Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschMarch 20, 2018

Gov. Rick Scott on Monday signed a bill that establishes a coral reef conservation area off the South Florida coast. HB 53 forms the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area, which contains a stretch of coastline starting from the St. Lucie Inlet in the north to the northern boundary of Biscayne National Park in […]

Scott PowersMarch 20, 2018

Three fathers of murdered students, three sheriffs, and state Sen. Lauren Book are among the appointees to the newly created Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission established to investigate the Feb. 14 massacre and identify and address what could have been done differently. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri will chair the commission established through […]

Drew WilsonMarch 19, 2018

Pro-choice group Floridians for Reproductive Freedom denounced Gov. Rick Scott Monday for signing a bill to fund “fake clinics” that oppose abortion. HB 41 requires the Florida Department of Health to contract with the Florida Pregnancy Care Network, a crisis pregnancy network of clinics that offer free “pregnancy support services,” such as counseling and classes […]

Peter SchorschMarch 19, 2018

The 17th Judicial Circuit Court last week approved a permanent restraining order to keep Derek Logue away from Democratic state Sen. Lauren Book, according to documents obtained by Florida Politics. According to the petition filed by Book’s attorneys, Logue has targeted Book since at least 2009 through obscene YouTube videos and a website dedicated to […]

Staff ReportsMarch 14, 2018

Survivors, advocates, elected officials and law enforcement turned out in St. Petersburg Wednesday to rally for an end to sexual abuse, taking added significance in light of the growing #MeToo movement. Hosted by the nonprofit Lauren’s Kids, the rally was part of the 8th Annual Walk in My Shoes, a 13-day Tallahassee-to-Key-West advocacy event led […]

Staff ReportsMarch 13, 2018

Before the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) convened its final public hearing Tuesday in St. Petersburg, Gov. Rick Scott joined others to support Marsy’s Law for Florida. A proposed constitutional amendment would grant equal rights to defendants and convicted criminals, and to victims and their family members. “It’s very important that Marsy’s Law becomes the law of the land,” Scott said. Most states […]

Peter SchorschMarch 11, 2018

Nobody expected a tragedy like Parkland to suck all the oxygen out of the Legislature’s 2018 Regular Session. Lobbyists were left scrambling to save their clients’ priorities as lawmakers hustled to rejigger the budget to accommodate hundreds of millions of dollars for school safety and mental health initiatives. Some survived, many did not; although that’s […]

Ana CeballosMarch 10, 2018

After state Sen. Gary Farmer came under fire for saying state Sen. Lauren Book’s family responsibilities may be too much to balance if she was chosen as the Senate Democratic Leader-designate, he apologized. “I recognize that I failed to properly express my thoughts about the difficulties that a Caucus leadership role can play for any […]

Ana CeballosMarch 9, 2018

The last-ditch effort to revive a Senate human trafficking bill crashed Friday night after the House decided to strip language that would have created a trust fund for victims. When it was up to the Senate to consider the changes to the bill, Republicans argued it should be killed because the House “did not do […]

Ana CeballosMarch 9, 2018

After concerns were raised about Sen. Gary Farmer saying Sen. Lauren Book would not be the best nominee for Senate Democratic Leader-designate because she is a mother, Senate Democrats met Friday to discuss caucus business. But nothing was resolved. The drama over the comments escalated when Sen. Kevin Rader sent a letter to his colleagues, […]

Tag: Lauren Book

Rick Scott signs bill establishing coral reef conservation area

Sheriff Bob Gualtieri to lead Douglas High commission with Lauren Book, three fathers

Pro-choice group blasts Rick Scott for signing ‘fake clinic’ bill

Restraining order issued against stalker of Lauren Book

Lauren Book’s ‘Walk in My Shoes’ takes to the streets of St. Pete

Backers push for Marsy’s Law—a crime victims’ ‘bill of rights’

Winners and losers emerging from the 2018 Legislative Session

Gary Farmer apologizes for taking ’emotional’ jab at Lauren Book

Senate kills human trafficking bill a day after it was revived

‘No vote yet’: Senate Democrats meet after ‘sexist’ comment drama