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Christine Jordan SextonJune 5, 2015

The Florida Senate was in session for less than five minutes on Friday before adjourning. Senate President Andy Gardiner announced that the House and Senate had agreed to budget allocations and that the two chambers would begin hammering out the differences in the proposed spending plans for the 2015-16 fiscal year beginning at 9 a.m. […]

Ryan RayJune 4, 2015

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After an hours-long procession of skeptical questions from House Republicans, Rep. Mia Jones led the Senate’s so-called “FHIX 2.0” bill — SB 2A, a bill to expand health coverage to Florida’s more than 800,000 uninsured via private plans largely funded by the federal government — to a procedural milestone, as the bill was rolled over for […]

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 […]

Ryan RayJune 3, 2015

The intense intra-cameral friction that defined the 2015 Legislative Session seems not to have dissipated after a few weeks off but rather compounded, culminating in the most antagonistic legislative hearing of the year at Tuesday’s meeting of the Senate Appropriations Committee. There, budget chief Tom Lee led a chorus of indignant senators who excoriated AHCA deputy director Justin […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 3, 2015

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The multibillion health care fight in has been “sucking the oxygen” out of the Capitol and has taken attention off Amendment 1, Senate Appropriations Chairman Tom Lee said Tuesday. Lee, the Senate’s chief budget writer, told reporters after an Appropriations Committee hearing Tuesday afternoon that “frankly, Amendment 1 is a big deal and deserves more attention […]

Peter SchorschJune 2, 2015

This week, the Florida Legislature reconvenes to complete its only constitutionally mandated job: close a multibillion-dollar budget gap. But that’s not the only business politicians have on their agenda. Under Florida law, legislators can schedule and hold political fundraisers up to the June 1 Special Session, when they (hopefully) approve a nearly $80 billion budget […]

Phil AmmannMay 22, 2015

When Florida’s Legislative Session began in March, there were high expectations, especially for education and healthcare. But by session’s end, that optimism was long gone, says Florida Education Association President Andy Ford. Now that budget talks are set to resume, and lawmakers prepare for a June 1 Special Session, there’s still one last chance for […]

Mitch PerryMay 22, 2015

Tampa Bay area state legislators Tom Lee and Daryl Rouson took center court at todays’ Tampa Tiger Bay Club meeting, where again the Legislature’s divide on health care drove the debate. Lee, a Senate Republican, represents Brandon in Tallahassee, while Rouson’s House District is comprises good chunk of South Pinellas County, but bizarrely also includes portions […]

Mitch PerryMay 20, 2015

As state lawmakers prepare to complete their unfinished business in a Special Session next month, among the Legislature’s most important members said Wednesday he’s not exactly sure what to expect. The 120-member Legislature returns to Tallahassee in 12 days to hammer out a budget agreement. “We really don’t know how this is going to play […]

Gary FineoutMay 18, 2015

Florida’s Republican-led Legislature will return to the state Capitol in June and try to do what they couldn’t do during their 60-day session that crashed to a halt. GOP legislative leaders announced late Friday that they have come up with a long list of items they want to tackle during a 20-day special session, including […]

Tag: Tom Lee

Finally … chambers set for Saturday conference on budget

Senate’s FHIX 2.0 proposal advances in House — for now

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

House-Senate health care fight inflected by Twitterverse

Amendment 1 getting short shrift because of health care battle

The hypocrisy of Tom Lee: Senator fundraised before Special Session, counter to what he suggested

Email insights: When budget money flows again, FEA will be first in line

Stage legislators defend their own health care coverage at Tiger Bay forum in Tampa

Tom Lee on Tallahassee budget impasse: “We don’t know how this is going to play out”

ICYMI: Legislators agree to do budget, health care during session