With the Patriot Act expiring on Sunday after legislative maneuvering by U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., Republican presidential rival U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., went on the attack, insisting letting the law expire undermined national security and was the result of “political posturing.” Congress is expected to reinstate the law later this week.
Ron DeSantis won the Republican primary for an open congressional seat in 2012 by running as a conservative, stressing his military service, attacking career politicians and nailing down St. Johns County. Now that DeSantis is running for the Senate, a potential contender could be using the same strategy.
You wouldn't know it by the noise over Amendment 1 this week. But there are other issues besides land for water storage roiling up Floridians who live in and around the Everglades. Besides even Burmese pythons.
Believe it or not, the debate of the day in Glades County and neighborhoods around the Big Cypress National Preserve involves the iconic Florida panther -- the official state animal and star of Florida's fifth most popular license plate.
After weeks --- and in some ways, months --- of discussion, the special legislative session to determine what to do with the budget starts Monday. Which meant everyone spent the last week getting ready for it.
The Senate was gearing up to make a last-ditch pitch for something that uses Medicaid expansion funding to give more people health care but should definitely not be called Medicaid expansion. Environmentalists planned to push once again for more money to buy land after voters passed a constitutional amendment in November aimed at conserving land and water.
A Utah-based testing group is now responsible for reviewing the validity of Florida’s glitch-ridden Florida Standards Assessment test, chosen on Friday by a panel of three men appointed by Gov. Rick Scott, Senate President Andy Gardiner and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli.
Hailing from Orem, Alpine Testing Solutions and Washington, D.C.-based edCount will conduct the intensive validity test this summer, working on a time crunch to give Florida the results by the Sept. 1 deadline.
Legislators and lobbyists are ready again to descend on Tallahassee, as the Florida Senate and House try to put together a budget, grapple with Medicaid expansion and tie up myriad loose ends during a special session that kicks off Monday.
While the Senate backs Medicaid expansion, Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida House remain against it. This deadlock wasn’t broken in the regular session, mandating the need for the special session which is scheduled to last until June 20. The state Constitution mandates a new Florida budget by July 1.
Continuing his bid for the U.S. Senate in next year’s election, U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., brought in a familiar figure to serve as an adviser and his campaign’s pollster: Tony Fabrizio. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., currently running for the Republican presidential nomination, has said he will not run for a second term.
The Republican-led Legislature has been mocked by Democrats for failing to get a budget passed by the end of the regular legislative session. Lawmakers will have to trek back to Tallahassee in the heat of June to make things right.
But Brian Pitts, a loud and colorful gadfly known for his stamina and ability to appear at almost any legislative hearing without warning, thinks the consequences of the meltdown of the spring session should be even more profound.
Ever wondered what school would be like without letter grades? In Martin County, that’s the reality for elementary-aged students -- instead of getting letter grades like “A’s,” “B’s” or “C’s,” students get “M’s,” “P’s,” and “N’s.” If the concept sounds unfamiliar, it’s because it’s not widely used in Florida. The new grading system has left Martin County’s school system all shook up -- and parents aren’t too happy about it.
