Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bruce RitchieApril 23, 2015

Language from a comprehensive House water bill was added on Thursday to other environmental legislation in the House over objections from Democrats. The water bill language lacks key components of the Senate bill that are important to that chamber’s leadership, raising questions about whether the move represents gamesmanship between the two chambers. Some environmentalists say […]

Bruce RitchieApril 17, 2015

Last year a comprehensive water bill that passed the Senate included a major focus on Florida’s springs and reducing threats from groundwater pollution and over-pumping. Florida’s springs during the past 30 years have turned green with algae because of nitrogen in groundwater from various sources including septic tanks, fertilizer and sewage treatment plants. Fixing the […]

Bruce RitchieApril 16, 2015

A bill that would allow the Cabinet to give away state parks and other conservation lands to neighboring agricultural landowners passed the House with opposition from some Democrats. Environmentalists oppose HB 7135 although they said it had been improved in earlier committee stops by requiring proposed giveaways to be reviewed by the Acquisition and Restoration Council. […]

Bruce RitchieApril 7, 2015

A bill that would allow the Cabinet to give away state land on Tuesday passed its only committee stop with changes requested by environmental groups. HB 7135 would establish “low-impact agriculture” as a management goal for state lands. The bill also would allow the Cabinet to give away state parks and other state lands to […]

Bruce RitchieApril 7, 2015

Rep. Matt Caldwell said Tuesday he hopes a series of amendments he filed will make his HB 7135 state lands bill acceptable to environmental opponents. The bill is scheduled to be considered at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday by the House Appropriations Committee. HB 7135 would allow the Cabinet to give away state parks and other state […]

Bruce RitchieApril 6, 2015

Eric Draper of Audubon Florida told a television audience this weekend that legislators are showing they are “out of sync” with voters who supported Amendment 1. Seventy-five percent of voters in November approved the funding initiative that would provide an estimated $742 million for water and land conservation in the 2015-16 state budget. Environmental groups […]

Bruce RitchieApril 2, 2015

House Republicans on Thursday defended their 2015-16 state budget on Amendment 1 spending before passing it through the chamber over Democratic opposition. The $76.2 billion House budget includes $742 million as provided by voters in November for Amendment 1 for water and land conservation programs. Environmental groups say the budget ignores the voter intent of […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 26, 2015

Despite opposition from environmental groups, a House committee on Thursday voted to file a bill allowing the Cabinet to give state park lands to adjacent landowners. The committee bill, SAC 15-02, also would establish “low-impact agriculture” as a management goal for state lands along with existing goals such as recreation and protection of endangered species. Rep. […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 26, 2015

A proposed House committee bill being considered Thursday would require state park managers to allow “low-impact agriculture” on parks and allow adjacent landowners to acquire state land. The House State Affairs Committee, meeting at 1 p.m., will consider proposed committee bill SAC 15-02. In 2013, HB 33 by Rep. Jimmie T. Smith, a Republican from […]

Diane RobertsMarch 9, 2015

OCCUPIED TALLAHASSEE–You think you live in a representative democracy. You don’t. You live on a sugar plantation. You call it “Florida.” And while you may reside far from the muck farms and wouldn’t know a cane field from a pawpaw patch, it doesn’t matter. Your state government works for Big Sugar. In 2012 and 2014, […]

Tag: Matt Caldwell

House water bill language finds new home as Session winds down

Springs bill in Senate disappoints some environmentalists

State lands bill passes House but Dems’ leader says it’s a bad deal

Amended state lands bill passes committee, heads to House floor

Matt Caldwell seeks support with amendments to state lands giveaway bill

Audubon’s Eric Draper says Legislature “out of sync” with voters

Matt Caldwell defends Amendment 1 spending as House OKs budget

House panel files bill allowing state land giveaways for conservation

Rewind to 2013: House bill would allow adjacent landowners to acquire state land

Diane Roberts: Florida Legislature in the sticky embrace of Big Shug