Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Associated PressDecember 4, 2015

Two Republican lawmakers filed bills Thursday that would require a person be arrested before law enforcement agencies seize cash or property and a conviction before they can keep it – an idea the agencies strongly oppose. The bills are designed to prevent abuses of the current law, which doesn’t require an arrest or a conviction […]

Mitch PerryDecember 3, 2015

(UPDATED) The Florida Attorney General’s office has decided it’s up to the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission to decide whether it wants to hire lobbyists. The decision came at the request from St. Petersburg GOP state Sen. Jeff Brandes for an opinion on the issue. In a letter to Brandes on Thursday, Assistant Attorney General […]

Ryan RayDecember 3, 2015

A pair of Republican lawmakers spoke to reporters Thursday about their proposal to revamp the seizure of assets by police in Florida, amid reports the value of property taken from suspects across the country now exceeds that of property stolen by criminals. St. Petersburg Sen. Jeff Brandes and Lehigh Acres Rep. Matt Caldwell told assembled media some elements of law […]

Jim RosicaDecember 3, 2015

A Senate panel has cleared a bill that would classify computer coding as a “foreign language” for purposes of getting high school credit. The PreK-12 Education Committee approved the legislation (SB 468) on Thursday. The measure is sponsored by state Sen. Jeremy Ring, a former Yahoo! executive. Ring, a Margate Democrat, made clear his bill would not force […]

Rosanne DunkelbergerDecember 2, 2015

Standing in front of the Tallahassee Automobile Museum on a rainy Tuesday morning, Sen. Jeff Brandes was talking about a coming technology that will revolutionize travel as much as the Model-T Fords on display inside the building did in the early 20th century. In the background was an Audi A7 “piloted driving” concept car named Jack, ready to […]

Mitch PerryNovember 24, 2015

If you’re a reporter, you didn’t have to be in Jacksonville Monday to learn the details of Gov. Rick Scott‘s $79 billion budget. That’s because the governor’s press office helpfully sent out email after email to highlight aspects of the vast budget throughout the day, where the highlights include $1 billion in tax cuts and cutting […]

Ryan RayNovember 24, 2015

“Founder,” “CEO,” “President,” and “Chairman” are all familiar lines on the business cards of today’s startup whiz kids but increasingly, writes Cecilia Kang of The New York Times, they might as well be adding another: “In-House Lobbyist.” As the success of innovators continues to ultimately rely on the decisions of older-school lawmakers and regulators overseeing novel […]

Mitch PerryNovember 23, 2015

Jeff Brandes is taking another shot at the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission, this time because it hired a lobbyist. The St. Petersburg-based state senator has been calling for the agency’s demise for several years now, in part because it has tried to regulate ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft. Now he wants Attorney General Pam […]

Mitch PerryNovember 23, 2015

There’s been an increasing rise in reforming civil asset forfeiture laws around the country, with conservatives and libertarians (such as the Cato Institute) leading the cause in many cases. Civil asset forfeiture is the legal practice that allows law enforcement officials to seize private property and money that is suspected of aiding, or resulting from, […]

Peter SchorschNovember 18, 2015

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House Republican Majority Leader Dana Young will raise money for her re-election with a major event Dec. 2 in Tampa. Cabinet members Jeff Atwater, Pam Bondi and Adam Putnam, as well as House Speaker Steve Crisafulli and Speaker-Designate Richard Corcoran, headline the invitation for Young’s fundraiser at the Tampa Yacht and Country Club. Honorary hosts […]

Tag: Jeff Brandes

Bills seek to set higher threshold for property seizure

Pam Bondi’s office says PTC can decide whether to hire lobbyists

Jeff Brandes, Matt Caldwell want to rein in asset seizure by law enforcement

Senate panel OKs classifying computer coding as “foreign language”

Jack, take the wheel

Mitch Perry Report for 11.24.15 — Did Rick Scott release something Monday?

For many startups, innovating and lobbying now go hand in hand

Jeff Brandes wants legal opinion about Hillsborough PTC’s lobbying efforts

State report on civil asset forfeiture laws in Florida suggests reforms are needed

Dana Young plans major re-election fundraiser Dec. 2