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Staff ReportsJune 10, 2015

Senate President Andy Gardiner announced a few programming notes after a more or less pro forma floor Session late Wednesday morning. Among them: The 6 o’clock rule — which has been broken a handful of times this conference season, including an 8:45 meeting of the Education budget panel — remains in effect whether budget chiefs Richard Corcoran and Tom Lee come to […]

Ryan RayJune 9, 2015

The presiding officers of the Legislature’s two chambers, Senate President Andy Gardiner and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, made a show of unity Tuesday after a turbulent beginning to 2015 Special Session A. They issuing a joint statement early Tuesday afternoon saying they will allow budget conference subchairs to continue to work out their differences rather than have leadership […]

Mitch PerryJune 9, 2015

(UPDATE: This proposal is now dead. See this report). Last month Florida Politics reported on how state lawmakers might bring back the issues of regulating transportation network companies (TNC’s) such as Uber and Lyft in the Special Session now underway in Tallahassee. But such legislation failed to make the official call as presented by House […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 6, 2015

Budget conferees have agreed to target $400 million in recurring general revenue to hospitals and, as of Saturday morning, to not fund graduate medical education. Eliminating the funding — a $100 million concession for the Florida Senate — is a “work in progress” Sen. Rene Garcia said. Rep. Matt Hudson quickly agreed. “It’s certainly not off […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 6, 2015

The House on Friday rejected a Senate-driven health care expansion plan, passed a $300 million tax reduction package and capped the day by releasing the allocations that tell the story behind the budget deal that the Legislature agreed to this week. Working through staff, legislative leaders reached a deal on how to divide nearly $28.9 […]

Associated PressJune 5, 2015

House Republicans appeared ready to reject the Senate’s plan on Medicaid, arguing Thursday that it is essentially an expansion that relies on money from the president’s health care overhaul. During a tense 2 1/2 hours of questions, House Republicans agreed the Senate plan was still a government entitlement program for “able-bodied adults” that would increase […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 5, 2015

While the Senate pushed increasing access to health care for the uninsured during the 2015 Legislative Session, the Florida House steadfastly refused to discuss it, saying the underlying problems in the health care system and Florida’s high uninsured population were because of the steep costs of health care. After debating the Senate FHIX proposal for […]

Peter SchorschJune 4, 2015

While Tallahassee is buzzing today with news that Jeb Bush will officially launch his presidential campaign June 15, Adams Street is also buzzing with talk that Rep. Matt Gaetz is about to draw a serious contender in the race for State Senate District 1. Bay County Commissioner George Gainer, a Republican, is expected to file to […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 3, 2015

With the drama over health care playing out according to the expected script, the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature is finally ready to pivot to passing a new state budget. The Senate on Wednesday passed its health care coverage bill and sent it over to the House, where it is anticipated that chamber will vote down the […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 3, 2015

A faux newspaper dubbed the Florida Capitol Times should arrive Wednesday in the mailboxes of 500,000 voters in swing districts across the state. The mailer was sent by the group called A Healthy Florida Works, said Jennifer Fennell, a spokesperson for the group, which is affiliated with Associated Industries of Florida. The Florida Hospital Association — […]

Tag: Steve Crisafulli

Andy Gardiner lays out Senate schedule for rest of Session

Andy Gardiner, Steve Crisafulli agree in joint statement to extend budget conference

Proposed state study could put local government regulation of Uber, Lyft on hold

Chambers agree to $400 million in general revenue to hospitals, zero for doctor training (for now)

Budget deal increases health care funding by $450 million

House poised to vote down Senate’s Medicaid expansion bill

House prepares to deliberate its health care “cost containment” bills next week

Matt Gaetz about to draw a serious challenger for Senate race in George Gainer

Health care bill OK’d, Senate ready to work on budget through weekend

A Healthy Florida Works drops faux newspaper on 500,000 voters