Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaMarch 9, 2018

The maneuvering toward comprehensive gambling legislation continues, with the Senate seeing the House offer to create three new slot machine licenses, and raising them three more. The Conference Committee on Gaming met again Friday morning. Out of the mix so far is expressly allowing fantasy sports play in the state, and allowing continued play of designated player games, […]

Jim RosicaMarch 3, 2018

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A win turned into a loss Saturday, as the Republican-controlled Senate first approved—then killed—an amendment on a school safety bill that would have mandated a moratorium on assault rifle sales in the state. The legislation, called the “Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act” (SB 7026), is in response to the Valentine’s Day shooting […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 26, 2018

The House on Friday dropped its 83-page omnibus gambling bill for 2018, which reads like a love letter to the Seminole Tribe of Florida and a poison pen missive to nearly all the other gambling interests in the state. Industry representatives privately admitted the legislation—overseen by Speaker-designate Jose Oliva—was a placeholder for the House to pass, […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 17, 2018

A bill to ban all uses of steroids in racing dogs has cleared a key Senate panel. The Regulated Industries Committee, which generally gets first crack at gambling-related bills, OK’d the measure (SB 674) 7-2 on Wednesday. State regulations now allow use only of a “low-dose, non-performance enhancing” form of testosterone in greyhounds, and only as […]

Mitch PerryNovember 28, 2017

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U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo is being applauded for supporting the GOP tax plan in a new ad produced by American Action Network. The District 26 Republican is one of the most vulnerable House incumbents in the nation and has been the subject of several TV and radio ads this year by the group, which has […]

Ana CeballosNovember 9, 2017

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The Senate has retained the Jackson Lewis law firm for its investigation into sexual harassment and groping allegations against Sen. Jack Latvala, a top Republican in the chamber. Tampa-based attorney Gail Holtzman will be the lead attorney in the investigation, and Senate President Joe Negron said individuals who want to come forward with complaints against […]

Ana CeballosNovember 8, 2017

A years-long battle in the Legislature to pass a bill requiring high school students take a course teaching them how to manage money is back again. Sen. Dorothy Hukill‘s bill, though, had a small victory on Wednesday. SB 88 advanced the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on pre-K-12 Education, leaving one more committee stop before it can […]

Ana CeballosNovember 7, 2017

Steven R. Andrews, the attorney hired by Sen. Jack Latvala, wants to have a former law enforcement official conduct the Senate investigation into claims the senator sexually harassed or groped six women. Andrews sent a letter to Senate President Joe Negron on Tuesday, asking him to also have a retired judge preside over the case […]

Ana CeballosNovember 6, 2017

A push to make anti-sexual-harassment training mandatory in the Senate gathered momentum Monday after Democratic Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez sent a letter to Senate President Joe Negron urging him for a “more aggressive” sexual harassment policy. The letter comes after six unnamed women accused Sen. Jack Latvala of sexually harassing and groping them, according to a […]

Ana CeballosNovember 2, 2017

In the wake of a sex scandal that rattled the state Capitol last week involving Senator Jeff Clemens and his extramarital affair with a lobbyist, Senate President Joe Negron on Thursday defended the process in which sexual harassment complaints are reported in the Senate. “I don’t think it would be fair to say that in […]

Tag: senate

Senate raises gambling offer to six slots licenses

GOP blocks Democratic attempts to change school safety bill

House gambling bill to pari-mutuels: Drop dead

Greyhound steroids ban moves in Senate

American Action Network airing new ad praising Carlos Curbelo’s support of GOP tax plan

Senate hires Tampa attorney for Jack Latvala investigation

Bill mandating financial-literacy class for students advances

Jack Latvala attorney wants ex-law enforcement official to head Senate probe

Jose Javier Rodriguez calls for anti-harassment training in the Senate

Joe Negron defends Senate sexual harassment policy, again