Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan NicolJanuary 14, 2019

Make sure you’re actually buying — not renting — your next pet. State Sen. Annette Taddeo, a Miami-Dade Democrat, says she’s looking to ban efforts to use contracts that can end up doubling the price of a pet and even call for repossession of the animal if payments aren’t made. Reports have shown the pitfalls […]

Ryan NicolJanuary 12, 2019

fl-op-editorial-sheriff-scott-israel-confidence-vote-20180428.jpg

DeSantis named former Coral Springs Police Sgt. Gregory Tony as Israel's replacement.

Staff ReportsJanuary 10, 2019

Smash-mouth city At long last, the Florida Times-Union has upped its column game, with two critical political reporters in higher-profile gigs. As 2018 closed, Chris Hong started to write outdoors/lifestyle columns in additional to his dispatches on #jaxpol heroes. However, the 2019 addition may be the one that leaves a mark on the local political […]

Ryan NicolJanuary 9, 2019

Former state Sen. Daphne Campbell ended speculation she’d seek a return to the Senate, filing to run in 2020 for the open seat in Senate District 35. “I know the district, I know the people,” Campbell said in comments to Florida Politics confirming her run. Two other Democrats have already filed to run in the […]

Staff ReportsJanuary 9, 2019

funfair__ghosts__merrygoround_by_abbyarcanine-1024x1024.jpg

With a tip of the hat to LobbyTools, here are the latest movements – both on and off – of the Florida Senate staffing merry-go-round. Off: Tim Sadberry is no longer staff director for the Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice. On: Trent Phillips joined the Senate Majority Office as a legislative assistant. On: Johnny Brown is the new legislative assistant […]

Scott PowersJanuary 8, 2019

Florida’s foresters, land managers and storm recovery crews have more than just the obvious devastation left behind by Hurricane Michael. Now, they must prepare for the potential of massive wildfires, floodplains flooding, and the prospect of devastation by pine beetles. That was part of the sobering message given Tuesday to the Florida Senate Environment and […]

Scott PowersJanuary 7, 2019

Voters’ overwhelming approval of Amendment 6 to put broad guarantees of crime victims’ rights into the Florida Constitution means the Florida Legislature has a lot of clarifying to do, from defining who notifies victims to what victims’ information might be shielded from public disclosure. At least that was the assessment of several representatives of stakeholders […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorJanuary 3, 2019

Screen-Shot-2019-01-03-at-2.22.09-PM.png

Former Hillsborough County Sheriff and retired state lawmaker Malcolm Beard died Wednesday. He was 99. The Sheriff’s office renamed its Operations Center after Beard in 2013. Beard joined the Tampa Police Department in the 1940s and was later elected constable for Hillsborough County in 1957. He served in that position until 1964 when he was […]

Ryan NicolJanuary 2, 2019

The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee is scheduled to take up a bill proposed by state Sen. Lauren Book (SB 60) that would exempt diapers and incontinence products from the state’s 6 percent sales tax. “For some families, this is just another piece of their monthly budget,” Book said in a statement to Florida Politics upon […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 21, 2018

State Sen. Jeff Brandes has again filed a bill that would protect individuals’ privacy contained on cell phones and other electronic devices as well as GPS location data. The bill would require a warrant to access electronic information from a person suspected of a crime. A warrant is not currently required to search such electronic data. […]

Tag: Florida Senate
Image via David Silvers.

Financing Fido? Repo’ing Rover? Miami-Dade lawmaker files bill to ban ‘pet leasing’

Citing Parkland shooting, Ron DeSantis suspends Broward Sheriff Scott Israel

Jacksonville Bold for 1.10.19 — Smash-mouth city

Daphne Campbell attempts to return to Senate, files in SD 35

Latest on the Senate legislative merry-go-round

The four Hurricane Michael disasters: storm, long-term flooding, fire threat, pine beetle

Marsy’s Law amendment leaves plenty for Legislature to figure out

Former Hillsborough Sheriff and Florida lawmaker Malcolm Beard dead at 99

Senate panel to consider tax break for diapers

Jeff Brandes files cell phone privacy bill