Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan RayApril 27, 2015

Advocates for ride-sharing firms Lyft and Uber evidently did not reach an agreement this weekend with traditional taxi cab and limousine stakeholders, as a ride sharing policy bill sponsored by Rep. Matt Gaetz was temporarily postponed Monday for the second time in as many appearances on the House floor. HB 817 is generally considered a pro-Uber piece of legislation, but it recently took on […]

Ryan RayApril 24, 2015

As is the case with so many other issues – not least of which is the $4 million budget chasm stemming from inter-cameral differences on hospital funding for indigent services – the House and Senate still seem to be quite a ways off from passing anything resembling a unified ride sharing bill to govern firms […]

Mitch PerryApril 23, 2015

Political science professor Judithanne McLauchlan endured a rough-and-tumble campaign in her first bid for political office in 2014, but the Madeira Beach-based Democrat says her continued frustration with the Florida Legislature is prompting her to seriously consider a run for the Legislature in 2016. The University of South Florida St. Petersburg teacher is looking to run […]

Bruce RitchieApril 21, 2015

The Florida House on Tuesday voted down bill amendments that would have repealed or scaled back a 2006 state law that allows utilities to charge in advance for nuclear power plants that may never be built. HB 7109 is a bill that establishes term limits for Public Service Commission members and provides for Duke Energy […]

Associated PressApril 20, 2015

Bills that supporters say would tighten the rules governing the panel that sets Florida’s electric rates are moving toward passage in the state Legislature, but some say they’re not enough to end what they call the panel’s too-cozy relationship with big power companies. Several bills filed early in the legislative session regarding the Public Service […]

Bruce RitchieApril 10, 2015

A group of large power customers says that if proposed legislation involving Duke Energy Florida is going to save customers money, then that language should be put in the bill. HB 7109 was amended on Thursday to provide the Florida Public Service Commission with authority to approve bonds that could be issued by Duke to […]

Mitch PerryApril 5, 2015

On the last Friday in March, David Jolly spoke before nearly 400 Pinellas County Republicans at the party’s annual Lincoln Day dinner. While offering up a somewhat predictable attack on Barack Obama’s foreign policy initiatives, somewhat surprisingly, he also reserved plenty of disdain towards his fellow Republicans regarding a recent vote on the House budget. […]

Ryan RayMarch 24, 2015

Rep. Bryan Avila faced pointed scrutiny in the House Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee on Tuesday, as he shepherded a bill that would circumscribe the way cities and local governments can use red-light cameras to detect traffic infractions at intersections. HB 7071 seeks to limit the amount of infraction-based revenue cities get to spend on […]

Mitch PerryMarch 18, 2015

Debbie Wasserman Schultz will not be a candidate for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate next year, but lets hope that doesn’t “pave the way” for fellow South Florida Democratic U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy to become the groomed nominee in 2016. As a Tampa Bay area-based political reporter, I have to admit knowing very little about […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 3, 2015

A bipartisan group of House and Senate members on Tuesday announced their support of a 21-page bill that would better fund community mental health services and, among other things, establish a data collection system populated with information about individuals receiving publicly funded substance abuse and mental health disorders. In kicking off the press conference on […]

Tag: Kathleen Peters
FAMU- FSU College of Engineering (school website)

Legislature’s Uber regulation efforts stuck in neutral

House Uber bill TP’d, resolution with Senate still uncertain

Judithanne McLauchlan gives serious thought to HD 69 run

Democrats’ amendments repealing nuclear fees voted down

Reforms for utilities a “baby step”

“Trust but verify” on Duke Energy deal, industrial power customers say

David Jolly – one year in as Pinellas’ Representative in Washington

House red-light camera bill rolls through committee stop

Mitch Perry Report for 3.18.15 — No DWS, no problem, right Dems?

Legislators say now is the time to fix the state’s mental health and substance abuse delivery sytem