Politics & Law
‘The voters were not heard:’ ACLU considers legal action on felon voting rights legislation
A coalition of groups is urging Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to veto legislation that requires felons to pay all fines and restitution before they can register to vote. DeSantis says he will sign the bill, and a member of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida says his group is considering legal action. “The ACLU […]
DeSantis signs teachers-with-guns bill, shunning calls for a veto
Shortly before attending a poltiical rally with President Donald Trump on Wednesday evening, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a controversial bill that will give Florida teachers the option of carrying guns in their classrooms. The arming of teachers was a volatile issue in the 2019 session, drawing students, teachers and gun-control advocates to the Capitol. They […]
Florida lawmakers proposed nearly 30 constitutional amendments this spring. None passed.
The political attention is usually focused on citizen-led constitutional amendment drives, but this spring, members of the Florida Legislature proposed nearly 30 constitutional amendments for the 2020 ballot. Not a single one passed. There were 28 measures – known technically as joint resolutions – filed for the 2019 session. None garnered the required three-fifths vote […]
Here’s how Florida lawmakers messed with upcoming citizen campaigns to raise the minimum wage, ban assault weapons, expand Medicaid, and more
The 2019 legislative session was already a success for Florida Republicans going into the final full day of the session last Friday. Then, late in the day in the House of Representatives, an amendment got tacked onto an unrelated tax bill that will now radically change the rules for citizen-led Constitutional Amendment campaigns. It will […]
Moms and students come to Gov. DeSantis’ office to say: No teachers with guns, please veto
Among the most contentious bills lawmakers passed in their legislative session – arming school teachers – is heading to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk, and the calls for veto are coming on strong. On Tuesday, members of the group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and Students Demand Action for Gun Sense in America […]
Two U.S. Reps from FL sponsor federal legislation to make sure vote-by-mail ballots count
With vote-by-mail issues still problematic, Democratic U.S. Reps. Alcee Hastings and Ted Deutch are introducing their own bill to help voters make sure their votes are counted. At issue are problems with vote-by-mail ballots and provisional ballots that may or may not be eligible, and the South Florida Congressmen want to bolster voters’ rights at […]
One lawmaker says she will pay her own way for Israel trip with Gov. DeSantis and Cabinet
Gov. Ron DeSantis still has not released details of his planned May 25 trip to Israel with what he says will be 75 people, including Florida Cabinet members, but one legislator says she is paying her own way. Democratic state Sen. Lauren Book of Broward County “is paying for everything personally” including air fare to […]
Last-minute legislative amendment penalizes anyone who challenges Florida development
A longtime watchdog group is warning that legislation soon heading to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk would gut enforcement of Florida’s 1985 Growth Management Act, a landmark law intended to make sure local governments properly plan for development’s impacts. HB 7103, approved in the closing days of the 2019 legislative session, would ban local governments from […]
GOP majority ensured Gov. Ron DeSantis got what he wanted from FL Legislature: Hard right policy
With a Republican majority in the Legislature, Gov. Ron DeSantis pulled the 2019 regular session sharply to the right, keeping his party in line behind a red-meat conservative agenda that included a hard-line new immigration law and measures favoring big business. “They seemingly gave him everything he asked for,” said House Democratic state Rep. Evan […]
Talk about a throwback. The Florida Legislature’s hellish time travels
Your legislators have left Tallahassee. But not before they voted Florida back to 1877. Old times not forgotten! Good times! Only God’s chosen were allowed to exercise the franchise, you could dump any damn thing into the rivers and the lakes, dredge and drain and build any damn thing you wanted on your property, and […]
Abortion rights groups stave off abortion restrictions, but the battle will continue
Anti-abortion activists rallied at the Capitol during the spring legislative session, pushing to limit access to abortions. They had hoped a new governor — who has an anti-abortion stance — and a more conservative-leaning Florida Supreme Court, would bolster their cause. But as it turned out, efforts to restrict reproductive rights didn’t pan out in […]
Andrew Gillum accuses Florida Legislature of voter suppression: ‘This is a poll tax’
Former Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum on Monday slammed the state Legislature’s move to curtail voting rights for felons who have served their sentences, calling it a “poll tax” that will disproportionately impact voters of color. The former Tallahassee mayor testified at a voting rights hearing held by the U.S. House of Representatives in Fort […]