Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Janelle Irwin TaylorApril 22, 2019

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Local historic designation seems to have become the city’s latest Achilles heel. It used to be the Pier, but that’s under construction and nearing completion. Residents used to hurl themselves into turmoil over the Tampa Bay Rays and the team’s stadium debacle, but, now, that too has gone quiet. The latest controversy splitting St. Pete […]

Drew WilsonNovember 6, 2018

Florida voters had to fight back some “ballot fatigue” Tuesday, with no less than a dozen amendments following the razzle dazzle races for Governor and U.S. Senate getting people to the polls in record numbers for a midterm election. Some of those amendments have hogged the spotlight, none more so than Amendment 4, which would […]

Scott PowersApril 28, 2017

Local governments that went too far in trying to crack down on or drive out vacation rental homes now face the prospect that they may not be able to do anything to specifically regulate such properties. The Florida House of Representatives approved House Bill 425 Friday 63-56, essentially re-instituting a 2011 ban on cities or counties imposing […]

Scott PowersMarch 21, 2017

The move to strip cities and counties of their authority to explicitly regulate vacation rental homes got approval of another Florida Senate committee Tuesday despite impassioned pleas from several local government representatives that the bill could expand what they see as emerging community chaos. Sen. Greg Steube, sponsor of Senate Bill 188, defended the measure […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 8, 2016

First of three parts Floridians consider property rights to be sacrosanct. Indeed, our state constitution extends further than most by expressly declaring the rights to “acquire, possess and protect property” as basic and inalienable. Unfortunately, our actions over the last three decades in one specific area have not lived up to this promise. This area […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 21, 2016

In another “strange bedfellows” moment in the Florida Capitol, an array of conservative and progressive interests stood in the Rotunda to support state Sen. Jeff Brandes‘ bill to rein in what’s known as civil asset forfeiture. “Before your private property can be taken, you must, at least, be charged with a crime,” Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican, […]

Associated PressDecember 4, 2015

Two Republican lawmakers filed bills Thursday that would require a person be arrested before law enforcement agencies seize cash or property and a conviction before they can keep it – an idea the agencies strongly oppose. The bills are designed to prevent abuses of the current law, which doesn’t require an arrest or a conviction […]

Bruce RitchieMay 1, 2015

Another legislative session dubbed the “year of water” failed to deliver in 2015 as the House went home early over a health care spending dispute with the Senate. HB 7003, a water bill that was a legislative priority of House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, passed the House by a 106-9 vote on the second day of […]

Bruce RitchieApril 24, 2015

A property rights bill filed in response to a U.S. Supreme Court case ruling in favor of an Orange County landowner passed the Florida House on Friday. The Supreme Court in 2013 overturned a Florida Supreme Court ruling against the late Coy A. Koontz Sr., who sought to build on 3.7 of his 15 acres […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 18, 2015

A House bill prompted by a U. S. Supreme Court case involving a Florida landowner is pitting property rights supporters against local governments. The Supreme Court in 2013 overturned a Florida Supreme Court ruling against the late Coy A. Koontz Sr., who sought to build on 3.7 of his 15 acres in Orange County. The […]

Tag: Property rights

St. Pete faces allegations of ballot tampering over Driftwood neighborhood historic designation

Ballot B-Sides: Voters approve Amendments 7, 10, 11 and 12

House votes to strip away local regulations of vacation rental homes

Vacation rentals de-reg bill gets nod despite pleas from cities, counties

Justin Pearson: Civil forfeiture: Florida’s embarrassing failure to protect property rights

Jeff Brandes draws diverse support for asset forfeiture overhaul

Bills seek to set higher threshold for property seizure

“Year of water” failed along with most environmental bills

Property rights bill responding to U.S. Supreme Court case passes House

House bill pits cities and counties vs. property rights supporters