Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan RayJune 1, 2015

Health care committees in the House and Senate on Monday discussed the same proposal to expand health care access to the uninsured–SB 2A–in Florida. But it might not have sounded like it. In a “Tale of Two Cities”-esque tableau, the Senate discussed the bill for one hour before unanimously agreeing to pass it with sponsor […]

Ryan RayJune 1, 2015

House Speaker Steve Crisafulli set a brisk, all-business tone as the “people’s chamber” started the first Special Session since 2011. That was when a challenge to the body’s redistricting efforts brought the House back to Tallahassee in the summer for a quick cosmetic fix to a small number of seats. This Special Session is something else […]

Mitch PerryMay 7, 2015

Social conservatives in Florida are urging Gov. Rick Scott to veto an adoption bill because it lacks a “conscience protection” provision for faith-based adoption and foster care agencies. CS-HB 7013 was a bill strongly supported by Senate President Andy Gardiner when the session began. It re-creates a program to provide a financial benefit of $5,000 or $10,000 […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 24, 2015

The Florida Senate has not backed off its position that working uninsured Floridians need to have access to health insurance and that the Medicaid supplemental program known as Low Income Pool should remain intact. In a counteroffer to the House’s offer to put $200 million into health care financing the Senate held firm on its […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 14, 2015

A Senate health care spending panel on Tuesday gave the nod to a telehealth bill but House Health and Human Services Committee Chairman Rep. Jason Brodeur says he’s not sure the Legislature needs to address the issue. The Senate health care spending panel tagged on two late filed amendments to the bill, CS/SB 478, by […]

Guest AuthorApril 12, 2015

Today in Florida, more than 600 children woke up without a permanent home to call their own. Sadly, these vulnerable children are revolving through a broken foster system which leaves far too many without hope for a happy life or successful future. Without the endless love of my adoptive parents, I could have been among […]

Mitch PerryApril 10, 2015

Florida-State-Rep.-Jason-Brodeur-638x425-1024x1024.jpg

On Thursday, the Florida House passed Sanford Republican Jason Brodeur‘s controversial “conscience protection” bill. The legislation would allow private adoption agencies whose “written religious or moral convictions” do not permit children in their care to be adopted by gays or lesbians to refuse to make such placements. The agencies would not face the possibility of losing their […]

Guest AuthorApril 10, 2015

Today in Florida, more than 600 children woke up without a permanent home to call their own. Sadly, these vulnerable children are revolving through a broken foster system that leaves far too many without hope for a happy life or successful future. Without the endless love of my adoptive parents, I could have been among […]

Mitch PerryApril 10, 2015

The Coachella Music Festival is this weekend in Indio, Calif., about 20 minutes west of Palm Springs near the Coachella Valley, one of the hardest-hit drought-stricken regions of the Golden State. I’ve attended five such spectacles (2009-2013), and if you’re into music, it’s an amazing amount of fun — and also a bit of work, […]

Phil AmmannApril 9, 2015

First comes love … then comes marriage … but with the Florida House, no baby carriage exists for same-sex couples. Bill Day sharpens his gaze on a bill, HB 7111, passed Thursday by the House, which allows private adoption agencies the option to turn away gay couples, either on religious or moral grounds. The measure was in response to a […]

Tag: Jason Brodeur
Image via AP.

Dueling committee presentations on FHIX plan show merits of health care expansion all in the eye of the beholder

Welcome (back) to the Florida House: Session 2015 A begins

Florida Family Action urges Rick Scott to veto adoption bill

Senate counters House with Medicaid expansion; other health care items may be in play

Telehealth bill moves in Senate, will House take it up?

Jason Brodeur: My religious freedom bill will encourage more adoptions

Jason Brodeur says it’s time for truce on gay adoption controversy

Jason Brodeur: Make Florida best adoption state for everyone

Mitch Perry Report for 4.10.15 — A lollapalooza of tax cuts for everyone in Florida

Bill Day’s latest: Love, marriage and denied adoption for gays