Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersMarch 7, 2018

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine‘s campaign and political committee combined to raise $450,000 and he added another $800,000 of his own, bringing his total funds raised to more than $10 million, he announced Wednesday. Levine, the former mayor of Miami Beach, contended that he now leads his nearest competitor in the Democratic primary race by […]

Jim RosicaMarch 7, 2018

The House began debate Wednesday on the Legislature’s school safety bill, hastily crafted in response to the Valentine’s Day shooting at Broward County’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that claimed 17 lives. The day before, the Republican-controlled chamber beat down a slew of amendments on the measure (SB 7026), including one aimed at deleting a ‘guardian program’ […]

Scott PowersMarch 7, 2018

An attempt by Orlando Democratic state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith to get the state to provide $1 million to help build a Pulse nightclub memorial in Orlando drew some crossover votes from Republicans (including many from Central Florida) but failed in the House Tuesday night. The proposed amendment, which would have added $1 million for […]

Peter SchorschMarch 7, 2018

Last night, I tweeted a .gif about Senator Anitere Flores and how capitol insiders are not surprised that it is the portion of the budget that she helps write that is forcing the Legislature into overtime. It was an easy, lazy criticism of Flores. Of course health care spending, specifically hospital spending, is what’s holding […]

Scott PowersMarch 6, 2018

Expressing frustration with what the Florida Legislature is doing with guns and schools, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine is placing another nearly $2 million buy for statewide TV commercials this month, his campaign announced Monday. The commercials will continue for a while with his “We Will” spot that launched in late February on a $750,000 […]

Scott PowersMarch 5, 2018

When someone fails a background check while attempting to purchase a gun, that should be reported to state law enforcement as a possible precursor to criminal gun activity, under a bill being pushed by Florida’s U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson and a bipartisan group of several other key U.S. senators. Republican Rubio, Democrat […]

Danny McAuliffeMarch 4, 2018

State funding is absent for affordable housing programs tailored to those affected by last year’s hurricanes. The reason? Unforeseen constraints created by a high-profile $400 million school safety and mental health proposal designed to prevent another school shooting. Budget chiefs Sen. Rob Bradley and Rep. Carlos Trujillo told Florida Politics on Saturday evening that the […]

Danny McAuliffeMarch 3, 2018

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The Florida Senate took the better part of eight hours during a rare Saturday session to work through 128 amendments — only one of which passed the floor — on a single bill. And even with the amendment’s approval, partisan spirits haven’t changed on the proposal designed to address issues unearthed in the wake of […]

Jim RosicaMarch 3, 2018

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A win turned into a loss Saturday, as the Republican-controlled Senate first approved—then killed—an amendment on a school safety bill that would have mandated a moratorium on assault rifle sales in the state. The legislation, called the “Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act” (SB 7026), is in response to the Valentine’s Day shooting […]

Scott PowersMarch 3, 2018

What are progressive Democrats to do when faced with an omnibus school safety and guns bill that has a few things they like but doesn’t have any of the major provisions they’ve insisted on, and also includes something that they worry might be a poison pill? Democratic state Reps. Carlos Guillermo Smith and Amy Mercado […]

Tag: Parkland

Philip Levine raises $450K in February, adds his own $800K check

School safety bill up for vote in House

Carlos Smith’s $1M Pulse memorial amendment draws some Republicans, but fails

It’s really not hospital spending holding up the budget; it’s the politics of Parkland

Philip Levine placing another nearly $2 million in TV ads

Marco Rubio, Bill Nelson push bipartisan bill to tighten reporting on gun background checks

Hurricane housing programs axed from budget

Post-Parkland Senate bill primed for floor vote

GOP blocks Democratic attempts to change school safety bill

Amy Mercado, Carlos Smith hear opinions on schools and guns bill