Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Staff ReportsJune 25, 2018

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Advocates for a ballot initiative to put an end to dog racing have released a video to bolster their claim that “greyhounds are confined for as much as 23 hours per day at Florida racetracks.” The 1-minute, 33-second YouTube video, titled “Greyhound Racers Can’t Handle the Truth,” was posted on Monday by the Protect Dogs — […]

Staff ReportsJune 25, 2018

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Photo: Van Abernethy The group representing Florida’s greyhound owners and breeders is renewing its pledge not to go ‘negative’ in its battle against a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at outlawing betting on dog racing. The Committee to Support Greyhounds, a separate political group formed to fight the ban, has issued no similar pledge, however. But it […]

Staff ReportsJune 13, 2018

Retired Florida Supreme Court Justice Major B. Harding has joined the Florida Greyhound Association‘s (FGA) legal team. The addition of Harding, a high court appointee of the late Democratic Gov. Lawton Chiles, was announced Wednesday by association general counsel Jeff Kottkamp. Harding served on the Florida Supreme Court 1991-2002; Kottkamp was Florida’s lieutenant governor from 2007-11 under Gov. Charlie […]

Staff ReportsMay 31, 2018

Supporters of the proposed constitutional ban on greyhound racing have launched a digital campaign to inform voters about the amendment, the Protect Dogs-Yes on 13 group announced Wednesday. “The campaign will communicate to voters via a dedicated website, Facebook page, Twitter feed and Instagram account,” a news release said. The campaign’s website is ProtectDogs.org, the Twitter […]

Jim RosicaApril 16, 2018

Florida voters will decide whether to outlaw greyhound racing under a proposed constitutional amendment approved Monday. The proposal (P6012) was passed by the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) on a 27-10 vote; it needed at least 22 votes. It will go directly to November’s statewide ballot, where it needs at least 60 percent approval to be added to […]

Guest AuthorApril 9, 2018

Florida voters will be asked in November to decide the fate of the work product of the third Constitutional Revision Commission (CRC) since the 1968 Constitution that created the CRC process. Currently, this CRC has produced perhaps as many as 13 additional ballot questions (total of 18 on the ballot) effecting up to 25 changes […]

Jim RosicaDecember 22, 2017

An administrative law judge has struck down the state’s greyhound drug testing program, according to an order released Friday. Judge Lawrence P. Stevenson ruled that state regulators’ use of procedures in a “2010 Greyhound Veterinary Assistant Procedures Manual,” “even after being ordered to cease” doing so, was “invalid” and in violation of state law. The case […]

Guest AuthorNovember 28, 2017

Mark Twain is credited by some as saying: A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. Live greyhound racing is good for Florida and good for the greyhounds! Over $80 million was bet on live greyhound racing at the tracks last year, with no reported compulsive gambling. […]

Jim RosicaMay 1, 2017

A bipartisan bill banning the use of steroids on greyhound racing dogs is likely dead for the 2017 Legislative Session. The last committee of reference for the Senate bill (SB 512) had been Appropriations, which did not hear it Monday at its last meeting. The House version (HB 743) passed earlier this month on an […]

Peter SchorschMarch 16, 2015

Emergent legislative pro Erin Daly Ballas is the featured Tallahassee player in today’s chapter of the 4th Floor Files. Currently, she serves as an associate on Jack and Kenya Cory’s Public Affairs Consultants team, where she began in 2008 as a legislative intern. Erin has grown into the firm’s go-to person for grassroots efforts, including […]

Tag: Greyhound

‘Protect Dogs’ drops new video on greyhound industry

Greyhound breeders: Stay ‘positive’ in fight against racing ban

Personnel note: Major B. Harding joins greyhound group’s legal team

Greyhound racing-ban supporters launch digital campaign

Greyhound racing ban heads to voters

Jeff Kottkamp, Paul Hawkes: Greyhound amendment does not belong in our constitution

Judge strikes down Florida’s racing-dog drug testing program

Jack Cory: The truth and facts about live greyhound racing in Florida

Greyhound steroid ban dies in Senate

4th Floor Files talks with Erin Daly Ballas on Keep Florida Beautiful, Whole30 and “Not Her Circus”