Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaJuly 13, 2017

The Florida Supreme Court Thursday dismissed a challenge of Gov. Rick Scott‘s veto of reimbursements to homeowners whose healthy citrus trees were torn down by the state. The homeowners had asked the court to undo Scott’s veto of more than $37 million by filing a petition for writ of mandamus, an order to an elected official to perform a certain […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJuly 10, 2017

New College of Florida will request more than $3.6 million from the Florida Legislature in fiscal 2018 to help continue its effort to grow enrollment. The New College of Florida board of trustees on Monday voted to approve its fiscal 2018-19 legislative budget request. The 2018 request includes a single item — more than $3.63 million […]

Peter SchorschJuly 7, 2017

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Kim McDougal, Gov. Rick Scott‘s former chief of staff, is joining GrayRobinson‘s Tallahassee office as a Senior Director of Government Affairs, the law firm announced Friday. “Kim brings tremendous insight and invaluable experience to our firm, and will also substantially increase our expertise in the education policy and appropriations areas,” said Jason Unger, managing partner of the Tallahassee office. “The […]

Staff ReportsJune 22, 2017

Florida lawmakers will head back to Tallahassee in mid-September to kick-off the 2018 Legislative Session. Senate President Joe Negron and House Speaker Richard Corcoran outlined the interim committee week schedule in memos to their respective members Thursday. The schedule, as it stands right now, includes one week in September, two weeks in October and November, […]

Scott PowersJune 7, 2017

Democrats staked out their contempt for the stated purpose of the Legislature’s Special Session today with state Sen. Jose Javier Rodriquez saying lawmakers are being called in to bless a backroom deal to give the governor a slush fund. Rodriguez, of Miami, and state Rep. Shevrin Jones of West Park decried what they described as […]

Michael MolineJune 6, 2017

The governor’s constitutional authority to veto budget line items trumps a state law requiring him to bow to the Legislature when it resolves labor collective bargaining impasses, a divided 1st District Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday. The majority conceded that, under the state Labor Code, “any actions taken by the Legislature shall bind the parties” […]

Scott PowersJune 1, 2017

Orlando’s reform-pledging yet controversial State Attorney Aramis Ayala defended her anti-death penalty position as “evidence based” and charged that the Florida Legislature’s $1.3 million cut to her budget will hamper anti-human trafficking and domestic violence prosecutions. In a feature published Thursday morning by Orlando-Rising.com, a sister website to FloridaPolitics.com, the rookie state attorney representing Florida’s […]

Guest AuthorMay 25, 2017

Last week, Gov. Rick Scott announced record-breaking tourism numbers in the Sunshine State. It may be the last time for a while. Ignoring extensive research, case studies and pleas from travel industry constituents across the state, the Florida Legislature slashed funding for VISIT Florida by a crippling 67 percent — recklessly jeopardizing the tourism industry’s […]

Scott PowersMay 18, 2017

Saying that the current limbo of law is bad for doctors and patients, Democratic state Reps. Carlos Guillermo Smith and Amy Mercado pleaded with Gov. Rick Scott and Florida Legislature leaders to call a special session to deal with medical marijuana. “We are here because 71 percent of Florida voters approved the constitutional right to […]

Joe HendersonMay 11, 2017

As students at Bethune-Cookman University turned their backs and lustily booed commencement speaker Betsy DeVos, the rattled education secretary pleaded, “Let’s choose to hear each other out.” It’s ironic that DeVos chose those words to find middle ground, considering Republicans across the land, and particularly in the Washington establishment she now represents, have demonstrated no […]

Tag: Florida Legislature

Squeezed: Supreme Court denies challenge of citrus veto

New College of Florida to request $3.6M from state as part of three-year growth plan

Personnel note: Kim McDougal joins GrayRobinson lobbying team

Legislative leaders announce committee week schedule

Jose Javier Rodriguez: We’re being called back to bless backroom deal

Split appeal court upholds Rick Scott’s 2015 veto of firefighters’ $2,000 raise

Aramis Ayala defends death penalty position, asserts budget cut will hit key programs

Gil Langley: Post-Session reflection on tourism marketing

Carlos Guillermo Smith, Amy Mercado say special session needed to end cannabis legal limbo

Joe Henderson: Betsy DeVos pleaded for students to listen, but shouldn’t she do the same?