Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 24, 2016

The rules of seersucker are simple. Wear a pastel tie and make sure it matches your socks. Pairing black shoes with your snazzy suit is a no-no. And definitely don’t wear it outside of seersucker season, which for some means it runs from Easter to Labor Day. The Florida Legislature is bending that last rule […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 22, 2016

While watching the Florida Legislature debate regulation of services like Uber and Lyft statewide, I couldn’t help but think of a pair of quotes discovered as I was looking up something else. The first quote, from Microsoft founder Bill Gates, came as the House displayed leadership and vision in approving its version of a bill […]

Associated PressFebruary 18, 2016

Florida lawmakers have come up with a way to fix the state’s death penalty and allow the state to resume executions. The Florida House on Thursday voted 93-20 and overwhelmingly passed a death penalty bill that would require at least 10 of 12 jurors to recommend execution for it to be imposed. The Senate is […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 18, 2016

The Florida House wants to give kids a little down time. The House voted 112-2 on Thursday to approve a bill (HB 833) that requires public schools to provide 100 minutes of recess each week in kindergarten through fifth grade. It also applies to sixth-grade students enrolled in schools with one or more elementary grades. […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 11, 2016

The state House approved its nearly $80 billion spending plan, despite oppositions from Democrats over a decision to defund Planned Parenthood. The House voted 85-29, largely along party lines, to approve the chamber’s $79.9 billion budget. Among other things, the spending plan sets aside $3.2 billion in reserves, increases per student funding to $7,231 and […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 11, 2016

The Florida House passed a wide-sweeping tax cut package Thursday, setting the scene for negotiations with the Senate over the tax reductions. The House voted 96 to 17 to support the nearly $1 billion proposal, getting the support of several House Democrats. “Here’s in Florida we’re running counter-culture to many of the decisions that are […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 10, 2016

As the state House began vetting its proposed $79.9 billion budget, some lawmakers questioned the decision to cut more than 700 positions from the Department of Health. Rep. Matt Hudson, chairman of the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee, said the budget eliminates 718 positions from the Department of Health’s budget. Many of those positions are […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 10, 2016

Florida’s supervisors of elections might be getting a pay raise. The Senate Fiscal Policy committee on Wednesday OK’d a proposal changing the calculation used to determine how much a county’s election boss is paid. The measure (SB 514), sponsored by Sen. Garrett Richter, increases the base salary and the group rate used to determine a […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 9, 2016

A bill that would restrict abortion providers is heading to the House floor. The measure (HB 1411) cleared the House Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Colleen Burton, a Lakeland Republican, requires doctors who perform abortions have admitting privileges at a local hospital. The bill also prohibits state agencies, […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 8, 2016

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A bill that would ban discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community has one more chance of passage. The Senate judiciary committee on Monday temporarily postponed the measure (SB 120). The measure, which prohibits gender- and sexuality-based workforce discrimination, will be taken up again Tuesday. Nadine Smith, CEO of Equality Florida, said in […]

Tag: Florida House

Screw the calendar and wear your seersucker

The case for why there should be a legislative deal for Uber & Lyft

Florida comes up with a possible fix to death penalty

Florida House passes bill mandating recess at public schools

House votes 85-29 to approve its $79.9 billion spending plan

House approves $1 billion tax cut package

House budget: Decision to cut positions at Dep’t of Health questioned

Bill giving raise to county elections officials heads to Senate floor

Bill restricting abortion providers now headed to House floor

Capitol Reax: Changes to municipal elections, LGBT discrimination bans