Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaFebruary 23, 2016

A new slots casino in Palm Beach County could be a winner out of the latest version of gambling laws to come out of the Florida Legislature this Session, state economists said Tuesday. The Revenue Estimating Conference, a panel of economic forecasters, talked about its assessments stemming from the Senate’s current gambling bill (SB 7072). The actual numbers were […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 22, 2016

Former Florida Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham on Monday filed his friend-of-the-court brief with the state Supreme Court, arguing against the expansion of slot machines. Graham’s brief is for a Gadsden County case in which the operators of a racetrack in Gretna say they should be allowed to also offer slot machines because voters […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 18, 2016

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State Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, the Florida House of Representatives’ point man on gambling, said Thursday said the Senate’s current version of the Seminole Compact and accompanying gambling overhaul is “too much” for his tastes – and that of his membership. “There’s a lot of extra slot parlors in the Senate bill,” said Diaz, the […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 18, 2016

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Senate President Andy Gardiner says he’s still unclear whether changes made this week to the proposed gambling deal between the state and the Seminole Tribe of Florida would violate an existing agreement between the two. “We probably have to get some revenue estimating numbers to find out,” he told reporters after Thursday’s floor session. “There are […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 17, 2016

The proposed $3 billion gambling deal with the Seminole Tribe of Florida got a boost Wednesday when a key Senate panel approved it and another related gambling measure. The Senate Regulated Industries Committee, which oversees gambling in Florida, approved both measures (SB 7072, SB 7074) with four senators opposed: Republicans Aaron Bean of Fernandina Beach, […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 17, 2016

Slot machines could be expanded to six Florida counties that already OK’d them in local referendums under a new measure pushed by Senate President-designate Joe Negron. The Stuart Republican filed his proposal as an amendment to gambling legislation (SB 7072, SB 7074) set to be reviewed Wednesday by his chamber’s Regulated Industries Committee, chaired by state […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 10, 2016

With the half-way mark of the 60-day 2016 Legislative Session on Wednesday, the theme so far is like a line from a Frankie Valli song: “… so close/And yet so far.” Take the 2016-17 state budget, the only bill lawmakers are required to pass each year. The House came in at $79.9 billion with the Senate […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 5, 2016

The Florida Senate and House of Representatives on Friday filed their gambling legislation for the 2016 Legislative Session, including the $3 billion Seminole Compact, a proposed “voter control of gambling expansion” amendment and two different rewrites of the state’s gambling code. The Senate’s version, posted at 4:29 p.m., is 81 pages and the House’s is 102 pages. There […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 27, 2016

A bill to legalize and regulate fantasy sports play in Florida cleared its first Senate review panel on Wednesday. The Regulated Industries Committee OK’d the “Fantasy Contest Amusement Act” (SB 832) with only two ‘no’ votes from Sen. Gwen Margolis, a Miami Democrat, and committee chairman Rob Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican. The bill states that “fantasy […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 26, 2016

State Sen. Joe Negron has filed a new version of his bill to legalize and regulate fantasy sports play in Florida, including a provision to create a new “Office of Amusements.” Negron, a Stuart Republican and Senate President-designate, filed the new “Fantasy Contest Amusement Act” (SB 832) on Tuesday. It grew from four to 12 pages. […]

Tag: pari-mutuels
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

State economists see Palm Beach as a winner under gambling proposal

Bob Graham weighs in against expanding slot machines

Jose Felix Diaz says House would “riot” over Senate gambling legislation

Andy Gardiner questions impact of changed Seminole Compact, gambling bill

Senate panel OKs Seminole Compact, gambling bill

Joe Negron may have votes to advance Compact plan that expands slot machines to 6 counties

Gut check: Legislative Session reaches midpoint

Legislature files gambling bills, including Seminole Compact

Senate panel clears fantasy sports bill

New fantasy sports bill would create “Office of Amusement”