Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschJanuary 15, 2018

Right out of the gate, the Florida House took several major steps toward statewide insurance reform during the first week of the 2018 Legislative Session. On Friday, lawmakers advanced a trio of House bills: repealing the state’s motor vehicle no-fault law and PIP insurance requirements, addressing “assignment of benefits” abuse and making significant changes in […]

Scott PowersJanuary 10, 2018

The two bills moving through the Florida legislature aiming to preempt local rules and ordinances on tree removal got a vote of resounding opposition Tuesday evening from the Seminole County Soil & Water Conservation District. The Seminole district became the first county-wide agency to vote formal opposition of House Bill 521 and Senate Bill 574, […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 5, 2018

One might think that the Tampa Bay Times’ Tim Nickens, as editorial page editor of Tampa Bay’s biggest daily newspaper, might be subjected to tough questions about the paper’s coverage and/or editorial stances when he spoke before the politically savvy Cafe Con Tampa crowd at the Oxford Exchange Friday morning. Those tough questions were asked, but they were […]

Ana CeballosJanuary 2, 2018

On week one of Session, House Speaker Richard Corcoran is determined to pass a bill that would penalize local officials who support the passage of so-called “sanctuary city” policies. The bill “will enforce the rule of law,” Corcoran tweeted Tuesday. State Rep. Larry Metz, a Lake County Republican, championed an identical bill that passed the […]

Danny McAuliffeDecember 15, 2017

New-Florida-Licenses_1500976290579_63344027_ver1.0_640_480.png

No one should lose their driver’s license over an infraction that isn’t related to driving. That’s the premise of a bill (SB 1270) filed Friday by St. Petersburg Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes. “It is time to address the growing problem of non-driving related license suspensions,” Brandes said in a press release announcing the bill. “Stop the […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 12, 2017

The Jacksonville City Council approved legislation this week that opposes a state bill (HB 521/SB 574) that would cut the heart out of the city’s tree canopy protections. The state bill, filed by Republican Greg Steube in the Senate and Democrat Katie Edwards in the House, would prohibit cities such as Jacksonville from stopping landowners from removing trees […]

Danny McAuliffeDecember 6, 2017

Two Sarasota Republicans are attempting to pass legislation that would prevent political committees and electioneering communications organizations from donating to each other, touting it as a proposal that would end dark money in state politics. While state Rep. Joe Gruters’ HB 43 and Sen. Greg Steube’s SB 122 do not address dark money in issue advocacy spending, […]

Danny McAuliffeDecember 5, 2017

A testy meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday saw the deaths of three pro-gun bills, including Chairman Greg Steube’s “courthouse carry” push. SB 134, Steube’s bill providing for concealed-carry permit holders to store firearms at courthouses, was joined in failure by Lakeland Republican Sen. Kelli Stargel’s SB 274 and Steube’s other gun-related bill, SB 148. […]

Jim RosicaNovember 22, 2017

Former state Rep. Doug Holder will pay $6,500 in civil penalties to resolve an ethics complaint that he filed “inaccurate” financial disclosures in 2010-14. The Sarasota County Republican agreed to the settlement, which was disclosed by the Florida Commission on Ethics on Wednesday. The deal still must be approved by commissioners at their Dec. 8 […]

Ana CeballosNovember 7, 2017

A proposal that would give firearm dealers the option to use credit cards when paying for potential buyers’ background checks advanced a Senate committee on Tuesday. Gun advocates praised the bill and said the move would “bring us into the modern age.” “This is something that can be done quickly, inexpensively and it just makes […]

Tag: Greg Steube
Stock image via Adobe.

In first week of Session, Florida House took big steps toward insurance reform

Seminole County conservation district condemns tree-rule preemption bills

Tampa crowd objects to First Amendment Foundation stance on proposed public records law

House Speaker vows to pass ‘sanctuary city’ ban bill on week 1 of Session

Bill seeks to prevent driver’s license suspensions in non-driving offenses

Jax City Council defends tree canopy against ‘sledgehammer gov’t’ in Tallahassee

Republican lawmakers tackle ‘dark money’

Order in the court? ‘Courthouse carry,’ gun bills die in committee

Doug Holder agrees to settle ethics case

Bill that would bring gun dealers into ‘modern age’ advances