Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 28, 2018

It’s crunch time in Gov. Rick Scott‘s final Legislative Session, and in the wake of the mass murder in Parkland, a $500 million “school safety” plan is his last big pitch. The plan has three components: “Gun laws, school safety, and mental health.” The plan offers some moves toward gun control: restrictions of purchases by those […]

Scott PowersFebruary 28, 2018

Declaring that Florida lawmakers are failing to respond to post-Parkland calls to address guns, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris King said Wednesday that the people of Florida deserve a special session. King, a Winter Park businessman, advocated for a ban on military-style assault weapons and comprehensive background checks on gun purchases, and contended that Marjory Stoneman […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 28, 2018

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Marco Rubio had a rough night last week in Sunrise, where he faced a lion’s den of hostile voters during a CNN live town-hall meeting featuring family members and friends of the victims of the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland the week before. Rubio apparently isn’t too popular with the rest […]

Danny McAuliffeFebruary 28, 2018

As many speculate that Florida’s affordable housing issues will be exacerbated by the influx of Puerto Ricans displaced by Hurricane Maria, the state Legislature intends to sweep millions from the Sadowski Trust, which funds the state’s affordable housing programs. Speaking with reporters late Tuesday night following an organizational meeting of the newly announced budget conference, Senate […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 27, 2018

The politics of guns in Florida has rapidly changed since the Valentine’s Day shooting in Parkland. Two Senate Republicans up for re-election this fall were hammered by their Democratic opponents Monday night following a Senate committee vote defeating a Democratic amendment to ban semi-automatic rifles. Tampa attorney Bob Buesing has vowed to be more aggressive in taking […]

Staff ReportsFebruary 26, 2018

Days after the Florida Department of Law Enforcement requested $1 million in emergency funding from the U.S. Justice Department to reimburse law enforcement agencies that responded to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting, Florida’s U.S. Senators, Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio, wrote in support of the request, urging quick reimbursement, along with U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch. […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 26, 2018

Keeping a promise he made to the brother of a student killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch introduced legislation to create the Assault Weapons Ban of 2018. Filing the bill Monday, Deutch, a Boca Raton Democrat, was joined by David Cicilline of Rhode Island and 153 other Democrats. On Valentine’s Day, a […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 26, 2018

Rep. Jay Fant, a Republican candidate for State Attorney, renewed his calls for Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel to step down in the wake of reportage that deputies stood down, as did the school resource officer, in a mass shooting that killed 17 in Parkland earlier this month. Fant, a signatory on a letter from […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 26, 2018

The Second Amendment has already surfaced as an issue in the Attorney General race, although a different perspective will likely emerge once Sean Shaw hits the campaign trail full-time. The Tampa Democrat hasn’t done much campaigning since he officially entered the contest last month, but, undoubtedly, he will transition into candidate-mode when the Legislative Session […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 24, 2018

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With less than two weeks before the end of the 2018 Legislative Session, the pot of money lawmakers must work with in order to craft a state budget is shrinking rapidly. At work are two factors: one is a revised estimate for state tax and revenue collections, the second is the estimated cost of the […]

Tag: Parkland

Rick Scott pitches gun control, school hardening proposals in Jacksonville market

Chris King decries loopholes in gun laws, urges special session

Marco Rubio upside down in new Q poll, especially with Hispanics

Budget remarks don’t bode well for Sadowski Trust

Campaigning: Democrats blast GOP after assault weapons ban fails

Marco Rubio, Bill Nelson back FDLE request for $1 million for Parkland reimbursement

Ted Deutch introduces legislation to ban assault weapons

Jay Fant on CNN: ‘We’ve seen enough from Sheriff Israel’

Sean Shaw: Second Amendment silent on assault weapons

As lawmakers tiptoe to budget negotiating starting line, state revenue estimate is cut by $167 million