Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonAugust 7, 2017

Former state Sen. Jeremy Ring headed into August with about $130,000 on hand after spending more than he raised in July for his Chief Financial Officer bid. The Margate Democrat brought in a total of $45,396 between his campaign account and his political committee, “Florida Action Fund PC.” Combined, the two entities spent $60,515, including […]

Mitch PerryJuly 17, 2017

The national crime rate in the U.S. has been steadily declining since for two decades and is currently at its lowest rate since 1968. Likewise, Florida’s crime rate has dropped over the past few decades, but it is still 15 percent higher than the national average. And its imprisonment rate is 23 percent higher than the […]

Mitch PerryJuly 14, 2017

Over the past decade, deep Red states like Texas, Oklahoma and Georgia have enacted serious criminal justice reforms. Florida? Not so much.

Staff ReportsJuly 7, 2017

ed-hooper-02.19-e1487519265665-3500x1365.jpg

Republican state Sens. Jeff Brandes of St. Petersburg and Dana Young of Tampa on Friday endorsed former state Rep. Ed Hooper in his quest to replace Clearwater Sen. Jack Latvala, who is term-limited in 2018. Brandes called Hooper “a true advocate for his community … thoughtful, collaborative, and trusted.” “These are some of the best qualities […]

Jim RosicaJuly 3, 2017

It’s almost Independence Day, which in Florida means: Time to scare some birds. Although you can buy fireworks in the state, they’re not actually legal here. Indeed, The Tampa Tribune in 2014 called fireworks sales in Florida an “institutionalized charade,” leading one lawmaker to call for “more freedom (and) less fraud.” Retail sales are allowed only […]

Associated PressJune 26, 2017

Half of Florida’s legislators failed or nearly failed in a review of their support for public records and meetings given by Florida newspapers and an open-government group after this year’s legislative sessions. In a “scorecard” produced by the Florida Society of News Editors and based on information provided by Florida’s First Amendment Foundation — which tracked a priority list of […]

Mitch PerryJune 16, 2017

The attempted assassination Wednesday morning of Louisiana Republican Congressman Steve Scalise in suburban Washington D.C. has shaken the nation. Certainly, lawmakers now realize how vulnerable they are to mentally unstable people with access to firearms who disagree with them politically. At Friday’s Tampa Tiger Bay Club, five members of the Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation were asked their […]

Mitch PerryJune 15, 2017

Although modest in scope, Tampa Bay area lawmakers and business officials are happy that Gov. Rick Scott signed legislation (SB 1672) they believe is the first step toward creating a regional network to push for transit. The bill changes the actual title of TBARTA. It will now be the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority (it used […]

Jim RosicaJune 7, 2017

Sen. Jeff Brandes is proposing a sweeping change to his chamber’s medical marijuana implementation bill that would, among other things, remove a limit on the number of licenses for medical marijuana treatment centers (MMTCs). The St. Petersburg Republican filed the 63-page strike all amendment late Wednesday. His “Putting Florida Patients First Act” also removes a requirement that marijuana growers and sellers […]

Mitch PerryJune 7, 2017

Among the bills Governor Rick Scott signed into law on Tuesday is HB 647, which eliminates of the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission by December 31 of this year. The agency, originally created by a special act of the Florida Legislature in the 1970’s and the only one of its kind in the state, has been […]

Tag: Jeff Brandes

Jeremy Ring raised $45K in July for CFO bid, spent $60K

Report: Florida’s imprisonment rate is 23 percent higher than the national average

Tampa Bay lawmakers admit criminal justice reform was a bust in Legislature this year

Jeff Brandes, Dana Young endorse Ed Hooper

Florida’s bizarre fireworks law still in place

On open records, half Florida’s legislators rate F or D

House Republican Dan Raulerson wants everyone to own a gun

With law now in place, Tampa Bay region moves closer to regional transit

Jeff Brandes files amendment to medical marijuana in Senate

Rick Scott signs death warrant for Hillsborough Public Transportation Commission