Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaJanuary 17, 2018

A bill to ban all uses of steroids in racing dogs has cleared a key Senate panel. The Regulated Industries Committee, which generally gets first crack at gambling-related bills, OK’d the measure (SB 674) 7-2 on Wednesday. State regulations now allow use only of a “low-dose, non-performance enhancing” form of testosterone in greyhounds, and only as […]

Jim RosicaDecember 29, 2017

Calling it an “immediate danger” that needs “emergency action,” gambling regulators this week filed a temporary rule to allow them to keep testing racing greyhounds for drugs. The moves comes after an administrative law judge struck down the testing program, saying it was “invalid.” The Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, which regulates gambling in Florida, also asked Judge […]

Jim RosicaAugust 1, 2017

As promised, the Florida Greyhound Association is asking state gambling regulators to “reconsider” their decision to allow Miami’s Magic City Casino to discontinue live dog racing. The association filed a “motion to intervene” Tuesday. Ending racing there “will put (its) members … out of business,” the motion says. “The purpose … is to forever end greyhound racing at the track. […]

Jim RosicaJuly 21, 2017

In a decision sure to ripple through the state’s gambling interests, the Havenick family has won its years-long fight to drop dog racing at its Magic City Casino in Miami. A spokesman for the state’s greyhound breeders on Friday said they’re already working on a legal challenge to the decision, which has been long awaited by […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 25, 2017

The Florida Senate has seemingly fast-tracked the chamber’s gambling overhaul for this year, as its first panel gave unanimous thumbs up to the measure one hour into a meeting that had been scheduled to last four. The bill (SB 8) was cleared Wednesday by the Regulated Industries committee, which oversees gambling policy. It has only one […]

Jim RosicaOctober 18, 2016

Ougoing Senate Democratic Leader Arthenia Joyner and former Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp are among the latest applicants to Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga for the Constitution Review Commission. Court spokesman Craig Waters provided an updated list of 20 applicants Tuesday. The Florida Constitution allows for a “revision commission” to meet every 20 years to “examine […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 14, 2016

In the wake of Hurricane Hermine, an unofficial task force led by former Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp plans to look into how Florida communities can better bounce back after a big storm. The blue-ribbon panel is an initiative of Citizens for Responsible Spending, led by Tallahassee lobbyist Barney Bishop III, which came about last year to address […]

Guest AuthorMarch 24, 2016

While serving as Lt. Governor of Florida, I had the opportunity to speak on the phone with Elsa Morejon, the wife of a political prisoner in Cuba, Dr. Oscar Biscet. Friends of Elsa had asked me to contact her and encourage her while her husband lingered in a maximum-security prison run by the communist police […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 15, 2016

January saw a slight closing of the fundraising gap between Janet Adkins and her major opponent in the race for Nassau County School Superintendent, Kathy Burns. Adkins raised no January money, though December saw her getting money from JEA Board Chair Tom Petway, former Lieutenant Governor Jeff Kottkamp, and the PAC of Jason Fischer, a current State House candidate from Jacksonville. […]

Ryan RayFebruary 9, 2016

The House Regulatory Affairs Committee approved a trio of bills that could reshape Florida’s gaming industry, mainly by ratifying a newly renegotiated compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida and by separating pari-mutuel racing from the card games which have come to dominate those facilities. A panel passed all three bills sponsored by its Chairman […]

Tag: Jeff Kottkamp

Greyhound steroids ban moves in Senate

A ‘Red Bull rule’? State strikes back on drugs in race dogs

Greyhound group asks state to reverse decoupling decision

No more dog racing at South Florida casino, state says

Senate panel OKs gambling overhaul bill, including Seminole provisions

Arthenia Joyner, Jeff Kottkamp apply for constitutional panel

Private task force to look into improving hurricane response

Jeff Kottkamp: Obama should show outrage over Cuba’s human rights violations

Janet Adkins maintains money lead in Nassau County school sup. race

House panel approves raft of gaming bills