Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaOctober 15, 2015

Two Tampa Bay-area lawmakers have filed legislation in both chambers to boost the state’s research and development, or R&D, tax credit. State Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican, and state Rep. Ed Narain, a Tampa Democrat, filed the identical bills (SB 508/HB 311) earlier this week. The bill is a priority of the Florida Chamber of […]

Jim RosicaOctober 14, 2015

The Florida Legislature on Wednesday released six proposed new maps for state Senate districts before the start of a three-week Special Session on redistricting. All of the staff-drawn maps, however, contain districts that cross Tampa Bay. That runs afoul of direction the Florida Supreme Court gave in a similar case involving congressional districts to “avoid crossing Tampa Bay.” […]

Ryan RayOctober 13, 2015

The Florida Taxicab Association issued another broadside against Uber on Tuesday, this time focusing on a new University of South Florida-Nielsen poll that suggests most Floridians are in favor of legal restrictions on so-called transportation network companies. According to the new poll released Tuesday, 89 percent of Floridians think ride-sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft “should be required to have liability […]

Ryan RayOctober 12, 2015

An across-the-aisle pair of Tampa Bay area lawmakers are seeking to increase the level of taxpayer help Florida businesses can receive for research and development. Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes from St. Petersburg on Monday filed SB 508, a Senate companion bill to legislation that would bump up the level of R&D tax credits a business can receive […]

Ryan RayOctober 12, 2015

Sen. Oscar Braynon has filed the first proposed re-drawn Senate map under President Andy Gardiner‘s new redistricting regime, following a consent agreement under which the Senate admitted it violated state constitutional prohibitions against gerrymandering. Notably, the map does not feature a district which traverses the Tampa Bay, combining parts of St. Petersburg and Tampa by way of unpopulated […]

Jim RosicaOctober 12, 2015

State Sen. Dorothy Hukill wants to protect your ghost in the machine. The Port Orange Republican has refiled a bill (SB 494) that would protect one’s “digital assets” after death, meaning someone of your choosing could have access to and control your financial accounts, social media and anything else you have online. Her bill last session died before […]

Mitch PerryOctober 9, 2015

The activists went home unhappy Thursday night, but their goals were never the same as the majority on the Tampa City Council regarding the creation of a citizens review board to watchdog the Tampa Police Department. City Council voted 5-2 Thursday evening to a compromise proposal on who gets to select the members of the […]

Ryan RayOctober 8, 2015

The Senate Transportation Committee heard testimony from staff of two state agencies and a circuit court judge on Thursday morning as it continued to seek answers about a Florida driver licensing regime previous witnesses have called “cruel.” Panel Chairman Jeff Brandes wrote a handful of key administrators last month saying, “It is the intent of the committee […]

Mitch PerryOctober 8, 2015

(UPDATED) Last month, Florida Senate Transportation Chairman Jeff Brandes and Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commissioner (PTC) Victor Crist discussed their opinions on how to regulate Transportation Network Companies like Uber and Lyft. They met at Shula’s Steakhouse in Tampa’s Westshore district, and both have said they enjoyed themselves and came to common cause on several […]

Mitch PerryOctober 6, 2015

Unlike some of her contemporaries, Tampa House Republican Dana Young isn’t looking to eliminate the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission. But she’s less than pleased with the agency upon learning that they recently purchased space in the Tampa Bay Business Journal for an advertorial spread explaining how the agency works. “WHY is the Hillsborough PTC advertising in […]

Tag: Jeff Brandes
RaShon Young. Image via campaign.

Lawmakers move to increase R & D tax credit

New maps for state Senate include districts crossing Tampa Bay

Taxi group contends survey calls for regulating Uber

Bipartisan bill would boost maximum state R&D funding for Florida biz

Oscar Braynon rolls out first Senate redistricting plan ahead of Special Session

Dorothy Hukill tries again to protect “digital assets”

Mitch Perry Report for 10.9.15 – First chapter in Tampa citizens review board saga ends

Transportation panel inches closer to driver’s license suspensions fix

Hillsborough Republican lawmakers mixed on PTC future

Dana Young not happy about PTC advertorial in Tampa Bay Business Journal