Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ana CeballosFebruary 20, 2018

Six days after the deadliest high school shooting in the state’s history, a law enforcement panel convened Tuesday in Tallahassee at Gov. Rick Scott’s request to discuss ideas that can prevent future campus massacres. “I have a wife at home that won’t send our kids to school,” Coconut Creek Police Chief Albert “Butch” Arenal said. […]

Drew WilsonFebruary 7, 2018

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Tuesday to advance a bill by Sarasota Sen. Greg Steube, SB 1168, that the Consumer Protection Coalition said would “do little to protect consumers” from Assignment of Benefits abuse. The group said it prefers HB 7015 by Rep. Jay Trumbull, which includes modifications to one-way attorney fees which proponents say […]

Mitch PerryOctober 23, 2017

Advocates supporting issuing civil citations to youth instead of arrests hailed a report issued Monday showing there were 3,000 fewer arrests for “common youth” misbehavior in 2016. And while approximately one-quarter of those arrests came from just three counties — Orange, Hillsborough and Duval — all three have seen a leadership change that could diminish […]

Drew WilsonOctober 6, 2017

Attorney General candidate Ashley Moody added another Panhandle Republican to her stable of endorsements Friday, just one day after announcing Reps. Clay Ingram and Jay Trumbull are backing her campaign. Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson joins the list which includes U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, current A.G. Pam Bondi, as well as the sheriffs of Brevard, […]

Scott PowersJune 2, 2017

A coalition of labor, faith and immigrant rights groups will be rallying in Orlando Saturday to push for an ordinance that would codify what city police already is doing – denying federal requests to hold immigrants in police custody beyond what normally is allowed. The coalition has been working with Orlando City Commissioner Tony Ortiz […]

Scott PowersApril 5, 2017

Florida’s sheriffs are mad at federal authorities for calling them out for not taking what the sheriffs believe are illegal actions. The Florida Sheriff’s Association is charging that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is asking them to illegally detain prisoners. And when the sheriffs refuse, they risk being being spotlighted for failing to detain criminal aliens, […]

Les NeuhausMarch 8, 2017

A bill introduced and passed unanimously in the Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice Wednesday would take away a tool long since considered useful, but increasingly controversial – the power of discretion. The measure – SB 196 — could drastically limit what those in the policing community could do when responding to calls involving […]

Mitch PerryMarch 8, 2017

Legislation to create a statewide civil citation program for juveniles statewide advanced in a Florida Senate Committee Wednesday. But members of the police and sheriffs association continue to resist the bill as currently drawn. Miami Republican Senator Anitere Flores’ bill (SB 196) would mandate law enforcement officers to offer a civil citation for youths admitting to one of 11 […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 31, 2017

It was High Noon in Jacksonville on Tuesday when Gov. Rick Scott got on the microphone at the winter meeting of the Florida Sheriffs at the Hyatt Hotel. Gov. Scott had a message to deliver, just hours after unveiling a budget with public safety enhancements. Scott’s new budget earmarks $5.1 billion for public safety, including a […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJanuary 23, 2017

Drug Free America is urging Florida lawmakers to “proceed with caution” as they begin crafting legislation to implement the state’s newest medical marijuana law. “While we were opposed to Amendment 2 for a number of specific reasons, we recognize Florida voters have spoken,” said Calvina Fay, the executive director of Drug Free America, in a statement. “We also […]

Florida sheriffs propose more school resource officers, arming teachers with guns

Capitol reax: AOB, Publix PrEP, campus ‘free speech,’ criminal justice, Rick Scott

‘Bad Boys’ no more: Juvenile arrests decrease, report says

Ashley Moody picks up endorsement from Walton County sheriff

Coalition seeking Orlando ‘trust’ ordinance for immigrants in custody

Florida sheriffs accuse federal authorities of demanding illegal detentions

Appropriations Committee approves bill removing police ‘discretion tool’ in first-time cases with juveniles

Bill to expand juvenile civil citations advances in Senate, law enforcement continues to resist

Rick Scott talks public safety budget with Florida Sheriffs

Drug Free America urges caution as lawmakers discuss Amendment 2 implementation