Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersDecember 18, 2017

A bill shepherded through the House of Representatives last week by U.S. Rep. Darren Soto to rename a Kissimmee post office for the Puerto Rican “Borinqueneers” U.S. Army regiment now is getting pushed in the U.S. Senate by Florida’s U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson. The bill, House Resolution 4042, intends to rename the […]

Phil AmmannDecember 15, 2017

As Puerto Rico struggles with Hurricane Maria recovery, a 10-person team of experts from Florida Power & Light – the nation’s third-largest electric utility – traveled to the territory last week to help with ongoing energy restoration efforts. Maria hit Puerto Rico Sept. 20 as a Category 4 storm, leaving nearly all of island’s 3.5 […]

Scott PowersDecember 15, 2017

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris King on Friday decried an item in the GOP tax bill that would hit Puerto Rico with a new excise tax on goods shipped from the island to the states. The proposed 20 percent tax on shipped goods is meant to discourage and punish American companies that export their jobs overseas […]

Danny McAuliffeDecember 13, 2017

With a potential state housing crisis ahead due to an influx of Puerto Ricans displaced by Hurricane Maria, Rep. Bob Cortes has introduced a bill that promotes greater availability of affordable housing. The Altamonte Springs Republican’s proposal (HB 987) provides for several changes to help expedite permitting processes for affordable housing projects. It also places […]

Scott PowersDecember 6, 2017

With the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program and other health programs expiring, U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy has introduced a reauthorization bill that is becoming the Democrats’ favored vehicle facing Republican alternative measures. On Tuesday Murphy introduced House Resolution 4541, which would reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) community health centers funding, and other critical public health […]

Scott PowersNovember 29, 2017

U.S. Rep. Darren Soto plans to help introduce a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would seek to provide comprehensive rebuilding money and resources for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands beyond what is needed to address just the devastation from Hurricanes Maria and Irma. Soto, an Orlando Democrat, announced he would be […]

Drew WilsonNovember 28, 2017

Nearly 8,000 pupils from the Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and various Caribbean nations affected by Hurricane Maria have enrolled in Florida public schools, Education Commissioner Pam Stewart said Tuesday. At a State Board of Education Meeting in Lake County, Stewart said the tally of new pupils included 7,212 Puerto Rican children and 710 […]

Scott PowersNovember 20, 2017

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine has launched a new, bilingual television commercial highlighting his relief efforts for Puerto Rico and declaring he will never turn his back on Puerto Rico. The 30-second spot “Siempre” [“Always”] includes narration in Spanish and Levine orating in both English and Spanish, while images of the island’s devastation from Hurricane […]

Scott PowersNovember 20, 2017

A national coalition of Puerto Rican groups with heavy representation in Central Florida urged in Orlando Monday for Congress to offer full relief funding for the hurricane-ravaged island and for Florida and federal relief for evacuee housing in the Sunshine State. Joined at Acacia’s El Centro Borinqueño by U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, and Orlando Democrat, […]

Scott PowersNovember 17, 2017

Florida Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart is working with her counterpart in Puerto Rico on a plan that would allow Puerto Rican high school students who evacuated to Florida because of Hurricane Maria study for and receive Puerto Rico diplomas in Florida, rather than Florida diplomas. The issue is more than just choice and pride […]

Tag: Puerto Rico

Bill to rename Kissimmee post office for Borinqueneers gets Marco Rubio, Bill Nelson push

FPL crews join industry experts in Puerto Rico for power restoration aid

Chris King decries Republican tax bill’s excise tax hitting Puerto Rico

Affordable housing bill filed amid Puerto Rican influx

Stephanie Murphy CHIP reauthorization bill lining up as Democrats’ offering

Darren Soto, Bernie Sanders pushing Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands rebuild bill

Florida public school enrollment has jumped by 8,000 post-Maria

Philip Levine launches Puerto Rico help ad, speaking English and Spanish

Puerto Rican coalition calls for full recovery funding and debt relief

Pam Stewart working on plan to let high schoolers get Puerto Rico diplomas in Florida