Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryNovember 2, 2016

With less than a week to go before Floridians finish voting, critics of Florida’s Amendment 1 filed legal actions on Wednesday against the measure, calling on the Florida Supreme Court to reject the results of the vote because they contend the measure was created to intentionally deceive Florida voters. Citing new information unearthed from a leaked audio recording […]

Mitch PerryOctober 19, 2016

Critics of Amendment 1 on next month’s ballot in Florida teed off on the sponsors of that measure on Wednesday, following an explosive report in the Miami Herald quoting a policy director with the James Madison Institute as saying the utility industry is trying to deceive voters into supporting restrictions on solar power by supporting the amendment. […]

Joe HendersonSeptember 16, 2016

In the Aug. 30 primary, Florida voters made it unmistakably clear how they feel about solar energy. Nearly 73 percent of them voted to approve an amendment providing a tax break for businesses that convert to solar power. That was just what backers of clean energy in Florida wanted, of course. Now they have a […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 7, 2016

A coalition of Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, and Green Party members came out on Wednesday to announce their opposition to the next solar power amendment Floridians will vote on this fall. If passed, Amendment 1 would put existing law regarding the rights of homeowners and businesses to own or lease solar equipment into the state Constitution. Advocates […]

Mitch PerryJuly 14, 2016

The League of Women Voters in Florida is going big on solar power this year. They’re putting their political muscle behind supporting one solar constitutional amendment on the ballot next month, while opposing another such measure in November. And somewhat outside their normal lane, they’re also going to organize solar co-ops to negotiate steep discounts on rooftop solar for homeowners across the state. […]

Julie DelegalApril 17, 2016

Jim Kallinger and Dick Batchelor wrote in Context Florida last week that voters should support “Amendment 1,” which seeks to regulate solar energy in Florida. They disclose at the end of the article that they work for “Consumers for Smart Solar.” But voters may not know that “Consumers for Smart Solar” is a bankrolled front […]

Mitch PerryApril 11, 2016

The controversial solar-power ballot initiative that will go before Florida voters in November reported on Monday that it had spent nearly $268,000 last month, with much of that going to legal fees as it worked to win approval from the Florida Supreme Court. Two weeks ago, the high court ruled 4-3 that the wording of the […]

Mitch PerryApril 5, 2016

The three legislators responsible for a statewide initiative concerning home and industrial solar power system tax breaks announced on Tuesday they’ll be launching a campaign to get the measure passed on the August ballot. “Because we’ve moved to the August primary, we have a really short window in order to really spin up a campaign,” […]

Jim RosicaMarch 31, 2016

The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday barely approved a proposed state constitutional amendment on solar power for the 2016 ballot. In a 4-3 decision, the court OK’d the amendment in question, called “Rights of Electricity Consumers Regarding Solar Energy Choice.” It’s backed by Consumers For Smart Solar, supported by the state’s biggest private utilities, including Duke Energy Florida, Florida […]

Jim RosicaMarch 2, 2016

The Tallahassee attorney for Earthjustice, a national environmental law organization, is calling a proposed state constitutional amendment on solar power “a disguised attempt to derail rooftop solar in Florida.” The Florida Supreme Court had scheduled oral arguments for the hotly contested proposal for 11 a.m. March 7 with no more than 30 minutes allowed for each side. Among […]

Tag: Floridians for Solar Choice

Solar power advocates go to Florida Supreme Court to half the vote count of Amendment One

Solar power advocates blast ‘deceptive strategy’ behind Amendment 1

Joe Henderson: For solar energy supporters, Amendment 1 raises red flags

Coalition of activists team up to oppose utility supported solar power amendment on Florida ballot this fall

League of Women Voters going all in on solar power in Florida this year

Julie Delegal: Pro-solar consumers beware: Vote no on Amendment 1

Consumers for Smart Solar spends nearly $268,000 in March

Jeff Brandes, Lori Berman, Ray Rodrigues launching campaign for solar power tax breaks

“Smart Solar” amendment narrowly passes Supreme Court review

Earthjustice strikes back against Smart Solar group