Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaMarch 2, 2016

Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday thanked lawmakers for moving legislation to speed up DNA testing for criminal cases, including what are commonly called rape kits. Such kits may include swabs of body surfaces and samples of bodily fluid for use in apprehending a suspect in a sexual assault or battery. The bill (SB 636) was passed […]

Peter SchorschMarch 1, 2016

The popular ride-booking app Uber is teaming up with Volunteer Florida to help provide gently-used professional attire for unemployed or underemployed Floridians looking for a leg up when it comes to job interviews. The groups announced the new initiative – dubbed “#SuitsForSession” – in partnership with Dress For Success Tallahassee, Goodwill Industries of the Big Bend Inc., the Florida Department […]

Associated PressFebruary 28, 2016

As a pediatrician, Dr. Judith Schaechter can ask parents of her patients all sorts of questions regarding their safety and well-being: what the child eats, whether there’s a backyard pool and whether the child gets enough sleep. Yet the question of whether there is a gun in the home is generally off limits. A Florida […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 17, 2016

Hundreds of immigration activists held a rally on the fourth floor of the state Capitol in Tallahassee on Wednesday, blasting state lawmakers for producing a raft of bills this Session that the protesters consider hostile to the immigration community. Those activists received good news this past week, though, when Miami Republican Miguel Diaz de la Portillan, chairman […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 11, 2016

Chris Christie and Carly Fiorina have suspended their presidential campaigns. This reporter had the chance to see the New Jersey governor (yes, that is the day job he’s pretty much blown off for months) a week ago in Keene, N.H. The fun part about that was how intimate it was: It was a small crowd (maybe too small, […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 10, 2016

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is cheering the U.S. Supreme Court, a day after they agreed in a 5-4 decision to halt enforcement of President Obama‘s sweeping plan to address climate change until after the resolution of legal challenges. “This U.S. Supreme Court order is a huge victory for Florida families, businesses and the rule of law,” […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJanuary 27, 2016

Voters will have another chance to vote on medical marijuana. According to United For Care, the group behind the effort to get a medical marijuana amendment on the 2016 ballot, the group has exceeded the number of valid signatures needed to get on the ballot. The issue will appear on the November ballot as Amendment […]

Staff ReportsJanuary 25, 2016

The state Senate’s economic incentive package cleared a hurdle Monday when it unanimously passed the commerce and tourism committee. Among other things, the measure (SB 1646) , sponsored by Sen. Jack Latvala, creates moves the state’s Office of Film and Entertainment to Enterprise Florida, the state’s public -private economic development organization, and renames it Division […]

Associated PressJanuary 20, 2016

Citrus, rape kits, credit card skimmers, synthetic drugs, life insurance, water, medical bills, racketeering and Iran. That is the short version of the legislative priorities for Florida’s three independently elected Cabinet members. While they can’t sponsor or vote on bills or sign them into law, the Cabinet members hold important leadership roles in state government […]

Martin DyckmanJanuary 20, 2016

Felicia Brown‘s body was left at a Palm Beach County waste management site. The decomposing corpses of her two children, ages 6 and 10, were found inside luggage floating in a canal. Clem Beauchamp, her ex-boyfriend, will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing them. He pleaded guilty this month in a […]

Tag: Pam bondi

Pam Bondi lauds passage of rape kit legislation

Uber, Volunteer Florida team up to provide #SuitsForSession for needy

Battle rages over Florida law limiting doctors’ gun speech

Immigration activists descend upon Tallahassee

Mitch Perry Report for 2.11.16 — Carly and Chris bid adieu to the circus

Pam Bondi cheers Supreme Court halting President Obama’s Clean Power Plan

Medical marijuana amendment cleared for 2016 ballot

Capitol reax: Film incentives, expediting DNA lab testing, manufacturing sales tax

Rape kits, gas pump skimmers, Iran among Cabinet priorities

Martin Dyckman: Death penalty riddled with too many inconsistencies