Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ana CeballosMarch 2, 2018

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A quiet change proposed Thursday under a wide-ranging commercial motor vehicle bill would strip the power of a transportation panel and give the governor sole discretion over the appointment of the state’s top transportation official. State law tasks the Florida Transportation Commission to recommend three names to the governor when it comes to choosing the […]

Ana CeballosMarch 1, 2018

Private-prison giant GEO Group wants $4 million in taxpayer money to pay for correctional officers’ salaries at seven of its state-contracted facilities — but the House won’t budge. The House’s top criminal justice budget-writer, state Rep. Bill Hager, said his chamber has taken the stance to zero out the private prison’s request because the Florida-based […]

Ana CeballosFebruary 27, 2018

With three minutes left in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, a bill mandating each judicial district in the state to implement pre-arrest diversion programs headed to the Senate floor. There was no debate on the bill (SB 1392) that would set up diversion programs with the intent of giving local law enforcement agencies a […]

Ana CeballosFebruary 26, 2018

The Florida Legislature is considering sweeping criminal justice reform measures that have come under fire by the bail bond industry, but the sponsor of one of the bills said Sunday that he is “not in the business of making bail bondsmen money.” “They are in the business of writing bonds, and their business will go […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 25, 2018

A group supporting a wave of first-time candidates for elected office took out a full-page ad in the Sunday edition of the Sun-Sentinel calling on Floridians to run against NRA-backed state lawmakers in 2018. The Run for Something ad states “The NRA is killing our kids” at the top and then includes an sheet with […]

Ana CeballosFebruary 22, 2018

Someone caught with oxycodone pills weighing at least 7 grams can be sentenced to a mandatory three-year sentence and fined $50,000 under Florida drug trafficking state laws. That could soon change for non-violent offenders who are not involved with a criminal organization under a Senate proposal that would allow judges to depart from mandatory minimum […]

Danny McAuliffeFebruary 20, 2018

In the wake of the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, some lawmakers plan to exempt photos and videos of school shootings from public records laws. The plan has yet to be codified into a bill, but legislators reached a verbal agreement on Tuesday at the final Senate Criminal Justice Committee meeting […]

Danny McAuliffeFebruary 14, 2018

At the peak of one of the worst flu seasons in recent history, some lawmakers are trying to make it easier for sick patients to be diagnosed and treated for the virus. St. Petersburg Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes and Orlando Republican Rep. Rene Plasencia are sponsoring legislation (SB 524 and HB 431) that would let […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 13, 2018

After Hurricane Irma swept through the state, power outages resulted in 989 wastewater spills, totaling more than 9 million gallons of unauthorized sewage release. Legislation (HB 837) sponsored by Plantation Democratic state Rep. Katie Edwards-Walpole would attempt to reduce those discharges by helping utilities gain compliance with industry standards. It was advanced unanimously by the House Agriculture […]

Ana CeballosFebruary 13, 2018

A House proposal that would change the way law enforcement officers get their hands on data from a person’s cellphone was pushed on Tuesday to its last committee assignment. Republican state Rep. Jamie Grant said his bill (HB 1249) would require police to “reflect constitutional due process” when they search a person’s phone-location records as […]

Tag: Jeff Brandes
Helene, early Sept. 27. Image via NOAA via AP.

Governor would have sole discretion over FDOT head appointment under proposal

Senate, House at odds over $4m to pay for private prison operations

Pre-arrest diversion program proposals head to House, Senate floors

Bail bond industry, Jeff Brandes spar over sweeping justice reform bill

Run for Something ad highlights unopposed Florida lawmakers with NRA ties

Easing drug trafficking mandatory minimums headed to Senate floor

Graphic school shooting images, footage could soon be exempted from public records

Flu spike shows need for easier access to treatment, lawmakers say

Bill aiming to curb wastewater discharges advances

House panel advances bill adding protections to cellphone searches