2016

Now that the Florida Senate gave up the ghost in its redistricting legal battle, both incumbent state Sens. Anitere Flores and Dwight Bullard will need to decide who is running where. Mary Ellen Klas reports in the Miami Herald that the two now reside in the newly redrawn Senate District 40. In a new agreement between the […]

Phil AmmannDecember 7, 2015

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With a tip of the hat to LobbyTools, here are the latest movements – both on and off – the legislative merry-go-round. Off and on: Nancy Bernier is no longer a legislative assistant for Rockledge Republican Sen. Thad Altman. She will become the new district secretary for Melbourne Republican Rep. Ritch Workman. Off: Aaron McKinney is no longer the legislative […]

Phil AmmannNovember 24, 2015

With a tip of the hat to Legislative IQ powered by LobbyTools, here are the latest movements – both on and off – of the legislative merry-go-round. Off and On: Nancy Bernier is no longer a legislative assistant for Rockledge Republican state Sen. Thad Altman. She is now the district secretary for Melbourne Republican state Rep. Ritch Workman. Off: […]

Jim RosicaNovember 18, 2015

In the ongoing saga over state Senate redistricting, everything old is new again. The state Senate on Wednesday disclosed its proposed fix for its gerrymandered districts, a mash-up of two previous maps: One was passed by the Senate, another was drawn but not voted on in the recent Special Session. Because lawmakers couldn’t agree, it’s now […]

Tag: Dwight Bullard
Rodney Guttman, image via University of West Florida.

Dwight Bullard, minority caucus leaders urge increased affordable housing

Senate passes measure categorizing computer coding as foreign language

Immigration activists descend upon Tallahassee

Committee shoots down pay raise for lawmakers

Opponent asks: Does Frank Artiles read the bills he votes on?

Jon Steverson wins full Senate confirmation as DEP head

Oscar Branyon says Dwight Bullard to “stay put” in SD 40, Anitere Flores moves to SD 39

Latest on the legislative staffing merry-go-round

Latest on the legislative staffing merry-go-round

Senate submits proposed redistricting map