Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 8, 2017

The Jacksonville City Council’s Finance Committee approved the expansion of the city’s Human Rights Ordinance on Wednesday morning. The measure was approved by a 4-3 vote, with Bill Gulliford, Sam Newby, and Matt Schellenberg opposing expansion. The expansion would add sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to the list of protected categories under the ordinance, which ensures […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 7, 2017

The Rules Committee of the Jacksonville City Council was the second committee in two days to approve expansion of the city’s Human Rights Ordinance. The measure would extend protections in housing, public accommodations, and employment on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. The Rules meeting saw two co-sponsors of the HRO expansion […]

Peter SchorschJanuary 27, 2017

Jacksonville Bold is back with a new format. Here we will offer our take on 10 of Northeast Florida’s biggest stories — beyond the blow-by-blow — explaining, as ever, why something is happening. And why it’s important. This edition will take readers inside issues related to the city’s legislative priorities, the Human Rights Ordinance debate, […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 24, 2017

Jacksonville City Councilman Tommy Hazouri made his position clear Tuesday relative to legislation closing the Florida Retirement System’s defined benefit plan to new cities. The legislation, said Hazouri, is “dead on arrival.” [Worth noting: there is a House and Senate version of this bill. Rep. Jason Fischer filed House Bill 353, while Jeff Brandes filed Senate Bill 428. Each bill […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 10, 2017

After an agenda full of bills that met little opposition in committees, the Jacksonville City Council turned its attention Tuesday evening to a familiar question: the HRO, which was up on first read with a planned vote on Valentine’s Day. For the third time in five years, Jacksonville legislators heard pros and cons of expanding […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 4, 2017

On Wednesday, Jacksonville City Council members and community leaders met in a packed conference room in city hall. The subject: expanding Jacksonville’s Human Rights Ordinance to include members of the city’s LGBT community. The bill is expected to be filed by 3 p.m. January 4, with an eye toward committees and a full council vote […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 4, 2017

A prominent Jacksonville pastor who teamed up with Pastor Ken Adkins to oppose the 2016 version of the Jacksonville Human Rights Ordinance expansion was cleared by the Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee to serve on the JEA Board Wednesday. Despite two of the HRO co-sponsors, Jim Love and Tommy Hazouri, serving on Rules, no questions were asked of Newbill […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 19, 2016

Friday saw an official meeting between Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and former Mayor Alvin Brown. And with that meeting, a message to #jaxpol: the bitterness of the 2015 election was finally consigned to memory. The picture above: worth a thousand words. Acrimony expunged, replaced by bonhomie. The campaign for Jacksonville mayor was the most expensive local campaign […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 13, 2016

Tuesday night’s meeting of the Jacksonville City Council was more notable for being the last one of 2016 than it was for any particular legislative achievement. Among the highlights: $70,000 was appropriated for “neighborhood events” for Jacksonville City Council members. And $415,000 appropriated for the installation of temporary seats for the TaxSlayer Bowl. “This is […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 6, 2016

A bill allocating $70,000 t0 Jacksonville City Council members for internal costs on “neighborhood events” had gotten some pushback when introduced by Councilman Reggie Brown earlier this year. However, in the current round of committee hearings, the measure is getting traction. The measure cleared Neighborhoods, Community Investments, and Services on Monday. And on Tuesday, the Rules Committee […]

Tag: Tommy Hazouri
Image via AP.

Jacksonville HRO clears final city council committee

HRO clears second Jacksonville City Council committee

Jacksonville Bold for 01.27.17 – Back in business

Tommy Hazouri: FRS reform legislation is ‘dead on arrival’

HRO reboot dominates Jacksonville City Council meeting

Jacksonville human rights ordinance expansion push begins … again

Jacksonville City Council Rules panel OKs Fred Newbill to JEA Board

Reading the tea leaves of the Lenny Curry-Alvin Brown meeting

Jacksonville City Council wraps up 2016

Neighborhood events bill clears second Jacksonville council panel