Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonJanuary 4, 2018

Former Margate Sen. Jeremy Ring announced Thursday that 19 Democratic state lawmakers have endorsed him in the chief financial officer race. “From the very beginning I have believed that our campaign is all about people power,” Ring said. “I am proud to have the support of each and every one of these legislators. Over the […]

Phil AmmannDecember 19, 2017

With a tip of the hat to LobbyTools, here are the latest movements – both on and off – of the legislative merry-go-round. Off and on: Lily Tysinger, a legislative analyst for the Senate Majority Office, now serves as a program specialist in the Office of the Senate Secretary. Off: Josie Tomkow is no longer an […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 12, 2017

The Jacksonville City Council approved legislation this week that opposes a state bill (HB 521/SB 574) that would cut the heart out of the city’s tree canopy protections. The state bill, filed by Republican Greg Steube in the Senate and Democrat Katie Edwards in the House, would prohibit cities such as Jacksonville from stopping landowners from removing trees […]

Danny McAuliffeNovember 15, 2017

Criminal-investigation-of-the-Rehabilitation-Center-at-Hollywood-Hills.jpg

South Florida Democrats are aiming to better nursing homes through legislation including tighter regulations and the unrestricted use of electronic monitoring devices, also known as granny cams, by patient family members. Rep. Katie Edwards and Sen. Gary Farmer filed the similar bills (HB 655 and SB 896) on Tuesday and held a conference Wednesday morning. Both lawmakers had nursing […]

Mitch PerryOctober 25, 2017

Two years after the Florida Legislature approved allowing Floridians online voter registration, registertovoteflorida.gov went live October 1. In 2015, state lawmakers provided the Secretary of State’s office $1.8 million to encourage him to support online registration, agreeing to delay implementation until Sunday. On Wednesday, Maria Matthews, Division Director for the Secretary of State’s office, told the […]

Jim RosicaOctober 19, 2017

The Florida Legislative Jewish Caucus on Thursday called white nationalist Richard Spencer, set to speak at the University of Florida later today, a “a vile, racist, carnival barker.” Spencer’s “traveling circus of ignorance-fueled hatred is inhabited by insecure clowns unable to come to terms with a changing world,” according to a statement. “His ideology is that […]

Staff ReportsSeptember 26, 2017

With a tip of the hat to LobbyTools, here are the latest movements – both on and off – of the legislative merry-go-round. On: Jonathan Capps became a legislative analyst for the Senate Majority Office. Off and on: Staff director Jennifer Hrdlicka has moved from the Senate Criminal Justice to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development. Lauren Jones replaces Hrdlicka on […]

Scott PowersJune 29, 2017

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham has drawn more endorsements including former Florida House Minority Leader Mark Pafford and state Reps. Katie Edwards and John Cortes The endorsements announced by her campaign Thursday also included Duval County Soil and Water District Chair Shannon Blankenship, and Jacksonville City Councilman Tommy Hazouri. Her campaign also announced the first […]

Jim RosicaJune 8, 2017

A change to the Special Session’s medical marijuana legislation that would have allowed patients to smoke it was handily defeated Thursday. The amendment offered by Rep. Evan Jenne, a Dania Beach Democrat, was killed on the House floor by a vote of 37-71. “If a doctor and a patient determine that (smoking) is the best way to […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 30, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott did not close the door entirely on a special session on medical marijuana, telling reporters his office was reviewing his options. “I know there’s a lot of people involved and interested in the issue,” said Scott, following a stop in Fort Myers on Tuesday morning. Scott said a special session was “something […]

Tag: Katie Edwards
Mike Johnson. Image via AP.

Jeremy Ring snags a pile of endorsements from state lawmakers

Latest on the legislative staffing merry-go-round

Jax City Council defends tree canopy against ‘sledgehammer gov’t’ in Tallahassee

Granny cams, tighter regulations part of Democratic nursing home legislation

With a few hiccups, Florida online voter registration up and running

‘Wicked hatred’: Jewish lawmakers condemn Richard Spencer

Latest on the legislative staffing merry-go-round

Gwen Graham draws more endorsements: Steelworkers, Mark Pafford, Katie Edwards, John Cortes

House beats back effort to allow smoking of medical marijuana

Rick Scott says he’s ‘reviewing’ whether to call medical marijuana special session