Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersNovember 6, 2017

A bill committing Florida to spending $100 million a year on land acquisition and preservation through the Florida Forever Trust Fund got support at its first Legislative step Monday morning, with approval by the Florida Senate Environment Preservation and Conservation Committee. Senate Bill 370, introduced by Committee Chairman Rob Bradley, an Orange Park Republican, flew […]

Danny McAuliffeOctober 31, 2017

Leon County’s state legislators have a lot on their plate this Session. Public education, mental health, the environment and hotel regulations were the recurring, hot subjects of the Leon County delegation meeting Monday night where more than 30 people spoke to state lawmakers in the County Commission chamber. The delegation — comprised of Democrats Sen. […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 30, 2017

Florida Gov. Rick Scott returned to Jacksonville Monday afternoon to highlight his new budget’s environmental proposals at the Jacksonville Zoo. Scott’s final budget sees a boost in environmental funding, up to $1.7 billion: $220 million over the current year’s levels. The budget proposal has something for most constituencies: $50 million for “the best state parks system in […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 23, 2017

Florida Gov. Rick Scott‘s final budget will include $1.7 billion of “historic investments” in the environment, he revealed Monday in Naples. That $1.7 billion is $220 million over the current year’s levels and is well-timed for Scott to get nonpartisan plaudits as he potentially gears up for a U.S. Senate run after 2018’s Legislative Session. […]

Jim RosicaOctober 9, 2017

A Senate panel on Monday cleared a ‘water bill’ aimed at cleaning up some of the state’s waterways. The Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee OK’d the measure (SB 204) with a unanimous vote. Legislative committees are meeting in the Capitol this week, in advance of the 2018 Legislative Session that starts in January. The bill, by […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 2, 2017

If Sen. Rob Bradley‘s latest bill succeeds, there will be significantly more money in the coffers of the ‘Florida Forever’ program. Bradley’s SB 370 would mandate a $100 million minimum spend from Amendment One funds on the Florida Forever program. “As a conservative, I believe in absolute fidelity to the Constitution,” said Bradley. “I am filing […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 28, 2017

A Tallahassee judge has set a trial week in a lawsuit over the state’s environmental funding under a constitutional amendment passed almost three years ago. Circuit Judge Charles Dodson scheduled a weeklong bench trial for next July 23-27, with a pretrial conference set for June 15, court records show. Discovery in the case was ordered finished […]

Scott PowersAugust 8, 2017

Speaking to a Florida Chamber of Commerce Foundation meeting on military issues, Florida Agriculture Commissioner and Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam pushed for funding for Florida Forever. Putnam said in Orlando Tuesday that lands acquired through Florida Forever purchases not only help all the conservation causes but bolster the state’s economic strength, in particular when […]

Jim RosicaMay 24, 2017

A lawsuit over the state’s environmental funding under a new constitutional amendment is expected to resume now that the annual Session is in lawmakers’ rear-view mirror. An array of environmental advocacy groups had filed suit over the Water and Land Legacy Amendment, also known as Amendment 1. The constitutional change, approved by voters in 2014, mandates state […]

Jim RosicaMay 10, 2017

Both citing a “lack of transparency,” the heads of the League of Women Voters of Florida and the First Amendment Foundation are calling for Gov. Rick Scott to veto the just-passed state budget for 2017-18. But with the House of Representatives passing the budget 98-14 and the Senate approving 34-4 on Monday, there are enough […]

Tag: Florida Forever

Bill requiring $100M a year in Florida Forever passes Senate panel

Education, fracking, crime: Leon County delegation hears concerns

Rick Scott trumpets ‘historic funding’ for environment in next budget

$1.7B for environment in Rick Scott’s final budget

‘Water bills’ already on the move in the Senate

Rob Bradley wants $100 million more for ‘Florida Forever’

Environmental lawsuit over ‘Amendment 1’ funding set for trial

Adam Putnam pushes Florida Forever funding as helping Florida on multiple levels

Amendment 1 lawsuit may rev up after Session

‘Lack of transparency’ causes calls for Rick Scott budget veto