Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaOctober 25, 2016

The body that administers Florida’s bar exam discriminates by asking applicants about their mental health, according to a federal lawsuit filed this month. A “John Doe” plaintiff filed suit in Tallahassee, where the Florida Board of Bar Examiners is headquartered. He says the Board violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by asking aspiring lawyers about […]

Jim RosicaMay 11, 2016

The battle over Broward Bridge is over. The state’s Department of Corrections and Bridges of America announced a settlement Wednesday afternoon. The state had been planning to pull the plug on Broward Bridge, a residential program offering transitional counseling, drug treatment and other services to inmates on work release. Bridges, the Orlando-based nonprofit that runs the program, had […]

Jim RosicaMay 4, 2016

Almost all of Broward County’s legislative delegation is telling Gov. Rick Scott: Keep the Bridge open. In a new letter, 17 of the county’s members in the House and Senate — 16 of them Democrats — are the latest lawmakers to protest the Department of Corrections’ planned shutdown of a prisoner re-entry program. “The impact of this […]

Jim RosicaMay 3, 2016

At least three inmates have filed suit in Tallahassee over the Department of Corrections‘ shutdown of a south Florida prisoner re-entry program. Michael Brammer, John McDougle and Douglas Rahn sued in Leon County Circuit Court late Monday, records show. They seek a court order preventing the state from closing Broward Bridge, a residential program offering transitional […]

Jim RosicaMay 2, 2016

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A state senator says the Department of Corrections “lied” to him about the closure of a prisoner re-entry program. But a department spokesman says he may have misunderstood the conversation. Greg Evers, the Baker Republican who heads his chamber’s Criminal Justice Committee, spoke at a Tallahassee news conference on Monday. Evers told reporters he wanted to insert special […]

Jim RosicaMay 2, 2016

State Sen. Darren Soto is adding his name to the growing list of state lawmakers objecting to the closing of a prisoner re-entry program in Broward County. Soto, an Orlando Democrat, wrote Friday to Corrections Secretary Julie Jones to say he was “troubled by this decision” because he is a “strong proponent of these types of facilities and programs.” […]

Staff ReportsMay 2, 2016

Bridges of America “and allies” are planning a press conference in Tallahassee on Monday morning. The Orlando-based nonprofit is continuing to call attention to the state’s shutdown of its Broward County prisoner re-entry program. A bipartisan group of state lawmakers has written letters of concern to Corrections Secretary Julie Jones. They’re asking her to reconsider the […]

Jim RosicaApril 28, 2016

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A top House Republican now is questioning the shutdown of a South Florida prisoner re-entry program. Dana Young, leader of the Florida House of Representatives’ controlling Republican caucus, wrote a letter to Corrections Secretary Julie Jones on Wednesday. The letter, released to reporters on Thursday, comes on the tail of the department’s decision to discontinue a Broward County […]

Staff ReportsApril 27, 2016

The state’s Department of Corrections has slapped a ‘top secret’ label on its plan to help ex-cons in Broward County. The department on Monday turned down a request by POLITICO Florida to release a “transition plan,” now that the state has ended its partnership with the Orlando-based Bridges of America nonprofit. Bridges of America had a contract to […]

Staff ReportsApril 25, 2016

The state’s prisons agency and a prisoner rehab program now are sparring in press releases. The Florida Department of Corrections last week said it was ending its partnership with the Orlando-based Bridges of America nonprofit. Bridges of America had a contract to run a transitional and substance abuse program in Broward County. The arrangement ends May 16, and the department told the […]

Tag: substance abuse

Mental health questions on Florida bar application are discriminatory, suit says

Corrections settles case over prisoner program shutdown

Broward delegation protests prisoner program closure

Inmates now suing over state shutdown of prisoner re-entry program

Greg Evers says prisons agency “lied” to him

Darren Soto “troubled” by Broward program shutdown

Bridges of America to hold news conference

Dana Young dubious about prisoner program shutdown

State refuses to divulge new plan to help ex-prisoners

Bridges of America fighting to stay open in Broward