Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaJuly 16, 2018

A Destin lawyer has sued the Department of Health, saying a medical marijuana license preference for black farmers should include “Native American farmers and ranchers.” Donivon Craig Tingle filed suit in Okaloosa County Circuit Civil court last month. The suit was disclosed in a departmental “legal updates” email on Friday — the same day officials said they […]

Jim RosicaMay 4, 2018

A former employee of state Insurance Consumer Advocate Sha’Ron James has settled her wrongful termination lawsuit after a mediation conference, court dockets show. Camille Rawls had said she was fired for, among other things, “sending James an email in all capital letters.” A spokeswoman for state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, to whom James reports, on Friday released the terms of the […]

Jim RosicaMay 1, 2018

Real estate billionaire Jeffrey Soffer has closed on a deal to buy South Florida’s former Mardi Gras Casino and Race Track. The closing was disclosed in a final order filed Monday and released Tuesday by the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). But the department, which regulates gambling in the state, withheld a final […]

Jim RosicaApril 30, 2018

Citizens Property Insurance Corp. has settled a lawsuit against it over sinkhole damage in Pinellas County’s Cloverplace condominium community. The settlement, disclosed after a public records request, came Monday — a little more than a month after the state’s insurer of last resort was hit with what the Tampa Bay Times called “one of the […]

Jim RosicaMarch 28, 2018

Despite the end of a legal truce between the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the state this Saturday, don’t expect the Tribe’s gambling money to stop flowing to Florida’s coffers, its longtime outside lawyer said. That’s also despite lawmakers’ failure, once again, to pass comprehensive gambling law reform or renew the revenue sharing agreement between […]

Staff ReportsMarch 23, 2018

The Protect Tobacco Free Florida coalition is cheering the death of a proposed constitutional amendment that would have affected anti-smoking marketing efforts. “This positive outcome preserves Florida’s constitutional commitment to protect the health of Floridians by using Big Tobacco’s own money to tell the truth about the dangers of their products,” said the coalition’s statement, […]

Jim RosicaMarch 20, 2018

After nearly an hour of discussion, a Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) proposal that would affect the state’s efforts to reduce smoking was postponed Tuesday. CRC member and House Speaker pro tempore Jeanette Nuñez, who filed the measure (P94), pulled it from the floor after several commissioners questioned its necessity. Tobacco Free Florida, the state’s tobacco prevention and cessation program, […]

Jim RosicaMarch 14, 2018

If passed, a proposed constitutional amendment to redirect dollars from tobacco-prevention efforts to cancer research would turn “a bad idea into a hard reality,” one opponent said Wednesday morning. Later that same day, however, the amendment’s sponsor deleted the section about cancer research funding. Longtime Tallahassee PR man Ron Sachs joined former Attorney General Bob Butterworth […]

Scott PowersFebruary 21, 2018

It may have taken 16 months, an attempt by the Florida Legislature to tie local authorities’ hands, and threats of a lawsuit, but the Osceola County Commission has found what many may consider the sweet spot in approving retail sales of medical marijuana. As a result, one medical marijuana company gets exclusive rights to open […]

Staff ReportsDecember 8, 2017

The Florida Commission on Ethics has approved a settlement with former state Rep. Doug Holder to resolve an ethics complaint that he filed “inaccurate” financial disclosures in 2010-14. A spokeswoman said the panel OK’d the agreement unanimously at its Friday meeting. Holder, a Sarasota County Republican, will pay $6,500 in civil penalties. The 50-year-old Holder, now a lobbyist, served in the House […]

Tag: settlement

Native American farmer suing state over marijuana licenses

State settles lawsuit by worker fired after ‘all caps’ email

Jeffrey Soffer closes deal to buy South Florida’s Mardi Gras Casino

Cloverplace Condos suit settles during appeal

Sure bet? Seminole gambling money will keep flowing, lawyer says

Protect Tobacco Free Florida applauds amendment’s demise

Jeanette Nuñez yanks CRC proposal to change Tobacco Free Florida

Advocates rally to save Tobacco Free Florida funding

Osceola County finds sweet spot for medical marijuana dispensaries

Ethics panel approves settlement in Doug Holder case