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Staff ReportsJune 2, 2017

Florida Democrats are hitting Gov. Rick Scott and Republican leadership over a budget deal announced Friday. In a statement, Florida Democratic Party spokeswoman Johanna Cervone said the budget deal fails the state’s working families, while funneling money to Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida. “Not only does this budget deal funnel millions to private for-profit charter […]

Associated PressJune 1, 2017

Some coastal residents always put off emergency preparations until storm clouds loom on the horizon. The National Hurricane Center is going to try giving those people a deadline this year, issuing experimental advisories showing when tropical-storm force winds may hit particular communities to help them understand when it’s too late to put up storm shutters […]

Joe HendersonJune 1, 2017

The irony of the state Constitutional Revision Commission trying to avoid sunshine laws is almost too rich to describe. If allowed to happen, that would be a dark day indeed. But that’s exactly what CRC Chair Carlos Beruff is proposing, even as the commission continues a series of town hall meetings designed to take public input […]

Scott PowersJune 1, 2017

Orlando’s reform-pledging yet controversial State Attorney Aramis Ayala defended her anti-death penalty position as “evidence based” and charged that the Florida Legislature’s $1.3 million cut to her budget will hamper anti-human trafficking and domestic violence prosecutions. In a feature published Thursday morning by Orlando-Rising.com, a sister website to FloridaPolitics.com, the rookie state attorney representing Florida’s […]

Staff ReportsJune 1, 2017

The voting record report is out. Associated Industries of Florida released its 2017 Voting Record report. Published for more than four decades, the annual report is considered one of the definitive legislative scorecards for the business community. This year, the organization calculated more than 208,966 votes on 1,955 bills with 848 legislators. “This session, AIF […]

Phil AmmannMay 31, 2017

Among the five bills signed Wednesday by Gov. Rick Scott is HB 865, an omnibus measure that reforms several areas in the Florida Department of Transportation. LobbyTools reports that the bill, in part, mandates the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority to get DOT approval on contracts before receiving department money. The department must also submit a […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 31, 2017

Northeast Florida, like the rest of the state, waits for Gov. Rick Scott to review the budget from the Florida Legislature. Scott has been typically vague on his real disposition on the budget: the new-school “Veto Corleone” hasn’t ruled out a full-on veto, or line item vetoes. And in recent months, Gov. Scott has been […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 31, 2017

The budget is on the governor’s desk. Senate President Joe Negron sent 13 bills, including the 2017-18 spending plan, to Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday. Scott now has until June 15 to act on the $82.4 billion spending plan, but exactly how he plans to proceed remains unclear. The Naples Republican has been tight-lipped on […]

Staff ReportsMay 31, 2017

The race is set. State records show seven candidates — three Republicans, three Democrats and one no party affiliation candidate — have qualified to run in the special election to replace Sen. Frank Artiles in Senate District 40. The one-day qualifying period was set to end at noon Wednesday for the special election. State records show […]

Staff ReportsMay 31, 2017

Jeremy Ring has made it official. The Margate Democrat became the first person to throw his hat into the 2018 Chief Financial Officer race, filing to run for the statewide office on Tuesday. Ring had been eyeing the seat, and earlier this year said he would make a decision after the 2017 Legislative Session. A […]

Tag: Rick Scott

Florida Democrats accuses Rick Scott of ‘backroom politics at its worst’ over special session

New hurricane advisories will give deadlines for storm prep

Joe Henderson: Sunshine law should remind leaders that people of Florida are citizens, not serfs

Aramis Ayala defends death penalty position, asserts budget cut will hit key programs

Associated Industries releases 2017 Voting Record report

Rick Scott signs DOT reform bill

Will Rick Scott’s veto pen affect Northeast Florida priorities?

Senate sends $82.4 billion budget to Rick Scott

Jose Felix Diaz, six others qualify to run in SD 40 special election

Jeremy Ring files to run for CFO