Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryMay 3, 2017

The final budget offered by the Florida Legislature provides the University of South Florida with $12 million for its new downtown Tampa medical education and research center which is expected to begin construction this fall. That’s less than the $14 million that was listed on Monday, and $5 million less than USF officials had requested from the Legislature. “We would be very […]

Staff ReportsMay 3, 2017

Sen. Rob Bradley isn’t giving up hope the 2017-18 state budget will include money for the Florida Forever conservation lands program. POLITICO Florida reported Tuesday that Bradley said the budget would include spending for Florida Forever, for Florida Keys wastewater projects, his proposed projects along the St. Johns River, and Senate President Joe Negron’s proposed […]

Staff ReportsMay 2, 2017

The Florida Legislature voted to send a trimmed-down version of a bill (SB 10) to build a water storage reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee. A top priority for Senate President Joe Negron, the bill aims to divert toxic algae discharges from coastal communities. The measure prohibits the state from taking private property to build the […]

Jim RosicaMay 2, 2017

State Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, the House’s point man on gambling, said an impossibility of compromise over slot machines killed the 2017 gambling bill. “We were too far apart and the Senate wanted to bring it in for a landing during budget conference, and we were not going to be able to do that,” he […]

Jim RosicaMay 2, 2017

The Seminole Tribe of Florida “will react accordingly” to the demise of a gambling bill this Legislative Session, the Tribe’s top outside lawyer said Tuesday. Chief negotiators for the House and Senate said earlier Tuesday they wouldn’t resolve their differences over the legislation before the scheduled end of the 2017 Legislative Session on Friday. When asked whether the Tribe plans […]

Jim RosicaMay 1, 2017

Senate President Joe Negron on Monday said lawmakers are “getting close” to a deal on a gambling overhaul bill for the year. The same day, however, a House Democrat who’s on the Conference Committee on Gaming tweeted “Nope” about the same thing. Negron was asked about the legislation during a media availability after the day’s floor […]

Jim RosicaMay 1, 2017

The Senate on Monday passed the House’s Supreme Court reporting bill, but after Sen. Anitere Flores had tacked on as an amendment her plan to expand the use of juvenile civil citations. Without debate, senators passed the measure (HB 301) on a 35-1 vote. Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican, was the lone ‘no’ vote. Because of the […]

Associated PressApril 30, 2017

Florida’s public schools will get only a small increase in money for day-to-day operations under an agreement worked out by state legislators. House and Senate budget negotiators on Friday agreed to increase regular public school spending by $241 million. That amounts to about a 1.2 percent increase in money for each student. Republicans have defended […]

Jim RosicaApril 29, 2017

Don’t expect any movement in the budgets for Enterprise Florida and VISIT FLORIDA at the conference committee level. “I’m authorized to negotiate quite a few things in this budget and there’s a few things I’m not, and those would be among the things I’m not,” said Sen. Jeff Brandes, the St. Petersburg Republican chairing the […]

Associated PressApril 28, 2017

Florida Gov. Rick Scott is targeting 10 Republicans in his push to get $200 million to help repair the dike that surrounds Lake Okeechobee. Scott’s political committee, Let’s Get to Work, is paying for automated phone calls to voters living in districts of 10 legislators including House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate President Joe Negron. […]

Tag: Joe Negron
Image via AP.

USF’s downtown Tampa medical school takes a $2 million haircut in final budget offer

Report: Rob Bradley says 2017-18 budget will include money for land conservation

Capitol Reax: Lake Okeechobee water storage reservoir

Jose Felix Diaz: ‘We were too far apart’ from Senate on gambling

Lawyer: Seminole Tribe ‘will react accordingly’ to gambling bill’s death

Joe Negron: Lawmakers ‘getting close’ to agreement on gambling

Senate adds civil citations, passes Supreme Court reporting bill

Florida legislators agree to small boost for schools

Top line tourism, economic development money closed out, chair says

Rick Scott targets legislators with phone calls