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Florida has the second-highest rate of children who lack health insurance in the U.S. – and the number is rising
The number of uninsured children in Florida and around the country increased in 2017, according to a report released today by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. The study says that there are 325,000 uninsured children in Florida, the second highest number in the country, trailing only Texas. “The loss of health coverage […]
Ted Deutch, Charlie Crist and Francis Rooney co-sponsoring legislation in Congress to battle climate change
In an effort to tackle the enormous problems posed by climate change and rising seas, a bipartisan group of Florida’s congressional representatives are co-sponsoring legislation to put a price on carbon dioxide emissions – and 100 percent of the revenues would go to the American public. Democrats Ted Deutch from Boca Raton and Charlie Crist […]
Andrew Gillum and Stacey Abrams release statement opposing North Carolina federal judicial nominee
In the aftermath of his narrow defeat to Republican Ron DeSantis in the race for governor, Democrat Andrew Gillum told associates that he wanted to become a national champion in the fight against voter suppression and disenfranchisement. The former Tallahassee mayor is now joining up with Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams in opposing the […]
Didn’t like those “bundled” Constitutional amendments? Neither did these lawmakers. And they want to prevent it from happening again.
Half of the twelve constitutional amendments on Florida’s November ballot were extremely controversial – not so much because of their content – but because they were “bundled” together, with two or three unrelated proposals in a single measure. When the amendments get bundled like that, voters might be forced to vote for a thing they […]
Meet some of the new Florida House Democrats
The much hyped “Blue Wave” that Democrats were hoping would manifest itself during this year’s midterm elections ultimately did live up to the hype around most of the country, but not so much in the Sunshine State. Still, Democrats did manage to flip seven seats in the state House of Representatives, and six of the […]
A state senator from Miami tries again for a Florida ban on “conversion therapy”
A Democratic state legislator is trying once again to pass legislation to ban the highly controversial practice of “conversion therapy,” which attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Miami state Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez has filed legislation for the 2019 session that would prohibit licensed professional counselors from practicing or performing conversion […]
More than a quarter of Florida voters are disenfranchised – and it’s not who you might think
About 3.5 million Floridians were disenfranchised this past election – and we’re not talking about convicted felons. They are “No Party Affiliation” voters – people who don’t want to register as Democrat or Republican. They are Florida’s fastest growing political group – more than a quarter of the state’s registered voters. Florida law locks them […]
In Florida’s Republican-majority Legislature, a progressive speaks
With a solid majority of Republicans gathered together Tuesday for an organizational session of the new, post-election Florida Legislature, a progressive grabbed a rare opportunity to take the floor. He was state Rep. Kionne McGhee, a 40-year-old Miami-Dade County attorney and college adjunct professor who has served in the Legislature since 2012. On Tuesday, he […]
Democrat Charlie Crist & Republican Matt Gaetz team up in Congress to help veterans get medical weed
An independent poll commissioned by the American Legion last year showed that 22 percent of veterans are currently using cannabis to treat a medical condition. Now two members of Florida’s congressional delegation are teaming up to protect veterans’ access to medical pot. St. Petersburg Democrat Charlie Crist and Panhandle area Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz announced last week that they are […]
Ron DeSantis says he would have dumped Brenda Snipes if she hadn’t resigned
Shortly after Broward County Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes submitted her office’s official numbers in Florida’s hand recount Sunday afternoon, she announced her resignation from office, effective in January. That’s a good thing, says Florida Governor-Elect Ron DeSantis, who told Fox News Monday that if she hadn’t done so, he would have terminated her when […]
Using his personal fortune and millions more from outsiders, Republican Gov. Rick Scott wins U.S. Senate seat in Florida
In what’s being called the most expensive race for U.S. Senate in history, Republican Gov. Rick Scott has defeated three-term incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson for the U.S. Senate seat in Florida. Of more than 8 million votes in November, Scott garnered 10,033 more votes than Nelson, according to Sunday vote counts, ending Nelson’s longtime public […]
Janet Cruz apparent winner in Florida’s most expensively fought state Senate seat, flipping it from red to blue
With the hand recount completed in the Hillsborough County Senate District 18 contest, former Democratic Florida House Minority Leader Janet Cruz is declaring herself the winner in her hard-fought battle against Republican incumbent Dana Young. With only overseas and military ballots yet to be counted, Cruz leads Young by 376 votes, a margin of .17%. […]