The dispute between the state of Florida and Eric Holders Justice Department took an interesting turn last weekend when the DOJ finally agreed to give Florida access to federal databases as part of the states effort to verify citizenship of registered voters.
U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, is among 62 members from both sides of the aisle calling on House leadership to bring the 2012 farm bill to the floor.
Rooney, who chairs the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry, said the bill (HR 6083, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act) is needed to help farmers suffering drought conditions in 29 states.
Droughts across the country, including Florida, are hurting farmers and driving up grocery prices for American families, Rooney stated in a release.
Two more Republican heavyweights climbed aboard Thursday to endorse Tom Lee in his primary bid against Rep. Rachel Burgin in a Senate race that has turned ugly and personal.
Lee, a former Senate president from Brandon who is looking to return to the Legislature, received the endorsements of Sens. John Thrasher and Joe Negron in his quest to become the GOP nominee in District 24.
The support comes in addition to previous endorsements from incoming Senate President Don Gaetz, Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner and Sen. Jack Latvala.
Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty told members of the Florida Health Insurance Industry Advisory Board -- meeting for the first time since June 28, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to uphold the Affordable Care Act -- that the ruling created ambiguity regarding the state exchanges and Medicaid expansion.
"If you've got a business -- you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen."
In what is shaping up as one of the more intriguing legislative contests in November, Rep. Darren Soto, D-Orlando, is matched against Republican Will McBride in a contest for the SD 14 open seat in Central Florida that represents parts of Orange County. Both candidates have open shots at their partys nominations with no opponents in the Aug. 14 primary election.
As incumbents bow out of office, two Republican candidates appear poised to win open state Senate seats in the northern half of the Sunshine State come November.
With an open shot at the Republican nomination as current incumbent, Steve Oelrich runs for Congress; attorney Rob Bradley, who rose to become chairman of the Clay County Commission, is a heavy favorite to win an open seat in SD 7, representing Alachua, Baker and Clay counties.
With Sen. Larcenia Bullard, D-Miami, heading to the sidelines due to term limits, a crowded field of Democrats -- including three representatives who served together in the Florida House -- are battling it out in the Aug. 14 primary.
Five Democrats are running for the SD 39 seat, which stretches across Collier, Hendry, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.
One of the most important needs facing all Floridians is how to obtain access to high-quality health care in a cost-effective manner, which produces the best health outcomes for individual patients and their families.This is especially true with long-term care and end-of-life care.
