Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Michael MolineOctober 17, 2016

A state panel struggled Monday to figure out a price tag for the proposed Florida Voter Restoration Amendment, which would automatically restore voting rights to felons who have completed their sentences. The Financial Impact Estimating Conference heard testimony from a variety of state criminal justice agencies indicating it might be hard to nail down what the […]

Associated PressOctober 14, 2016

The fate of convicted killers on Florida’s death row – as well as the fate of people awaiting trial for murder – was put in limbo Friday after the Florida Supreme Court ruled that death sentences require a unanimous jury. By a 5-2 vote the court struck down a newly enacted law allowing a defendant […]

Bob SparksOctober 13, 2016

Floridians now have an extra week to register to vote. The State of Florida, according to a federal judge, has set up “unconstitutional” firm deadlines for voter registration, which must be remedied. The offending statute is 97.055 Florida Statutes that says voter registration “must be closed on the 29th day before each election and must remain […]

Michael MolineOctober 11, 2016

State regulators approved a 5.5 percent increase in water rates Tuesday for residents of a Pasco County retirement community. But Utilities Inc. of Florida can apply the new rates only after it switches from its own discolored, malodorous and nasty-tasting supply to cleaner county water. The new rates will amount to $48,235 per year — […]

Staff ReportsSeptember 30, 2016

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater is the state’s “Consumer Champion” for 2016, an insurance industry watchdog organization announced this week, citing his support for legislative crackdowns on health and life insurers. The Florida Association for Insurance Reform bestowed the accolade Thursday night during its annual awards ceremony. The awards “recognize insurance and policy leaders whose […]

Michael MolineSeptember 28, 2016

Will next year’s legislative battle over workers’ compensation rates prove so all-consuming that other state priorities starve for attention? Fears that it might emerged during the quarterly board meeting this week of Citizens Property Insurance Corp., which wants the Legislature to clamp down on the assignment of benefits agreements blamed for driving up its own […]

Michael MolineSeptember 20, 2016

One of Florida’s best-respected business leaders read Gov. Rick Scott and the Legislature the riot act Tuesday over insufficient support for business development. Charles Cobb Jr. was polite about it — courtly even — during an address to the Economic Club of Florida in Tallahassee. But he was clear that the state’s leaders need to […]

Associated PressSeptember 19, 2016

Florida’s state university system may ask legislators to expand the state’s popular Bright Futures scholarship program to cover summer courses. The Board of Governors plans to discuss this week whether to ask the Florida Legislature to set aside nearly $50 million so eligible students can use the scholarship for classes taken during the summer terms. […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 12, 2016

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Florida is likely to basically break even next year in terms of its state budget, lawmakers heard Monday. The Joint Legislative Budget Commission met in the Capitol to hear the latest financial outlook for 2017-18: Present income and outgo estimates leave Florida with a relatively scant $7.5 million left over out of about $32.2 billion in […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 1, 2016

The Florida Bar squared off Thursday against a coalition of corporate and criminal defense lawyers over a change to the state’s expert witness standard. The Florida Supreme Court heard more than an hour of argument on whether to adopt a change to evidence law that lawmakers passed in 2013. The Bar is against it; defense […]

Tag: Florida Legislature

Panel finds no easy answers on costs of voter rights restoration

Florida Court: Jury must unanimously agree on death penalty

Bob Sparks: The unconstitutional burden of voter registration deadlines

Water rate hike approved for Pasco community, but with big string attached

FAIR names Jeff Atwater Florida’s ‘Consumer Champion’

Citizens Insurance fears being left in lurch during workers’ comp fight

Rick Scott, Legislature scolded over cuts to Enterprise Florida

Florida universities may push for summer scholarships

Lawmakers get grim budget news for next year

Expert witness standard takes center stage at Florida Supreme Court