Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Associated PressMarch 16, 2015

About 1 million Floridians are breaking state law by committing lewd and lascivious acts and a state senator doesn’t want them to be punished for it. The Senate Criminal Justice Committee unanimously agreed Monday when they approved Sen. Eleanor Sobel‘s bill, SB 1078, to repeal a law that makes it illegal for unmarried men and […]

Staff ReportsMarch 12, 2015

A Mason-Dixon poll publicized by the Florida Greyhound Association finds that nearly seven out of 10 Floridians are opposed to turning increasingly out-of-fashion dog racing tracks into casinos — at least without a referendum. “Floridians are sending a loud message to the Legislature: Don’t turn greyhound tracks into casinos on your own,” said Jim Blanchard, president […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 11, 2015

Shacking up in Florida can cost you. Living in sin is a crime that, if found guilty of, can show up on an employment background screening and can be used in child visitation procedures. Unmarried cohabitation has been in the state’s lewd-and-lascivious laws since the 1860s. The crime was included in the state’s Level II […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 10, 2015

The Florida Senate is considering a Medicaid expansion and wants to create a new program to administer it called the Florida Health Insurance Affordability Exchange. Senate Health Policy committee members not only will debate the merits of tapping into available Medicaid funding under the federal health care law — often called Obamacare — but also […]

James CallMarch 3, 2015

Senate President Andy Gardiner spoke with reporters for about 10 minutes Tuesday after the Senate adjourned its first session of the 2015 Legislative Session. The discussion highlighted the differences separating the House and Senate as they begin writing a state budget and addressing other priorities. While the Senate is focused on prison reform, providing access […]

Ryan RayMarch 3, 2015

In keeping with the tone set by the Weatherford-Gaetz style of legislative leadership, Senate President Andy Gardiner passed a bill on the first day of Session. SB 2, the Vicky Q. Gaetz Racing Greyhound Protection Act sponsored by Democratic Sen. Eleanor Sobel of Hollywood, was approved by the full Senate Tuesday. “Racing greyhounds are prone to injuries, which can […]

Ryan RayFebruary 25, 2015

Democratic Rep. Lori Berman of Lantana recently filed a mental health crisis prevention bill in the Florida House designed to increase preventative mental health care, a social service offered on a very limited basis if at all by Florida’s lean state government. “While the Mental Health First Aid Act is only a small step towards improving our […]

Ryan RayFebruary 25, 2015

Democratic Rep. Lori Berman of Lantana recently filed a mental health crisis prevention bill in the Florida House designed to increase preventative mental health care, a social service offered on a very limited basis if at all by Florida’s lean state government. “While the Mental Health First Aid Act is only a small step towards improving our […]

Associated PressFebruary 20, 2015

A South Florida legislator wants to make it officially legal for unmarried men and women to live together. Sen. Eleanor Sobel filed a bill Thursday that repeals a long-standing law that makes it a second-degree misdemeanor for men and women to cohabit if they are not married. Sobel’s bill (SB 1078) would also remove a […]

Ryan RayFebruary 13, 2015

Hollywood Sen. Eleanor Sobel has introduced what she says is a legislative fix for a perennial bugaboo in state elections — complications extending from minor write-in candidates who rarely gain a significant share of the vote, but who often cause procedural headaches for candidates and sometimes cost the taxpayers to finance low-stakes special elections. Sobel’s bill, SB […]

Tag: Eleanor Sobel

Senate, House panels OK repealers on shacking up ban

Poll: Floridians oppose converting dog tracks into casinos

Lewd and lascivious? Senate panel to reconsider living-in-sin ban

Senate Health Policy panel to decide how Medicaid expansion would be handled

Day One with Andy Gardiner: Medicaid, greyhounds, water and a “long way to go”

Senate unanimously passes greyhound injury reporting bill on opening day

Lori Berman files "Mental Health First Aid" bill

Lori Berman files “Mental Health First Aid” bill

Eleanor Sobel wants to repeal cohabitation law

Bill would close write-in loophole