Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersApril 28, 2017

Local governments that went too far in trying to crack down on or drive out vacation rental homes now face the prospect that they may not be able to do anything to specifically regulate such properties. The Florida House of Representatives approved House Bill 425 Friday 63-56, essentially re-instituting a 2011 ban on cities or counties imposing […]

Jim RosicaApril 27, 2017

A bill to allow beer companies to sponsor “events, activities, or cooperative advertising” at the state’s theme parks is ready for a final vote in the Florida House. The House on Friday will take up the Senate bill (SB 388), sponsored by Republican Sen. Travis Hutson of Elkton. It eases the state’s “tied house evil” law by allowing […]

Jim RosicaApril 26, 2017

Voters next year could decide whether to approve a measure that would amount to a reduction in their property tax. The House on Wednesday passed a measure (HJR 7105) on a 81-35 vote to increase the current $25,000 homestead exemption. The language “increas(es) the homestead exemption by exempting the assessed valuation of homestead property greater […]

Jim RosicaApril 24, 2017

A House bill that would have allowed “advertising” by beer companies in the state’s theme parks on Monday morphed into a measure that specifically allows “brand naming agreements.” What “brand naming agreements” are, however, isn’t defined in the bill (HB 423). “I’ll bet you your definition and my definition are two different things,” sponsor Mike […]

Jim RosicaApril 4, 2017

The House amended the Senate’s gambling measure with its own bill Tuesday, setting up the legislation for conference. The difference between the two chambers’ approach was set up by Rep. Mike La Rosa, the St. Cloud Republican who chairs the Tourism & Gaming Control Subcommittee. He said the House effort “erects a firewall against the expansion of […]

Michael MolineMarch 21, 2017

The House Ways & Means Committee voted Tuesday for legislation that would extend Indian gambling in Florida but otherwise restrict the growth of the industry in Florida. The bill (HB 7037), by Rep. Mike La Rosa, passed out of the committee on an 11-7 vote. La Rosa argued the bill is the key to negotiating a gambling compact with […]

Jim RosicaMarch 20, 2017

The House of Representatives’ omnibus gambling bill will again be heard this week, records show. The bill (HB 7037) is on the agenda for the Ways & Means Committee, chaired by Bradenton Republican Jim Boyd, on Tuesday. Though it includes a renewed blackjack agreement between the state and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the legislation overall […]

Scott PowersMarch 14, 2017

A bill that would roll back all local ordinances and regulations of vacation rental houses to 2011 codes got a split-vote approval Tuesday from the House Agriculture & Property Rights Subcommittee. The issue was fashioned as one pitting property rights — those of people or companies that buy houses and convert them into short-term vacation […]

Scott PowersMarch 10, 2017

Republican candidate David Smith has started his run for Florida House District 28 with a personal $25,000 loan to his campaign. Smith, of Winter Springs, is running to replace state Rep. Jason Brodeur, who is term-limited out in 2018, in a district that covers east Seminole County. The former Marine colonel and modeling and simulation […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 23, 2017

With its chair saying he wants to “freeze” gambling in the state, a House gambling panel on Thursday cleared that chamber’s overhaul bill, including a renewed blackjack agreement between the state and the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The Tourism and Gaming Control Subcommittee OK’d the measure (PCB TGC 17-01) on a 10-5 party-line vote. But […]

Tag: Mike La Rosa

House votes to strip away local regulations of vacation rental homes

Beer advertising bill ready for vote on House floor

House passes increased homestead exemption measure

Beer advertising bill cleared for House floor

House sees Senate on gambling bill, raises them

House gambling bill clears Ways and Means Committee on 11-7 vote

House gambling bill set for Ways & Means this week

Vacation rentals de-reg bill passes House committee

David Smith starts Florida House run with $25K loan; David Santiago, Mike La Rosa raise $21K

House gambling bill gets thumbs up on first look