Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonDecember 12, 2017

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam has more than $15 million on hand for his gubernatorial bid after bringing in nearly $1 million last month between his campaign and committee accounts. Putnam brought in $267,070 through his campaign account and another $704,550 through his committee, Florida Grown, for a total of $971,620 raised in November. The Republican’s […]

Peter SchorschNovember 23, 2017

It’s time to talk turkey. And stuffing, pie, football and 4 a.m. lines outside your favorite store. Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the winter holiday season; the first stop in a month of non-stop holiday parties and celebrations. It’s also a day for Americans to reflect on what they’re grateful for, something that is especially […]

Jim RosicaMay 25, 2017

Saying it could hurt job creation, Gov. Rick Scott vetoed a contentious bill that would have removed the ‘wall of separation’ between hard liquor and other goods. Scott filed his veto letter of the measure (SB 106) on Wednesday night, his deadline to act on the bill. It’s the first veto of a bill from the 2017 […]

Jim RosicaMay 21, 2017

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Costco now is joining Wal-Mart, Target and others in one last push to get Gov. Rick Scott to sign a bill to remove the ‘wall of separation’ between hard liquor and other goods. Their Floridians For Fair Business Practices coalition on Friday released a tranche of letters sent to Scott encouraging him to OK the legislation (SB […]

Associated PressMay 8, 2017

Owners of small, independent liquor stores in central Florida are asking customers to support their efforts urging the governor to veto a bill allowing the sale of spirits in grocery stores. A proposal nicknamed the “Whiskey and Wheaties Bill” (SB 106) would allow grocery stores, big box retailers and other stores to sell liquor alongside […]

Jim RosicaMay 3, 2017

The Governor’s Office now has received nearly 500 emails asking Gov. Rick Scott to veto a contentious bill that allows retailers to sell distilled spirits in the same store as other goods. A tally shows 491 emails urging a veto and none in support of the measure (SB 106), according to Scott spokesman McKinley Lewis. The bill passed […]

Joe HendersonApril 27, 2017

Assuming Gov. Rick Scott signs the bill repealing the state’s so-called “booze wall,” I suspect it won’t take long before we all wonder what the fuss was about. The euphemistic wall is one of those Prohibition-era creations that mandated hard liquor can’t be sold in regular grocery stores. That might have made sense 82 years […]

Jim RosicaApril 27, 2017

The reaction to the Florida Legislature’s repeal of the state’s “booze wall” law continued long after Wednesday’s vote. The House, on a close vote of 58-57, passed the Senate’s bill (SB 106) to allow retailers to remove the ‘wall of separation’ between hard liquor and other goods. (Full story here.) The legislation now heads to Gov. Rick Scott. If signed […]

Jim RosicaApril 26, 2017

The Florida Legislature has voted to tear down the booze ‘wall.’ The House, on a by-a-nose vote of 58-57, Wednesday passed the Senate’s bill (SB 106) to allow retailers, at least those who choose to do so, to remove the ‘wall of separation’ between hard liquor and other goods. The legislation now heads to Gov. Rick Scott. […]

Jim RosicaApril 25, 2017

A bill to allow retailers to sell hard liquor in the same store as other goods is one step closer to passing the Legislature. On Tuesday, the House decided to take up the Senate’s version of the “whiskey & Wheaties” legislation (SB 106) out of a “spirit of compromise,” said bill sponsor Bryan Avila, a Hialeah Republican. After two and […]

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November fundraising boosts Adam Putnam to $15.35M on hand

Thanksgiving 2017, as brought to you by these Florida lobbyists and political organizations

The hangover: Rick Scott vetoes ‘whiskey & Wheaties’ bill

Big-box chains, others make one last push for ‘whiskey & Wheaties’

Independent liquor stores fight ‘Whiskey and Wheaties Bill’

Opponents of ‘liquor wall’ bill have begun veto effort

Joe Henderson: Tearing down ‘booze wall’ is right choice for consumers

Interests for and against ‘liquor wall’ legislation react to passage

Legislature votes to tear down the ‘liquor wall’

Liquor ‘wall of separation’ could fall in Florida