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Groups pouring some $5 million into ads to restore voting rights for Florida felons
Voting rights restoration group Floridians for a Fair Democracy and the Second Chances campaign are spending nearly $5 million ahead of the midterm election to generate support for Florida Constitutional Amendment 4. That measure would automatically give back the right to vote to some felons who have completed all aspects of their sentences. The Amendment […]
New report says many needy people skip routine medical care in states (like Florida) which snub federal Medicaid dollars
Low-income people in states that opted not to expand Medicaid are more likely to go without even routine medical examinations because of the cost, a new report released Monday says. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the National Center for Health Statistics teamed up to analyze data from 2016. In states like Florida which […]
There’s still a chance to extend voter registration deadline, advocates say.
After a Tallahassee judge rejected extending voter registration for another week because of Hurricane Michael, advocates are still hoping to get an extension. A lawsuit filed Wednesday by civil rights organizations is still pending and the groups still want an extension for voters who want to go to the polls Nov. 6. The American Civil Liberties Union, the […]
A surprising new political prospect: health care might be a top issue drawing young voters to the polls
Organizers for NextGen America have noticed something surprising while working in Florida to register young people to vote in the Nov. 6 midterm election: Young people are passionate about health care. NextGen first opened a Florida chapter in September 2017 with a $3.5 million investment by American billionaire Tom Steyer. When this week’s voter registration […]
Unprecedented number of LGBTQ candidates on midterm ballots could mean a Rainbow Wave in November, one group says
Blue wave, red tide – there’s a lot of colors involved in this year’s midterm election and one group is pointing to the possibility of a “rainbow wave” in November. National non-partisan political action committee Victory Fund, which formed in 1991, has identified more than 430 openly LGBTQ people who ran for office at every […]
NextGen Florida final count: over 50,000 young voters registered by Tuesday deadline
NextGen Florida – the Sunshine State’s affiliate of the national young voter registration organization – announced Tuesday that organizers had registered 50,773 young voters, ages 18 to 35, ahead of the Tuesday registration deadline. Political analysts have long been skeptical about the effectiveness of the “youth vote” in Florida, especially during midterm elections where voter […]
College tuition spikes nationwide putting pressure on families, including in Florida
Average tuition and fees at four-year public colleges and universities in Florida have increased by nearly 60 percent over the last decade, with many families struggling to cover the rising costs, a recent report says. Average tuition and fees were $4,003 in 2008, but spiked to $6,363 in 2018, according to the nonpartisan organization Center […]
Criminal justice reform not possible if Florida Constitutional Amendment 5 passes, Florida Policy Institute warns
A proposed Florida Constitutional Amendment on the Nov. 6 ballot could increase Florida’s dependence on paying for the criminal justice system by charging more court fees to people accused of a crime – many who struggle to pay anyway, groups that work with the poor say. State Constitutional Amendment 5 would make it harder for […]
Human Rights Campaign working to mobilize equal rights voters ahead of Florida November election
A national LGBTQ civil rights organization, the Human Rights Campaign, is working to mobilize LGBTQ and “equality voters” to tip the balance for Democrats in close races in Florida. The campaign is focusing on the roughly 700,000 LGBTQ voters and over 3.2 million “equality voters” in Florida that it has identified who support progressive policies […]
Florida voters: Here’s your state Constitutional Amendment guide
Florida voters could face a whopping list of 12 different proposed Amendments to Florida’s Constitution at the polls Nov. 6 (though the Florida Supreme Court still must decide whether Amendments 7, 9 and 11 will go on the midterm ballot). To make things more challenging: Some of these Amendments “bundle” several different topics into one […]
Federal opioid legislation could help pull South Florida out of crisis
The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation Friday that may help combat South Florida’s opioid crisis, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports. The package of bills – now set to go before the Senate – would make it a “federal crime to pay or receive kickbacks for patient referrals to sober homes, treatment programs and […]
A closer look at Florida Constitutional Amendment 12
AMENDMENT 12: lobbying and abuse of office by public officers BALLOT SUMMARY: “Expands current restrictions on lobbying for compensation by former public officers; creates restrictions on lobbying for compensation by serving public officers and former justices and judges; provides exceptions; prohibits abuse of a public position by public officers and employees to obtain a personal […]