Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

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 […]

Staff ReportsMay 3, 2017

The Senate accepted the House offer on the agriculture and natural resources portion of the budget, agreeing not to set aside any money for Florida Forever in 2017-18. The $3.6 billion plan zeros out funding for land acquisition. Sen. Rob Bradley said the budget includes $13.3 million — $5 million of which is recurring dollars — […]

Staff ReportsMay 3, 2017

Sen. Rob Bradley isn’t giving up hope the 2017-18 state budget will include money for the Florida Forever conservation lands program. POLITICO Florida reported Tuesday that Bradley said the budget would include spending for Florida Forever, for Florida Keys wastewater projects, his proposed projects along the St. Johns River, and Senate President Joe Negron’s proposed […]

Associated PressApril 25, 2017

A bill that looks to “un-muddy” the mission of Florida’s main environmental land acquisition program could potentially affect the plan for an Everglades reservoir. A House bill brought forth Monday by Rep. Matt Caldwell, a Republican with close ties to House leadership, was passed unanimously by a House panel. Caldwell wants to alter what projects […]

Tag: Florida Forever

$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

Budget deal includes no money for Florida Forever

Report: Rob Bradley says 2017-18 budget will include money for land conservation

Florida Forever bill could affect Everglades reservoir plan