Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorOctober 21, 2015

Redistricting. Reapportionment. New voting maps. Dull. Boring. Eyes glaze over. It’s tough to follow – and care about – the legal battles that have been going on for years over Florida’s voting districts. But on Tuesday night I heard two attorneys who have been at the heart of the redistricting fight tell a riveting tale […]

Staff ReportsOctober 21, 2015

The state House and Senate have issued legislative calendar changes for the final week of 2015 Special Session C, which is set to end Nov. 6. The session was convened to amend Senate maps, ordered by a Florida Supreme Court judgment that found the upper chamber violated anti-gerrymandering laws. A number of scheduled hearing times […]

Jim RosicaOctober 21, 2015

The Florida Supreme Court has ordered oral argument for its review of a proposed constitutional amendment allowing medical marijuana. The court posted the order to its website Wednesday; the order was signed Tuesday. Argument was scheduled for 9 a.m., Dec. 8. The court ordered briefs by Oct. 30 and “answer” briefs by Nov. 9. Attorney General Pam Bondi had formally asked for the review to […]

Jim RosicaOctober 20, 2015

The operators of a North Florida race track are asking the state Supreme Court to review a lower-court decision that said several Florida dog and horse tracks can’t also have slot machines. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians, which runs the track in Gretna, filed its request Tuesday. Gretna is about 25 miles west of […]

Mitch PerryOctober 20, 2015

Charlie Crist is back. The former Florida Governor announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Congress in Florida’s 13th Congressional District on Tuesday, a position he showed little interest in until the Florida Supreme Court declared that the district had been unfairly gerrymandered this summer, and ordered the state Legislature to redraw the district. As it […]

Jim RosicaOctober 19, 2015

State Sen. Bill Galvano, who chairs his chamber’s redistricting panel, on Monday said sitting senators may not have to stand for re-election even if their districts change because of the current effort to reapportion the state Senate. Galvano, a lawyer and Bradenton Republican, spoke on the floor of the Senate during the first day of the Special Session […]

Ryan RayOctober 19, 2015

The Florida House of Representatives briefly gaveled into Session Monday and Speaker Steve Crisafulli told his 120-member chamber to expect to take a back seat to the state Senate, who like the House returned to Tallahassee this week for the third time this year. “Since the subject of this session is the Senate map, we’ve established […]

Jim RosicaOctober 16, 2015

The Florida Bar’s Board of Governors on Friday postponed consideration of taking a formal stand on an evidence law change favored by Gov. Rick Scott and conservative lawmakers. The change was actually passed into law two years ago but the courts have yet to follow it. Bar spokeswoman Francine Walker said the board, meeting in Atlantic Beach, “tabled” […]

Martin DyckmanOctober 16, 2015

It can be perilous to predict the outcome of a U.S. Supreme Court case by the questions justices ask during the oral argument, but this once I’ll hazard a guess: Florida’s death-sentencing law is in deep trouble. The better question, in fact, is not whether Pensacola killer Timothy Hurst will win his appeal but how […]

Guest AuthorOctober 16, 2015

Everyone wants to increase the supply of renewable energy. The question is, how to do it in a way that benefits and protects consumers, regardless of their energy choices. When the so-called “solar choice” amendment was introduced, I was among those who called on its sponsors to modify their proposed amendment in a way that […]

Tag: Florida Supreme Court
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Tom O’Hara: Attorneys tell an inspiring tale about a dull topic

Legislative chambers revise schedule for final week of Special Session

Supreme Court orders oral argument for medical pot amendment

Gretna race track wants Supreme Court to decide slots question

Saying he’s a public servant, Charlie Crist announces his candidacy for Congress

Bill Galvano: No new elections for senators whose districts change

Speaker Steve Crisafulli says Senate will (mostly) take the lead in redistricting Session

Florida Bar punts on controversial evidence standard

Martin Dyckman: Why Florida’s death-sentencing law is likely in trouble

Jim Kallinger: Make the smart solar choice