Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryApril 19, 2017

A modified proposal to protect black bears in Florida won support Wednesday in the Senate committee on Environmental Preservation and Conservation. But SB 1304 was measurably reduced in scope from Orlando Republican Linda Stewart‘s original bill. Stewart’s initial proposal would have banned bear hunting in Florida for 10 years. The amended bill calls for no such action. The proposal came […]

Scott PowersApril 17, 2017

Saying that conservationists’ efforts apparently are dead this year to get funding routed for preservation as Amendment 1 voters expected, Democratic state Sen. Linda Stewart said she’s organizing support now for next year. That begins with state Sen. Rob Bradley, the Orange Park Republican who chairs the SenateAppropriations Subcommittee on the Environment and Natural Resources, she […]

Scott PowersMarch 22, 2017

State Sen. Linda Stewart is pushing the creation of an “Orlando United” specialty license plate to commemorate the city’s unity in the wake of last summer’s Pulse nightclub massacre, and to raise funds for mental health organizations. Stewart, the Orlando Democrat who introduced Senate Bill 1232, will get her first chance to present it today […]

Michael MolineMarch 10, 2017

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Legislation beginning to work its way through the House and Senate would help businesses voluntarily comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act — and possibly avoid “drive-by lawsuits” targeting noncompliance. “The ADA was taken away from Americans with disabilities by a handful of law firms — most out of South Florida — that have filed […]

Scott PowersMarch 1, 2017

As state Rep. Amy Mercado declares, Florida’s now-annual black bear hunt has become a “slaughter.” Mercado and fellow Orlando Democratic state Sen. Linda Stewart laid out bills Wednesday to ban the hunts for 10 years, as well as steps to keep bears happy enough in the forests and stop raiding neighborhoods. “The bears, we’ve encroached […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 21, 2017

On Tuesday, the Florida Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee heard from the Agency for State Technology. The AST, legislated into existence in 2014, appears on the outside to be in flux. A recent audit of the AST hammered it for a lack of internal controls. Meanwhile, CIO Jason Allison is on his way out the […]

Scott PowersFebruary 3, 2017

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Citing email obtained through open-records requests, NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer declared the League of Women Voters of Florida as “Florida’s newest gun ban organization,” working in secret. “The League of Women Voters is not who you think they are. The Florida League of Women Voters is Florida’s newest gun ban organization,” Hammer wrote in a letter […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 26, 2017

Last September, Governor Rick Scott ordered new public notification rules and legislation to ensure the public is kept informed of incidents of pollution that may cause a threat to public health and to Florida’s air and water resources. He made that announcement following the sewage spill in St. Petersburg and Mosaic’s sinkhole in Mulberry the sent toxins in the drinking-water […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 24, 2017

House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz and two of her colleagues have filed the Helen Gordon Davis Fair Pay Act, aimed at closing the gender pay gap in Florida. Lantana Democrat Lori Berman is co-filing the legislation with Cruz in the House (HB 319), and Orlando Democrat Linda Stewart is filing the bill in the Senate (SB 410). “It is unconscionable that in America […]

Larry GriffinJanuary 13, 2017

Black bear activist and former Senate candidate Chuck O’Neal of Orange County is trying again with the black bear protection bill he coordinated on last year with Darren Soto – though this year he’s working with newly-elected Senator Linda Stewart, as Soto has moved on to higher planes of governance. The bill, which was only in draft […]

Tag: Linda Stewart

Senate panel OKs modified bill to protect black bears

Linda Stewart gathering support for Amendment 1 funding next year

Linda Stewart pushing ‘Orlando United’ specialty license plate

Measures would promote ADA compliance — and, with luck, discourage litigation

Linda Stewart, Amy Mercado introduce bills to protect bears, their food and habitat

Agency for State Technology gets softballs in Senate committee

NRA declares League of Women Voters as ‘gun ban organization’

Bill Galvano files “spill bill” strengthening notification requirements

Florida Democrats to propose “The Helen Gordon Davis Fair Pay Act” aimed at closing gender pay gap

Chuck O’Neal to try again at black bear protection bill with Linda Stewart