Six months after he launched an exploratory bid, at an event in Miami on Monday, former Gov. Jeb Bush formally entered the 2016 presidential race, hoping to follow his father’s and brother’s paths to the Republican nomination and the White House. 

In his campaign launch, Bush focused on his record in Tallahassee as he looks to win over conservative primary voters, wary of the former Florida governor’s stance on immigration and support of Common Core. 

With hurricane season upon us, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., brought out the “Strengthening Homes and Eliminating Liabilities Through Encouraging Readiness” (SHELTER) Act on Friday. The proposed legislation would give tax credits to families and businesses who invest in hurricane and tornado readiness.

The Florida House passed a tax cut package crafted by the Florida Senate Monday morning, aiming to save Floridians nearly $430 million in a variety of areas, ranging from cellphone taxes to yacht repairs.

Earlier in the day, the Senate also approved the tax cut package with a 34-2 vote. The Senate then sent the package over to the House where it passed with overwhelming support by a 91-2 vote.  

Businessman Todd Wilcox announced in Orlando on Friday that he is resigning his post as CEO of Patriot Capital to make an exploratory effort at running for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in 2016. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who currently holds the seat, is running for the Republican presidential nomination and has said he will not run for a second Senate term

Speaking at an event held by Ernst and Young on Friday night, Wilcox ripped into the Democrats, including hitting President Barack Obama’s economic policies. 

Lawmakers agreed on hundreds of millions of dollars in environmental spending during a meeting Sunday night, but disappointed supporters of a land and water conservation amendment overwhelmingly approved by voters last fall.

In less than six weeks James E. Michalik, a children's advocate and former judge from New Hampshire, will arrive in Tallahassee to steer the 32-member Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalitions (FAHSC).

The job is all-new -- first time the statewide nonprofit has had an executive director. Michalik will lead the independent organizations, helping them advocate for public policy initiatives that promote quality health care for mothers, infants and children.

At age 23, Rep. Jennifer Sullivan is the youngest member of the Florida Legislature. But the Mount Dora Republican scored a major victory Wednesday, when Gov. Rick Scott signed her bill to require a 24-hour waiting period before women can have abortions.

And with the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights immediately filing a legal challenge to the new abortion law (HB 633), Sullivan is sure to remain in the spotlight.

Negotiators from the House and Senate slashed almost $60 million in economic development spending Saturday as the Legislature drew closer to an elusive final deal on a state budget for the year that begins July 1.

Meeting over the weekend to hammer out the final details of a budget expected to weigh in at well more than $76 billion but south of $80 billion, House Appropriations Chairman Richard Corcoran and Senate Appropriations Chairman Tom Lee reached agreement on state spending for transportation and economic development.

John Morgan does not appear to have learned his lesson from Amendment 2. 

Morgan was back in the news last week as he wrote a check for $150,000 to get another medical marijuana amendment on the ballot in 2016. Amendment 2 lost by a narrow margin, just failing to get 60 percent in a year when conservatives came out in droves to vote. Medical marijuana supporters hope they’ll have a better shot come 2016. 

Like the flora speckling the Capitol grounds, tensions between GOP House and Senate leaders appear to be wilting as lawmakers prepare to finalize a budget before the special session ends next week.

Appropriations subcommittee chairs congratulated one another on jobs well done before passing unresolved "bump issues" to the budget chiefs, who cordially took up the mantle midweek with no apparent memory of who would be left without a dance partner.