Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaMay 4, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott says he doesn’t understand lawmakers’ inability to pass comprehensive gambling legislation this year—especially when he gave them a head start. Scott spoke with FloridaPolitics.com reporter Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster in Naples Thursday, after a stop of his “Fighting For Florida’s Future” tour. Part of the legislative package was a deal negotiated by Scott with the Seminole […]

Jim RosicaMay 3, 2017

A Tallahassee judge has agreed to hear arguments on why he should reconsider his ruling that stand-alone consoles known as “pre-reveal” games are not illegal slot machines. Judge John Cooper set a hearing for June 19 in the Leon County Courthouse, court dockets show, after the Seminole Tribe of Florida asked to intervene. The move also puts a […]

Jim RosicaMay 2, 2017

State Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, the House’s point man on gambling, said an impossibility of compromise over slot machines killed the 2017 gambling bill. “We were too far apart and the Senate wanted to bring it in for a landing during budget conference, and we were not going to be able to do that,” he […]

Jim RosicaMay 2, 2017

The Seminole Tribe of Florida “will react accordingly” to the demise of a gambling bill this Legislative Session, the Tribe’s top outside lawyer said Tuesday. Chief negotiators for the House and Senate said earlier Tuesday they wouldn’t resolve their differences over the legislation before the scheduled end of the 2017 Legislative Session on Friday. When asked whether the Tribe plans […]

Jim RosicaMay 1, 2017

Senate President Joe Negron on Monday said lawmakers are “getting close” to a deal on a gambling overhaul bill for the year. The same day, however, a House Democrat who’s on the Conference Committee on Gaming tweeted “Nope” about the same thing. Negron was asked about the legislation during a media availability after the day’s floor […]

Jim RosicaApril 26, 2017

The Florida House made several major offers Wednesday to get a gambling deal done this session, including authorizing decoupling for dog and horse tracks if county voters OK it in a local referendum. House and Senate negotiators met in the morning in their ongoing effort to agree on an omnibus gambling bill for 2017, including an […]

Jim RosicaApril 25, 2017

The House will make its offer Wednesday morning in the Legislature’s negotiation on a gambling bill this year, state Rep. Jose Felix Diaz told reporters Tuesday night. “I expect to make significant progress in the conversation,” he said, without offering many details and saying the House’s offer was still in flux. “The earlier we get it […]

Jim RosicaApril 12, 2017

A proposed conference to resolve differences between the House and Senate gambling bills, originally planned for this week, was postponed till next week. That’s because, as of Wednesday, lawmakers continued to talk with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which has six casinos in the state. One lobbyist suggested an end game: Passing only a new […]

Peter SchorschApril 12, 2017

Illegal gambling is like cockroaches: You kill one and there are dozens more when it came from. Back in 2013, a multi-state illegal gambling investigation embarrassed the Legislature, resulted in dozens of arrests and eventually took down a lieutenant governor. Jennifer Carroll stepped down because, before her election, she provided public-relations representation to the company being […]

Jim RosicaApril 5, 2017

House votes on senate gambling bill—by amending it with their own bill The House stood its ground, voting 73-40 Wednesday to replace the Senate’s gambling overhaul (SB 8) with its own version (HB 7037). That sets up the conference process by which both sides say they can “iron out the differences” between their different approaches. […]

Tag: Seminole Tribe of Florida

Rick Scott: Legislature’s inaction on gambling ‘doesn’t make any sense’

Jackpot? Judge could reconsider ‘pre-reveal’ slot machine ruling

Jose Felix Diaz: ‘We were too far apart’ from Senate on gambling

Lawyer: Seminole Tribe ‘will react accordingly’ to gambling bill’s death

Joe Negron: Lawmakers ‘getting close’ to agreement on gambling

House takes giant steps in gambling negotiation

Jose Felix Diaz: House will ‘take giant step’ in gambling conference

Legislature still hasn’t begun conferencing on gambling legislation

With ‘pre-reveal’ games, it’s déjà vu all over again

Short takes: Legislative roundup for Wednesday