Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

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 […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 5, 2016

The Florida Senate and House of Representatives on Friday filed their gambling legislation for the 2016 Legislative Session, including the $3 billion Seminole Compact, a proposed “voter control of gambling expansion” amendment and two different rewrites of the state’s gambling code. The Senate’s version, posted at 4:29 p.m., is 81 pages and the House’s is 102 pages. There […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 5, 2016

After leaving room for doubt, the state senator in charge of overseeing gambling issues is putting the proposed Seminole Compact up for consideration. On Thursday, the Florida Senate’s website showed two proposed bills from Sen. Rob Bradley, the Fleming Island Republican who chairs the Regulated Industries Committee, set for next Tuesday’s meeting at 1:30 p.m. One (SB […]

Phil AmmannJanuary 25, 2016

As the son and grandson of small business owners, I understand how hard it can be to achieve success for the company on which a family’s hopes and dreams rest. It is a daily struggle, made all the harder in recent years by over-regulation, a deep recession, and a complicated, burdensome tax code. Congress should […]

Jim RosicaDecember 9, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott has told reporters he’ll “respect the decision” of the Legislature about the deal he struck with the Seminole Tribe of Florida renewing exclusive rights to offer blackjack at its casinos in return for $3 billion over seven years. Scott briefly answered questions after this week’s Cabinet meeting in the Capitol on Tuesday […]

Jim RosicaNovember 30, 2015

The last committee week before the 2016 Legislative Session means — what else — a post-Thanksgiving cornucopia of fundraisers. The Republican Party of Florida sent an email last week listing all the events, coinciding with the December committee week, the last one before session begins Jan. 12. In chronological order, here are the events, subject to change and […]

Jim RosicaNovember 4, 2015

A bill aimed at removing the statue of a Confederate Army general representing Florida at the U.S. Capitol cleared its first House committee on Wednesday. The Economic Development and Tourism subcommittee unanimously OK’d the bill (HB 141), which asks Congress to remove the statue of Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith and replace it with another “prominent Florida citizen.” State Rep. Jose […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 8, 2015

A Miami-Dade lawmaker introduced legislation on Tuesday to replace the statue of a Confederate Army general at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. If passed, the bill (HB 141) would ask Congress to remove the statue of Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith and replace it with another “prominent Florida citizen.” The new statue would be paid […]

Phil AmmannAugust 27, 2015

Mission: NEXT, Jeb Bush’s NASA-inspired bundler program for young Republicans, lands in Miami next month for a fundraising reception hosted by Jeb Bush, Jr. The event, which focuses on donors under 40, begins 7:30 p.m. Thursday, September 24 at American Social, 690 SW 1st Court in Miami. Evening reception tickets start at $250 – with […]

Mitch PerryJuly 14, 2015

Associated Industries of Florida, considered a powerhouse lobbyist group for the business establishment in Tallahassee, has produced their annual scorecard on how often state lawmakers have maintained the AFI line, and the discrepancy isn’t that large between Democrats and Republicans in the state Senate, at least. AIF’s 2015 Voting Records contains each of the state’s 120 legislators voting […]

Tag: Jose Felix Diaz
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

House panel approves raft of gaming bills

Legislature files gambling bills, including Seminole Compact

Senate schedules Seminole Compact for hearing

José Félix Díaz: Congress must not hurt small businesses by repealing accounting procedure

Is Rick Scott already getting cold feet on Seminole blackjack deal?

Email insights: More House GOP fundraising

Confederate statue bill clears first House committee

Bill filed to replace Confederate general statue at U.S. Capitol

Jeb Bush’s “Mission: NEXT” bundler program lands in Miami Sept. 24

Florida Democratic state Senators score high in AIF’s 2015 voting scorecard