Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Phil AmmannJuly 25, 2016

With a tip of the hat to LobbyTools, here are the latest movements — both on and off — the legislative merry-go-round. On and off: Portia Palmer has been named interim clerk of the House, the post previously held by Bob Ward, who is retiring. Off: Benjamin Smith is no longer a legislative assistant for state Rep. Jim Boyd of Bradenton. […]

Scott PowersJuly 7, 2016

The National Federation of Independent Business announced its endorsements in Central Florida’s Florida House and Senate races Thursday, backing all Republicans, and all incumbents. However, the group, which is Florida’s largest small-business association, did not offer endorsements in all races. The NFIB endorsed Dean Asher in Senate District 13. Asher has won the nomination and […]

Scott PowersJuly 5, 2016

Bolstered by a big June 24 fundraiser, Republican state Rep. Mike La Rosa recorded a whopping $21,000 take in the latest campaign finance reporting period, giving him a huge financial advantage over the Democrat running against him in House District 42. La Rosa’s re-election campaign brought in $18,500 on the last day of the June […]

Drew WilsonMarch 22, 2016

The roster of candidates running for the Florida House got a little lighter this week with the exit of challengers in Districts 8 and 42. Marquise McMiller, the lone Republican candidate in heavily Democratic HD 8, dropped out after failing to bring in any contributions through five months in the race. He leaves Democrats Ramon […]

Staff ReportsFebruary 22, 2016

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It’s Week 7 of the 2016 Legislative Session, and Monday brings yet another assortment of policy bills, including those dealing with gas pumps, self-storage units and even declarations of war. First, the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee takes up SB 1148, sponsored by Tallahassee Democrat Bill Montford, requiring “self-service gas station pumps to have a receipt printer […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 1, 2016

A bill giving the Department of Opportunity more tools in the fight against unemployment benefits fraud unanimously passed the House Economic Development and Tourism Subcommittee on Monday. According to LobbyTools, state Rep. Mike La Rosa, sponsor of HB 1017, said the DEO identified “9,600 claims based on I.D. fraud” in 2013 alone. Those figures led […]

Staff ReportsDecember 21, 2015

Two Republican lawmakers are joining the Department of Economic Opportunity in the fight against unemployment-benefits fraud. State Sen. Kelli Stargel of Lakeland and state Rep. Mike La Rosa of St. Cloud on Monday filed legislation (SB 1216/HB 1017) called the “DEO Cybercrime Prevention Act.” “In the past two years, DEO’s state-of-the-art technology has prevented more than 135,000 […]

Jim RosicaDecember 1, 2015

In yet another odd coupling driven by obscure policy, the state’s premier business lobby is sticking up for the news media — sort of — in a battle about changing the law affecting self-storage facilities. Legislation in both chambers (SB 720/HB 559) would take away the monopoly that newspapers have for public notices when storage […]

Drew WilsonNovember 30, 2015

A second Democrat has filed to run in House District 42, setting up a primary battle for the seat now held by Republican Rep. Mike La Rosa. Dr. Bienvenido John Valentin Jr., a clinical psychologist, filed to run for the seat Nov. 23 and will face off against John Ferentinos, a Democrat who ran as […]

Frank TorresSeptember 14, 2015

Buzz surrounding a potential congressional run continues as St. Cloud state Rep. Mike La Rosa sent out a release Monday afternoon blasting the Iran nuclear deal. “This deal was an end around the US Constitution,” La Rosa says. “President Obama knew he would never be able to get this passed in Congress, so he went to the […]

Tag: Mike La Rosa
Gabrielle Russon

Latest on the legislative staffing merry-go-round

Small business group makes endorsements in CF House, Senate races

Mike La Rosa pulls in $21K in June for HD 42 race

Races get less crowded as candidates drop out of HD 8, HD 42

Monday in the Legislature: Gas receipts, self-storage, Islamic State

Bill to help DEO fight unemployment fraud passes House committee

Anti-fraud measures filed for 2016 session

Business lobby sticks up for newspapers in storage wars

2nd Democrat files in HD 42, setting up primary battle for Mike LaRosa seat

Mike La Rosa condemns Iran nuclear deal