Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorMarch 9, 2015

Last week, the Florida Senate and Senate President Andy Gardiner took a significant step on an issue with profound impacts on Florida taxpayers, businesses and, ultimately, our economy. The Senate filed SPB 7044, the “Florida Health Insurance Affordability Exchange” (FHIX), based upon A Healthy Florida Works Plan. This plan was thoughtfully proposed by a bipartisan coalition of business owners, hospitals, community leaders and individuals who […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 8, 2015

Florida’s beekeepers say honey bees play a sweet role in agriculture and the economy but they need help – and state funding – to maintain a healthy population. The Florida State Beekeepers Association is requesting $3.5 million for an apiary research center at the University of Florida. Florida is the third largest honey-producing state, with […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 8, 2015

Florida’s beekeepers say honey bees play a sweet role in agriculture and the economy but they need help – and state funding – to maintain a healthy population. The Florida State Beekeepers Association is requesting $3.5 million for an apiary research center at the University of Florida. Florida is the third largest honey-producing state, with […]

Guest AuthorMarch 6, 2015

For decades casino lobbyists have tried to turn Florida into Las Vegas. But they have been turned back time and again by voters, legislators, governors and business groups that understand the toxic nature of gambling economics. But gambling lobbyists are back again, this time pushing for the biggest expansion of gambling in Florida’s history. There […]

Julie DelegalMarch 4, 2015

Rep. Debbie Mayfield, R-Vero Beach, has been listening to parent complaints about high-stakes testing. Mayfield, like most parents and educators, is so frustrated with the entire standards-based accountability system that she wants to give entire school districts the ability to “opt out” of standards-based tests altogether. Judging from an action alert obtained from a Tea […]

Diane RobertsMarch 2, 2015

OCCUPIED TALLAHASSEE – Some Florida towns have a strawberry festival; some have a seafood festival or a jazz festival or even a frog leg festival. Here in Florida’s capital, we put on an annual Festival of Bad Ideas. Its other name is the Legislative session. Come spring, legislators swarm, careening madly down our narrow, pretty […]

Diane RobertsMarch 2, 2015

OCCUPIED TALLAHASSEE – Some Florida towns have a strawberry festival; some have a seafood festival or a jazz festival or even a frog leg festival. Here in Florida’s capital, we put on an annual Festival of Bad Ideas. Its other name is the Legislative session. Come spring, legislators swarm, careening madly down our narrow, pretty […]

Diane RobertsMarch 2, 2015

OCCUPIED TALLAHASSEE – Some Florida towns have a strawberry festival; some have a seafood festival or a jazz festival or even a frog leg festival. Here in Florida’s capital, we put on an annual Festival of Bad Ideas. Its other name is the Legislative session. Come spring, legislators swarm, careening madly down our narrow, pretty […]

Peter SchorschMarch 2, 2015

Let me start by saying I am a huge craft beer fan. I love craft beer. I love the very idea of craft beer. I love the taste, the smell and, heck, I even love the interesting artwork on the bottles. I especially love the pick-yourself-up-by-the bootstraps grit of the craft beer business folks. But […]

Julie DelegalMarch 2, 2015

Part one of this two-part series examines one senator’s move to lower the stakes in Florida’s high-stakes education accountability system, and how the stakes got so high in the first place. For several years, parents and teachers have bristled against the centerpiece of education reform in Florida. “Teacher accountability” is the political term for it, but what […]

Tag: Legislature

Tom Feeney: Use 'A Healthy Florida Works' to reform medical coverage

Bruce Ritchie: Beekeepers stung by 2014 veto, try again for research site

Bruce Ritchie: Beekeepers stung by 2014 veto try again for research site

John Sowinski: Dana Young's gambling bill encourages parasite casinos

Julie Delegal: Tweaking the tests – Common Core pushback

Diane Roberts: Welcome to Tallahassee’s Festival of Bad Ideas

Diane Roberts: Welcome to Tallahassee's Festival of Bad Ideas

Diane Roberts: Welcome to Tallahassee's Festival of Bad Ideas

Peter Schorsch: Craft beer folks might invite competition from big boys

Julie Delegal: Tweaking the tests – what to watch in education legislation