Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

James CallApril 5, 2015

This week at the state Capitol the session enters its circus stage. We’ll entertain ourselves with perennial issues, while leaders figure out how to resolve a budget dispute. A gorilla called LIP along with an elephant known as Medicaid expansion are occupying the room used for budget negotiations. While the House and Senate maneuver behind […]

James CallApril 3, 2015

Now we have a Session — a battle of wills and philosophies in the building of a state budget. The Senate wants to talk. In the House, the talk is about war. Both chambers have passed a state budget for next year. If you look at the bottom lines the difference is about $4.2 billion. […]

James CallApril 2, 2015

To understand this day at the state Capitol one needs to take a long view of a 60-day Legislative Session. Think of a production of a play — the Florida Legislature spent the first half of a session putting all the pieces in place for one heck of a show. The climax will come either […]

James CallApril 2, 2015

Florida House Democrats intend to reject the House budget plan Thursday afternoon on three counts: • They will argue the spending plan does not include enough money for education; • Fails to comply with voter intent on Amendment 1, and; • Doesn’t cover a billion-dollar gap in the health care budget created by the end […]

Guest AuthorMarch 29, 2015

The uncertain future of Medicaid financing has received much attention during the past few weeks of the legislative session. Adding to that uncertainty is an unhealthy dose of speculation and misinformation about the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and federal reliability. As chairman of the Florida Senate’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Appropriations […]

James CallMarch 27, 2015

This week at the state Capitol ended with House Republicans taking Democrats to school. There were four education bills advocated by the GOP on the agenda for a Friday session. All easily passed since Republicans outnumber Democrats 2-1 in the Florida House. Thursday, Democrats argued against mandating that school districts share construction and renovation money […]

Guest AuthorMarch 26, 2015

The uncertain future of Medicaid financing has received much attention during the past few weeks of the Legislative Session. Adding to that uncertainty is an unhealthy dose of speculation and misinformation about the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and federal reliability. As chairman of the Florida Senate’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Appropriations […]

Phil AmmannMarch 23, 2015

Both the Florida House and Senate released spending plans for the upcoming fiscal year, providing funding for everything from education and transportation to the newly passed Amendment 1 land-conservation measure. Beyond that, however, the two budgets could not be further apart; almost $5 billion, to be exact. Bill Day’s latest takes aim at this fiscal […]

Phil AmmannMarch 23, 2015

Both the Florida House and Senate released spending plans for the upcoming fiscal year, providing funding for everything from education and transportation to the newly passed Amendment 1 land-conservation measure. Beyond that, however, the two budgets could not be further apart; almost $5 billion, to be exact. Bill Day’s latest takes aim at this fiscal […]

James CallMarch 18, 2015

The Senate Appropriations Chairman is drawing a line in the sand. Sen. Tom Lee wants clarity on health care spending before moving forward on building a budget, and both Sen. Aaron Bean and Sen. Renee Garcia are looking for the money to help him produce a balanced spending plan. The federal Low Income Pool program expires in June, and the more than […]

Tag: LIP

This week ahead at the Florida Capitol — April 6-12

Epic battle brewing at Capitol as Session appears headed to overtime

The day that was in Florida politics — April 2

House Democrats to reject budget, cite education, health-care, land-buying flaws

Rene Garcia: Setting the record straight on Florida's Medicaid program

The week that was in Florida politics — March 27

Rene Garcia: State’s healthcare funding faces critical questions

Bill Day's latest: The widening budget gap over Medicaid expansion

Bill Day’s latest: The widening budget gap over Medicaid expansion

Five minutes with Tom Lee — Talk of playing cards while building a budget