Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaMarch 20, 2017

The newly-formed Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) won’t spend time on changes that can’t pass at the ballot box, its chairman said Monday. “If the public doesn’t feel overwhelmingly supportive of (a proposed amendment), then why do it?” said Carlos Beruff, the Manatee County homebuilder appointed by Gov. Rick Scott. The panel held an organizational meeting in the […]

William PatrickMarch 16, 2017

It’s Sunshine Week in the Sunshine State, and not just because it’s Spring Break. Since 2005, open government and freedom of information advocates have designated March 13-19 as a time to celebrate public transparency and raise awareness about the critical importance of access to government records. Sunshine Week is timed to coincide with the birthday […]

Florence SnyderMarch 16, 2017

Jeff Klinkenberg is not the kind of guy who does “luncheons,” but there he was at the Governors Club Tuesday, entertaining Friends of the First Amendment — some real, some fake — at the First Amendment Foundation’s annual fundraiser. He looked a lot more comfortable later that day at Sally Bradshaw’s bookstore, telling true tales […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 6, 2017

A bill giving judges some discretion over whether to award attorney’s fees in public records cases cleared its second committee hearing Monday, but not before being amended in an attempt to alleviate opponents concerns. The bill (SB 80), sponsored by Sen. Greg Steube, aims to give judges discretion in whether they should award fees to […]

Florence SnyderMarch 6, 2017

Somebody please give Shelisha Coleman a big fat raise. The Agency for Health Care Administration’s (AHCA) high profile flack works hard duty playing hardball with some of Florida’s best reporters, but makes tens of thousands of dollars less than men paid by taxpayers to tell tall tales about #Transparency. Coleman had to drop a whopping […]

Scott PowersMarch 6, 2017

Two new bills to re-broaden bans on the public release of death videos could prevent evidence of a case such as Martin Lee Anderson‘s from ever coming to light, and could also prevent disclosures in controversial police shooting cases, First Amendment Foundation President Barbara Petersen said Monday. Petersen is raising anew concerns she raised earlier […]

Joe HendersonFebruary 15, 2017

I will give state Rep. Chris Latvala, a Clearwater Republican, the benefit of the doubt that he believes he is doing the right thing by filing HB 661 – a measure that prohibits the public release of video and audio recordings of someone’s death. Latvala originally filed the measure last October to cover only the […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 7, 2017

A bill that would give judges discretion to award attorney fees in public records lawsuits squeaked out of its first review panel Tuesday. The Senate’s Governmental Oversight and Accountability cleared the bill (SB 80) by a 4-3 vote. It goes next to the Community Affairs Committee. The measure changes the word “shall” to “may” regarding courts awarding legal […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 4, 2017

A House bill would require judges to make specific findings before they can award attorney fees in public records lawsuits. State Rep. Danny Burgess, a Zephyrhills Republican and lawyer, filed the measure (HB 163) on Wednesday. It would require a judge to determine that a public agency “unlawfully refused to permit a public record to be […]

Staff ReportsNovember 30, 2016

A bill that would give judges the discretion to award attorney fees in public records lawsuits was refiled Wednesday in the Florida Legislature. New state Sen. Greg Steube, a Sarasota Republican and lawyer, is again behind the legislation (SB 80). He backed a version of the bill last session as a state representative. It passed the […]

Tag: First Amendment Foundation

Carlos Beruff: Constitution Revision Commission won’t waste taxpayers’ money or time

Sunshine Week: First Amendment Foundation goes to bat for Florida’s right to know

Spotted at the Governors Club: The last troubadour of Real Florida

Controversial public records bill clears second Senate panel

Bad nursing homes benefit from AHCA’s passive-aggressive war on #transparency

Barbara Petersen: Exempting ‘death videos’ could have hidden Martin Anderson case

Bill blocking public release of death recordings a slippery slope for transparency, truth

Public records bill barely gets out of first committee

House bill would affect public records lawsuits

Bill again targets attorney fees in public records cases