Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan NicolMay 29, 2018

It’s been just two weeks since Lori Alhadeff announced a run for Broward County School Board. Already, it appears the seat will be hers. Alhadeff, whose 14-year-old daughter Alyssa was killed in February’s shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School, has earned endorsements from a wide array of state and federal politicians. Most notably, Rep. Ted […]

Ryan NicolMay 7, 2018

After months of denials to politicians and media members (including this reporter), WLRN’s Jessica Bakeman reports that Broward County Public School officials now acknowledge Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz had been admitted to the PROMISE Program before he carried out his February massacre. Some background: After the Valentine’s Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School where […]

Drew WilsonApril 20, 2018

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The union representing Broward County sheriff’s deputies announced Friday that it will hold a no-confidence vote on Sheriff Scott Israel. Jeff Bell, a deputy sheriff and president of the Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputy Association, said in a press release that the vote “follows many instances of suspected malfeasance, misfeasance, failure to maintain fiduciary responsibility by […]

Joe HendersonMarch 8, 2018

There are two reasons to feel at least a little bit good about what the Florida Legislature just did in the name of gun sanity. First, families of the 17 victims in the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland supported the compromise bill calling for age and other restrictions on gun sales […]

Ana CeballosMarch 6, 2018

The 41 Democrats of the Florida House unanimously voted Tuesday morning to take a caucus position against a proposed program that would arm school staff with guns. Rep. Joe Geller of Aventura made the motion to do so, and on a voice vote the move was approved. But when another motion was made to take […]

Ana CeballosMarch 3, 2018

After leading the charge to oust Broward Sheriff Scott Israel in the wake of Florida’s worst school shooting, Republican state Rep. Bill Hager tried to gut funding from a program run by the Sheriff’s Office. Hager oversees the House’s criminal justice budget, which gives him large sway over funding for law enforcement-related projects and issues. […]

Ana CeballosMarch 1, 2018

In a rare political move, Gov. Rick Scott and the father of a 14-year-old Parkland shooting victim jointly addressed the House and Senate floors on Thursday and asked legislators to set aside differences and ensure schools are safe sans armed teachers. “I want to make sure there is law enforcement in our schools,” Scott told […]

Joe HendersonMarch 1, 2018

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Say this for Adam Putnam: he knows how to get attention. He put out a terse news release Wednesday, ripping a state Senate proposal to use $10 million from the concealed weapons license fee to reimburse trauma centers for costs related to the Parkland murders. It was kind of a “get off my lawn” moment […]

Ana CeballosMarch 1, 2018

After a criminal justice bill sponsored by Senate budget chief Rob Bradley was zeroed out Wednesday in early negotiations, he said he will kill it to help fund plans to harden schools and fund for mental health services. “I have killed my own bill,” Bradley told Florida Politics. The move to abandon the bill took Sen. […]

Staff ReportsFebruary 28, 2018

The Florida Legislative Black Caucus announced Wednesday evening it will “hold a press conference to announce (its) opposition to legislation moving through the Florida House and Senate that would provide incentives to arm schoolteachers in Florida.” The news conference is 11:30 a.m. Thursday, on the 4th floor rotunda of the Capitol. In a statement, Democratic […]

Tag: Parkland shooting

Endorsements pour in for campaign of Lori Alhadeff, mother of slain Parkland student

Broward superintendent now admits Parkland shooter was admitted to PROMISE Program

Scott Israel facing no-confidence vote by Broward deputies

Joe Henderson: A little gun sanity finally comes to Florida

House Dems take caucus position against arming school staff

Bill Hager’s battle with Broward Sheriff spills over into Florida budget talks

In impromptu Capitol visit, Rick Scott reiterates: don’t arm teachers

Joe Henderson: Maybe Senate should have asked Adam Putnam first

Rob Bradley kills his criminal justice bill to ‘fund school safety initiatives’

Black lawmakers plan presser to oppose arming teachers