Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryFebruary 20, 2018

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A controversial omnibus education bill made its first appearance Tuesday in the Florida Senate, where Port Orange Republican Dorothy Hukill unveiled a strike-all amendment to the legislation before the Education Committee. The bill (HB 7055) ultimately was approved, although without a provision that organized labor said was designed to gut the state’s “right to work” laws. The Senate bill […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 14, 2018

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A proposal that would provide $25 million both to the Tampa Bay area and Miami-Dade County for alternative transportation projects advanced in a Senate committee Wednesday, but not before there was considerable debate and criticism from Democrats who considered it unfair that their communities were being left out. Tampa Republican Dana Young‘s bill (SB 1200) […]

Drew WilsonJanuary 30, 2018

The Senate Regulated Industries Committee narrowly voted in favor of a bill Tuesday that aims to put franchisees on a level playing field with their franchisor. SB 1076, known as the “Small Business Parity Act,” would shield business owners from restrictions on selling their franchises or passing them on to an heir, and would give […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 23, 2018

Florida police may finally be able to pull over and ticket drivers caught texting while driving—without first seeing another infraction—under a bill advanced by a Senate committee Tuesday. But first, several black lawmakers registered concerns over how the bill could lead to potential police abuses. Sponsored by Gainesville Republican Keith Perry, the bill (SB 90) […]

Ana CeballosJanuary 22, 2018

Lawmakers want to put an end to “modern day slavery” by creating a Florida human trafficking hotline under two identical proposals that have yet to gain momentum in the state Legislature. Those advocating for the measures, HB 159 and SB 596, urged lawmakers on Monday to back the proposals and give them hearings in their […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 11, 2018

Legislation to replace a statue of a Confederate general representing Florida in the U.S. Capitol is heading to the Senate floor. The bills (SB 472, SCR 184), which cleared their final committee Thursday, would replace the likeness of Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith with educator and civil-rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune. “Dr. Bethune received the unanimous vote of the members […]

Staff ReportsJanuary 9, 2018

[Updated 9:30 a.m. with statement from Flores and Braynon.] Apparently exposing new depths of Florida political espionage, an anonymous internet website appeared Tuesday morning claiming to show secretly-taped videos and secretly-shot photographs supporting allegations of a rendezvous between Republican state Sen. Anitere Flores and Democratic state Sen. Oscar Braynon II. The pair of Miami-Dade lawmakers issued a […]

Drew WilsonJanuary 4, 2018

Former Margate Sen. Jeremy Ring announced Thursday that 19 Democratic state lawmakers have endorsed him in the chief financial officer race. “From the very beginning I have believed that our campaign is all about people power,” Ring said. “I am proud to have the support of each and every one of these legislators. Over the […]

Scott PowersAugust 21, 2017

Democratic state Sen. Perry Thurston has filed legislation to make historic educator Mary McLeod Bethune the replacement for Confederate Army Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith as one of Florida’s two statutes in the Capitol’s National Statuary Hall in Washington D.C.. The statute of Smith is definitely its way out, thanks to Senate Bill 310, which was passed by […]

Mitch PerryAugust 15, 2017

(UPDATED) South Florida Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz wants the Florida Legislature to convene for a special session to deal with a Confederate monument that represents the state in the U.S. Capitol. A bronze statue of Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith continues to sit in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall, despite legislation passed during the 2016 […]

Tag: Perry Thurston
Helene, early Sept. 27. Image via NOAA via AP.

Senate panel clears contentious omnibus education bill

Proposal on alternative transportation advances in Legislature

Franchisee bill squeaks by first Senate panel

Senate advances tougher texting-while-driving penalties

Bills that would create state trafficking hotline have yet to gain momentum

Rebel yell: Confederate statue bill moves to full Senate

After anonymous site outs them as couple, Sens. Oscar Braynon, Anitere Flores admit to affair

Jeremy Ring snags a pile of endorsements from state lawmakers

Perry Thurston files bill to put Mary McLeod Bethune’s statue in Capitol

Debbie Wasserman Schultz calls for special session to replace Confederate statue