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Staff ReportsFebruary 28, 2018

Sponsors of a measure that would make texting and driving a primary offense in Florida on Wednesday continued their fight for the bill’s passage, even though it appears dead in the Senate. The House bill (HB 33), which has the support of House Speaker Richard Corcoran, was heard on the House floor. The measure is sponsored by […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 6, 2018

With a tip of the hat to LobbyTools, here are the latest movements — both on and off — of the legislative merry-go-round. On: Austin Kernan is a new legislative analyst in the Senate Majority Office. Off: Cathy Boyett is no longer a committee administrative assistant for the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee. Off: Administrative support staffer Lindsey Locke is no longer with […]

Drew WilsonFebruary 5, 2018

Republican state Rep. Matt Caldwell announced another block endorsement for his Agriculture Commissioner campaign from colleagues in the Florida House Monday, this time mostly from the Tampa Bay area. “I am proud to receive the endorsements from my colleagues. I will continue to work hard to earn support from Floridians across the Sunshine State, who […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 3, 2018

If you are reading this and driving, stop. It can wait. More than 5 crashes occur every hour because of someone texting behind the wheel. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were more than 500,000 distracted driving crashes in Florida, resulting in more than 200 fatalities in 2016. As […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 24, 2018

In addition to losing electricity from Hurricane Irma last fall, millions of Floridians went without cable television and garbage pickup for days and sometimes weeks, and yet still had to pay their bills in full. One Florida lawmaker would like to change that in the future. A bill sponsored by Palm Bay Republican Randy Fine (HB […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 23, 2018

Florida police may finally be able to pull over and ticket drivers caught texting while driving—without first seeing another infraction—under a bill advanced by a Senate committee Tuesday. But first, several black lawmakers registered concerns over how the bill could lead to potential police abuses. Sponsored by Gainesville Republican Keith Perry, the bill (SB 90) […]

Peter SchorschJanuary 15, 2018

The Tampa Bay area will have three Senate seats and 14 House seats on the 2018 ballot; while most of the Pinellas and Hillsborough delegations will be the same when the 2019 Legislative Session rolls around, a few races are starting to heat up. First, the sure things. Tampa Republican Sen. Dana Young is still […]

Jeff RosenfieldJanuary 10, 2018

Six candidates will be running for three open city commission seats in Safety Harbor’s 2018 municipal election. The qualifying period ended noon Tuesday for the March 13 ballot. The candidates, listed alphabetically by seat: SEAT #1: – Nancy Besore – Scott Long (incumbent) SEAT #2: – Spencer Bell – Cliff Merz (i) SEAT #3: – […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 4, 2018

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Debra Bellanti recognizes that there are those in the Democratic Party who think the odds are against her beating Republican incumbent Jackie Toledo in House District 60 in 2018. But the South Tampa-based marketing strategist and creative director in the health care industry begs to differ. “I’m in it to win it,” she said Thursday morning. “I’m not […]

Ana CeballosDecember 6, 2017

The push to make texting while driving a primary offense under state law has gained a powerful advocate: House Speaker Richard Corcoran. “The data is overwhelming and the need to act is equally compelling,” Corcoran said in a statement. State Rep. Jackie Toledo on Wednesday filed legislation that would strengthen the ban on texting and […]

Tag: Jackie Toledo

Primary texting-while-driving ban teed up in House

Latest on the legislative staffing merry-go-round

Matt Caldwell announces ‘seventh wave’ of endorsements for Ag Commissioner bid

Jackie Toledo: Texting-while-driving bill will make Florida streets safer

Pushback on proposal for rebates for no garbage pickup, phone service

Senate advances tougher texting-while-driving penalties

Here’s where Tampa Bay legislative races stand heading into the 2018 Legislative Session

Six candidates to vie for three open Safety Harbor City Commission seats

Democrat Debra Bellanti ‘in it to win it’ for HD 60

House Speaker backs stricter texting-while-driving proposal