Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersAugust 29, 2017

Florida state Reps. Bob Cortes, Rene Plasencia, and David Santiago are headed to Puerto Rico Wednesday for continuing talks on developing relationships between the commonwealth’s government and Florida’s government. The trio of Central Florida Republicans all have Puerto Rico heritage and represent districts with large populations of Puerto Rican migrants. Cortes is from Altamonte Springs; […]

Scott PowersAugust 21, 2017

The Republican primary for House District 44 may have deeply split support from top Republicans but now that Bobby Olszewski has won he’s bringing much of that together behind his special election campaign. Olszewski’s campaign announced a fundraiser set for the evening of Aug. 30 that will feature the current speaker of the Florida House […]

Scott PowersAugust 17, 2017

House Speaker Richard Corcoran released his committee assignments for the 2018 Legislative Session Thursday with just a few changes from 2017, notably some freshmen getting vice chairmanships and new chairs for the Ways and Means and Commerce Committees. Corcoran’s changes in committees look more like mid-term adjustments for the two-year term, rather than the wholesale […]

Peter SchorschJuly 20, 2017

Jason Rojas is set to be Jose Oliva‘s chief of staff when Oliva takes over as Speaker of the House for 2018-20. Rojas, recently a staff director in the Florida House, will start August 1 at the Republican Party of Florida, where he will serve in a policy development role that is a stepping stone to […]

Jim RosicaJuly 13, 2017

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Former state Rep. Tom Grady will take Jimmy Patronis‘ place on the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC), Gov. Rick Scott announced Thursday evening. In picking Grady, a Naples attorney and a friend of Scott’s, the governor passed over the three alternates he previously selected to fill an empty seat on the commission, which will review the state’s governing document […]

Scott PowersJuly 11, 2017

Kissimmee may be part of the heart of Florida’s tourism district, but three local lawmakers told the Kissimmee/Osceola Chamber of Commerce Tuesday why they did not openly support VISIT FLORIDA during the political wars of this year’s Legislative Session. Republican state Reps. Mike La Rosa and Neil Combee and Democratic state Rep. John Cortes described […]

Scott PowersJune 30, 2017

The last-ditch politicking has begun behind closed doors at an Orlando airport hotel. Freshman state Reps. Byron Donalds of Naples, Erin Grall of Vero Beach, Jamie Grant of Tampa and Paul Renner of Palm Coast, and most of the other 23 Republicans in the class gathered Friday at the Orlando International Airport Hampton Inn & Suites, […]

Jim RosicaJune 29, 2017

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Attorney and former state Rep. Phillip J. Brutus, the first Haitian-American elected to the Legislature, has been suspended from practicing law for one year, The Florida Bar announced Thursday. The suspension became effective June 3. Brutus, of Lauderdale Lakes, also will be on probation for two years after his reinstatement, according to a disciplinary order by the Florida […]

Guest AuthorJune 5, 2017

The Florida House of Representatives has recently espoused a philosophy of not “picking winners and losers,” but House Bill 1A does just that. As I watched Gov. Rick Scott, Senate President Joe Negron, and Speaker Richard Corcoran announce their plans for a special session to discuss tourism funding, I felt hopeful for the fate of […]

Jim RosicaMay 25, 2017

Saying it could hurt job creation, Gov. Rick Scott vetoed a contentious bill that would have removed the ‘wall of separation’ between hard liquor and other goods. Scott filed his veto letter of the measure (SB 106) on Wednesday night, his deadline to act on the bill. It’s the first veto of a bill from the 2017 […]

Tag: Florida House of Representatives

David Santiago, Rene Plasencia, Bob Cortes headed for Puerto Rico for talks

Bobby Olszewski HD 44 fundraiser packed with Republican leaders

Richard Corcoran releases new committee assignments

Jose Oliva taps Jason Rojas for key staff position, putting him on track for chief of staff

Rick Scott names Tom Grady to constitutional review panel

Mike La Rosa, Neil Combee and John Cortes defend attacks on VISIT FLORIDA

Speaker contest underway for 2022 House leadership

Former South Florida lawmaker suspended from practicing law

Steve Hayes: Tourism industry in jeopardy with House Bill 1A

The hangover: Rick Scott vetoes ‘whiskey & Wheaties’ bill