Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

James CallMarch 23, 2015

One Monday in Florida politics the Senate had the Capitol to itself while the House traveled back to Tallahassee. As Senate committees considered three separate tax-cut proposals, Gov. Rick Scott started a “Cut My Taxes Week” by setting up a booth in the state Capitol where an average Florida family can calculate its savings from different […]

Mitch PerryMarch 23, 2015

A measure that would allow school employees and volunteers to carry guns on school campuses was approved by the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice on Monday. The measure is being sponsored in the House by Sarasota Republican Greg Steube, as HB 19, and in the Senate by Greg Evers from Baker, as as SB 180, […]

James CallMarch 19, 2015

A marijuana lobbyist said to me a couple of weeks ago that he suspected the latest challenge to the Charlotte’s Web rule would “smoke out” people’s true intention, whether they disliked the rule or disliked the law. It’s the end of the third week of the session and we’re getting to the “smoke out” point on a […]

James CallMarch 8, 2015

This week politics at the state Capitol will be about money and a search for clarity. Legislators will get a better view of the hill they need to climb in building a state budget for the year beginning July 1. The Revenue Estimating Conference meets Tuesday and will count up how much tax money the […]

Daniel TilsonMarch 8, 2015

You’d think 50 years was long enough for Florida lawmakers to get something right. But when it comes to ensuring all Floridians have equal opportunity to exercise their right to vote, and then overwhelmingly choose to use it, most of us know we’ve still got a long way to go. Here we are, fresh off […]

Associated PressMarch 4, 2015

Several school districts on Tuesday suspended Florida’s new standardized tests for a second day, despite assurances that the problems had been fixed. Education Commissioner Pam Stewart asked districts early in the morning to resume using the online portal that middle-school and high-school students must use in order to log on and take the state’s annual […]

Bob SparksFebruary 12, 2015

As the 2015 legislative session approaches, committees and sub-committees are pouring over hundreds of bills. Some of these bills are good ideas, while others are not so good. There is another category for bills that reflect a reasonable idea, but one whose time might be in the future. The latter best describes House Bill 227 […]

Ryan RayFebruary 9, 2015

It comes as no surprise that West Palm Beach City Commissioner Kimberly Mitchell wants to be Mayor after twelve years of waiting in the wings. That her former spouse and Republican über-lobbyist Richard Pinsky would take a major role in running her campaign doesn’t exactly blow you away either, given their deep mutual connections to the Palm Beach Republican Party — though a registered […]

Ryan RayFebruary 9, 2015

It comes as no surprise that West Palm Beach City Commissioner Kimberly Mitchell wants to be Mayor after twelve years of waiting in the wings. That her former spouse and Republican über-lobbyist Richard Pinsky would take a major role in running her campaign doesn’t exactly blow you away either, given their deep mutual connections to the Palm Beach Republican Party — though a registered […]

Ryan RayFebruary 5, 2015

As Lake Worth Sen. Jeff Clemens taught us once again last week by announcing his bid for Senate Democratic leader in 2018, there’s no such thing as ‘too soon’ in the term-limited game theory of the Florida Legislature. In that spirit, Republican state Sen. Tom Lee has filed to run for his Hillsborough County-based District 24 seat […]

Tag: Jeff Clemens

The day that was in the Florida politics — March 23

Senate panel OKs bill to allow school workers to carry guns on campus

The day that was in Florida politics — March 19

Capitol Preview: Money, press skits and the search for clarity

Daniel Tilson: Voting rights – from Selma, 1965 to Tallahassee, 2015

Senators ask Gov. Rick Scott to suspend testing after glitches

Bob Sparks: GOP should embrace and shape online voter registration

Are local Dems pushing for a GOP 'landslide' in West Palm Beach?

Are local Dems pushing for a GOP ‘landslide’ in West Palm Beach?

Tom Lee gears up for 2018 re-election campaign