Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Associated PressMarch 14, 2016

Florida leads the nation in job growth according to new federal jobless reports. Florida’s unemployment rate dropped slightly to 5 percent in January according to state officials. That’s higher than the national jobless rate of 4.9 percent. But the state did add 32,200 jobs that month. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that this […]

Scott PowersMarch 14, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott brought good news to Orlando – 36,000 new private sector jobs created in Florida in January – but refused to talk about the priority for Orlando and its Republican delegation who surrounded him for the announcement: the University of Central Florida’s Downtown campus. In keeping with his penchant to talk only about jobs […]

William MarchMarch 14, 2016

When Florida state House Minority Leader Mark Pafford puts a 6 a.m. workout before his legislative meetings on his daily schedule, it’s a public record. When concerned parent Kimberly Jones of Plantation emails House Speaker Steve Crisafulli saying she has two children going to Florida State University and wants him to oppose a bill allowing […]

Associated PressMarch 14, 2016

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio was among the Republican Party’s biggest stars when he burst onto the national stage in the tea party wave of 2010. Now, he is facing a home-state showing on Tuesday that could devastate his 2016 presidential campaign and damage his political brand for years to come. The Cuban-American’s desire to become […]

Associated PressMarch 14, 2016

Florida lawmakers went home when they were supposed to this year. That alone made the 2016 Legislative Session more successful than last year. In an often contentious process where far more bills die than go to the governor, it was a rare year in Tallahassee. How so? Lawmakers passed restrictions on abortion and killed a […]

Drew WilsonMarch 12, 2016

The Foundation for Florida’s Future highlighted a bevy of bills and budget items passed by the Legislature in a celebratory email sent out by the education advocacy group Friday. “More Florida children will get a better education – that is the takeaway from this year’s Legislative Session,” said Patricia Levesque, executive director of the Foundation for […]

Brendan FarringtonMarch 12, 2016

Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith‘s time representing Florida in the U.S. Capitol is coming to an end while clergy will be able to say no to gay weddings under new laws approved by Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday. Scott signed a bill that requires Smith’s statue in the National Statuary Hall be replaced. Another among […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorMarch 11, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott kicks off his “Million Billion Jobs” victory tour Monday. The self-proclaimed jobs governor is visiting five cities celebrating creating more than 1 million jobs in five years and $1 billion in tax cuts for Florida families over the past two years. “The debate in Florida is now about how we can create […]

Drew WilsonMarch 11, 2016

The Florida Nurses Association applauded lawmakers Friday for passing a bill allowing advanced registered nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe controlled substances, a measure the group had put before the legislature for 22 years. “It’s been a long battle, and well worth the fight,’’ said FNA Executive Director Willa Fuller in a news release. […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 11, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott appointed Celeste Philip as Acting Surgeon General on Friday. He also praised outgoing Surgeon General John Armstrong as having done an “outstanding job.” Armstrong was the first state agency head in 20 years to be shown the door after the Senate refused to confirm him by the end of the 2016 Legislative Session. Scott […]

Tag: Rick Scott

Florida led nation in job growth in January

“Jobs!” Rick Scott declares in Orlando, but won’t talk UCF downtown campus

In Florida, most legislative documents are public records

Marco Rubio and the Florida primary: a political reckoning arrives

Unlike 2015, Florida lawmakers go home happy, on time

Foundation for Florida’s Future highlights expanded education options passed by lawmakers

Florida has new laws on Confederate statue, gay marriage

Rick Scott to launch jobs creation and “tax cut victory” tour

Florida Nurses Association praises “huge victory” for nurse practitioners, physician assistants

Rick Scott appoints Celeste Philip Acting Surgeon General, lauds outgoing John Armstrong