Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Gary FineoutNovember 9, 2015

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who loudly opposed a medical marijuana measure that appeared on the 2014 ballot, is staying on the sidelines this time around. Bondi said she is still opposes the effort to legalize medical marijuana, but the state’s top legal officer is remaining silent on whether the Florida Supreme Court should block […]

Jim RosicaNovember 9, 2015

The lawyer for the group behind one of two proposed constitutional amendments on solar power Monday told a panel of state economists he expected the initiative would have “no fiscal impact” if passed. Attorney Neal McAliley of the White & Case law firm, representing Consumers for Smart Solar, spoke before the Financial Impact Estimating Conference on Monday. McAliley told […]

Jim RosicaNovember 9, 2015

A panel of state economists on Monday will go over the financial impact of one of two proposed constitutional amendments on solar power. The Financial Impact Estimating Conference will meet at 9 a.m. to take public comment on the amendment sponsored by Consumers for Smart Solar, a utility-backed coalition. That initiative so far has reported 139,560 of the 683,149 valid […]

Jim RosicaNovember 5, 2015

The Florida Legislature became the little engine that couldn’t on Thursday, failing to agree on a new map redrawing the state Senate districts after three weeks of trying in a Special Session. This makes three out of four legislative sessions this year that ended in discord, this time in a redistricting session that itself likely […]

Jim RosicaNovember 5, 2015

With a little more than a day left in the Special Session, lawmakers scrambled to come up with a redrawn Florida Senate district map that will pass court muster, but also get enough votes to pass out of the Legislature. Senators from both parties, however, didn’t like what they saw at a Thursday morning meeting, […]

Ryan RayNovember 5, 2015

The Florida Supreme Court affirmed Thursday that former Miami Sen. Alex Diaz de La Portilla was not in “direct criminal contempt” of the court when he failed to deliver a dog he owned with his wife and appear for court amid an ongoing divorce case. The high court ruled in an 18-page opinion Diaz de la Portilla […]

Jim RosicaNovember 4, 2015

The Florida Senate on Wednesday agreed to go into conference to iron out the differences between its proposed map for new Senate districts and the House of Representatives’ proposal. That conference, however, will consist of only two people: Senate redistricting panel chair Bill Galvano, and his House counterpart, Jose Oliva. During the last Special Session, […]

Jim RosicaNovember 3, 2015

The Florida House of Representatives Tuesday passed its version of a redrawn state Senate district map, sending it back to the Senate for a likely conference process. The map was passed 73-47, with all Democrats in opposition and some Republicans joining them, including state Reps. Matt Gaetz, Chris Latvala and Ray Pilon. A long line […]

Jim RosicaNovember 3, 2015

Following their Senate colleagues, the House Democratic Caucus plans to vote against the proposed Senate district map. At a Democratic caucus meeting before Tuesday’s session, House Democratic Leader Mark Pafford informally asked the crowd whether any member intended to vote for the map. No one signaled they would. The version of the map the Senate […]

Jim RosicaNovember 3, 2015

A measure that would impose term limits on Florida’s appellate-level judges cleared its first House committee on Tuesday. The House Civil Justice subcommittee approved the bill (HB 197) on an 8-5 vote largely along party lines, though one Republican, George Moraitis of Fort Lauderdale, voted against it. State Rep. John Wood, the Winter Haven Republican sponsoring […]

Tag: Florida Supreme Court

AG Pam Bondi won’t ask court to block pot measure

Lawyer for solar initiative predicts ‘no fiscal impact’

State economists to review solar power amendment

Senate votes down redistricting map, ending Special Session

Lawmakers consider more maps as redistricting clock counts down

State high court rules Alex DLP not in direct contempt for defying court in divorce case

Senate rejects House map, agrees to conference

House passes redistricting map

House Democrats will vote against redistricting map

Term limits for appellate judges OK’d by House panel