Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryOctober 8, 2015

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In the past week, it was learned that two major Hollywood productions intending to film in the Tampa Bay area chose not to because the state had no tax incentives to provide. The Tampa Tribune‘s Paul Guzzo reported on Thursday that “Gifted,” a new Hollywood film starring Chris Evans and Octavia Spencer about a St. Petersburg […]

Jim RosicaOctober 7, 2015

The head of an athletic oversight body on Wednesday told lawmakers he needs a change in state law to better combat recruiting in high school sports. The Senate’s PreK-12 Education Committee held a workshop on high school athletics issues but considered no legislation. Dr. Roger Dearing, CEO of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), told the […]

Ryan RayOctober 7, 2015

Department of Economic Opportunity head Jesse Panuccio faced a battery of pointed questions and criticism over an executive branch battle with a labor group and the state’s beleaguered unemployment system in a Wednesday meeting of a Senate budget panel. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Tourism, Transportation and Economic Development Chairman Jack Latvala had originally requested the presence […]

Ryan RayOctober 5, 2015

The Senate’s committee on Commerce & Tourism has advanced legislation to prevent companies for asking employees for their Facebook or Twitter passwords. The panel on Monday approved SB 186 sponsored by Lake Worth Sen. Jeff Clemens, which explicit prohibits employers from requiring access to the private social media accounts of workers or prospective hires. “The issue is, you’re putting […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 30, 2015

2015 was supposed to be the year that the Florida Legislature authorized funding to replenish its depleted film tax incentives package, allowing the Sunshine State to compete with Louisiana, Georgia and other Southeastern states in getting its fair share of movie and television production work. It didn’t happen. Despite the reshaping of the incentives and […]

Ryan RaySeptember 24, 2015

Just hours after Sen. Nancy Detert announced she will forgo the remainder of her state Senate term to pursue a seat on the Sarasota County Commissioner, former Sarasota Rep. Doug Holder announced he will run to succeed her in 2016. Holder was originally slated to pursue the seat in 2018, when Detert was slated to term out, but her […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 16, 2015

There was a battle of arithmetic Wednesday between state senators and the head of the state’s economic development agency as he argued for millions in new funding. Bill Johnson, president and CEO of Enterprise Florida, appeared before the Senate’s Commerce and Tourism committee. It was his first appearance since Senate President Andy Gardiner took his […]

Drew WilsonAugust 31, 2015

Florida Division of Elections records show Republican Robert Wyatt has bowed out of the District 72 race, officially clearing the way for Sarasota Republican Rep. Ray Pilon to run for his final term without in-party competition. Wyatt, the treasurer for the Republican Party of Sarasota, filed for the seat in March and loaned his campaign $150,000 within […]

Drew WilsonAugust 26, 2015

More than three years out, the race to take over for Venice Republican Sen. Nancy Detert is heating up. Republican Nora Patterson jumped into the Senate District 28 race Monday, making her the second candidate in the race after former District 74 Rep. Doug Holder filed in January 2013. Patterson is a former member of […]

Mitch PerryJuly 29, 2015

The president of the Lakewood Ranch Republican Club, Steve Vernon, has become the second candidate to file for Sarasota Representative Greg Steube‘s House seat in 2016, as reported by the Bradenton Herald. However, neither Vernon nor Joe Gruters, the other announced candidate in the contest, say they want to actually challenge Steube in the House […]

Tag: Nancy Detert

AFP prepares sequel to fight film subsidy bills in 2016

Senate panel hears high school sports concerns

Jack Latvala, Senate budget panel clash with DEO chief on unemployment

Social media privacy bill advances in Senate

Mitch Perry Report for 9.30.15 – Ybor and Florida lose out to Georgia in Hollywood production

Doug Holder makes it official, jumps into 2016 race for SD 28

Enterprise Florida and lawmakers still disagree over funding

Sarasota Republican drops out of HD 72 race, makes way for Ray Pilon re-election bid

Race to replace Nancy Detert heats up, 3 years out

In wake of redistricting situation, Sarasota’s Greg Steube contemplates future