Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorMay 2, 2017

Facing yet another drug overdose epidemic, the Florida Legislature has an opportunity to move the needle in the right policy direction — finally. As members of the Florida House and Senate are poised to pass new criminal violations, this time for trafficking in fentanyl and synthetic drugs, the heat is on to include policies that […]

William PatrickMarch 24, 2017

In 2008, an Orange County, Florida, judge sentenced William Forrester to 15 years in prison for 15.6 grams of oxycodone, or about 30 pills. Forrester was on disability insurance and had a lung surgically removed due to cancer not long before his arrest, according to court documents. But possession of the oxycodone, combined with a […]

Martin DyckmanFebruary 22, 2017

Is Florida’s judicial ethics commission about to become collateral damage in a battle over the independence of the courts? House Speaker Richard Corcoran, the Land O’Lakes Republican, appears to have targeted the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) along with the courts themselves in his campaign to curb the independence of the judiciary. The JQC and the […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 21, 2017

Mandatory recess could be on the horizon. The Senate Education Committee voted 7-0 to approve a bill (SB 78) that requires school district across the state to provide at least 20 minutes of recess each day to students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Under the proposal, the master schedule at each school containing elementary grades […]

Joe HendersonFebruary 8, 2017

In 2012, Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan went on a personal crusade to convince Bass Pro Shops to build a store in Brandon. Hagan’s aim was to create jobs as the county struggled to recover from the Great Recession. He proposed an “incentive” package that was about $15 million of taxpayer money, arguing that it […]

William PatrickJanuary 11, 2017

Florida’s state economic development efforts are “underperforming,” according to a new legislative report. An undesirable label by any standard, critics and lawmakers already skeptical of providing taxpayer support for private businesses are likely to seize on the bureaucratic euphemism and underlying findings to bolster their anti-incentives position ahead of the March state legislative session. The Office […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 10, 2016

Last of three parts. Unlike Florida’s stagnant civil forfeiture laws, other states have worked to address the problem. New Mexico, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, and Washington, D.C. have joined North Carolina by either banning civil forfeiture or requiring a criminal conviction as a prerequisite for all forfeitures. This is in addition to other states, like California, […]

Ryan RayOctober 8, 2015

The Senate Transportation Committee heard testimony from staff of two state agencies and a circuit court judge on Thursday morning as it continued to seek answers about a Florida driver licensing regime previous witnesses have called “cruel.” Panel Chairman Jeff Brandes wrote a handful of key administrators last month saying, “It is the intent of the committee […]

James CallApril 14, 2015

Sen. Jeff Brandes has never been shy about his dislike of red-light cameras. Last year, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability released a stinging report on how local governments use the cameras. In response, Brandes filed legislation to rein in their use. “There are perverse incentives inherent in the red-light camera program,” […]

Tag: Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Image via AP.

Jason Pye, Sal Nuzzo: Mandatory minimum reform needed in overdose epidemic

‘Safety valve’ wanted for mandatory-minimum drug law

Judicial ethics watchdog could suffer in fight for independent Florida courts

Senate education committee approves mandatory recess bill

On Rick Scott/Richard Corcoran feud; ‘incentives’ not needed to draw business to Florida

Florida’s economic development efforts are ‘underperforming’

Justin Pearson: Legislature should pass important reforms to civil forfeiture laws

Transportation panel inches closer to driver’s license suspensions fix

Jeff Brandes makes another run at red-light cameras