Age: 53
Residence: Jacksonville
Time in the Legislature: Two years
Political Affiliation: Republican
Spouse: Brenda
Children: Lake IV, Forrest, Hampton
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I wanted to teach history at the college level.
What do you consider to be your biggest political achievement?
The chief backers of bills to reform the Public Service Commission moved closer to an agreement Monday, but differences remained between the vastly different plans.
Today marks the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, an event precipitated by one man's delusional hatred of the government.
Granted, people like Timothy McVeigh have always been around: ones who mistakenly see cause for concern where there is none; ones who see evil in good; ones who detest the most powerful people because they, themselves, are the least powerful people. But, thank God, 99.999999999 percent of U.S. citizens have absolutely no desire to blow up a building.
Comments are now closed.
Business leaders and researchers held an event in the Capitol on Monday to urge the Legislature to create more jobs in the energy industry.
The state of Florida has an opportunity and it comes only one time, said Lynda Weatherman, president and CEO of the Economic Development Commission of Floridas Space Coast. Comparing Floridas opportunity to Californias opportunity with high-tech jobs in Silicon Valley and Detroits with automobile manufacturing, she said, This is our chance.
Comments are now closed.
Lawmakers are betting on $115 million of Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) funds to supplement their proposed budgets. Whether to include the funds, which are by no means guarenteed, has been a point of contention between the House and Senate. The Senate worked $880 million in FMAP funds in its proposed budget, but that number appears to have been scaled back. Here are initial FMAP allocation charts for each committee.
Pre-K-12 0
Higher Education $25 million
Comments are now closed.
While the House had been a barrier to previous gambling pacts in 2007 and 2009, state representatives joined the Senate on Monday in passing a Seminole gaming compact by a 74-39 vote.
Rep. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, maneuvered the measure through the session, bringing it to both a second and third reading on Monday and then moving it through questions and debate.
A Senate panel voted Monday to offer as much as $100 million in tax credits for investing in Florida ports.
The Senate Transportation Committee unanimously passed a bill that aims to improve the states 14 public ports in preparation for the widening of the Panama Canal and an expansion of trade.
This is a great step toward our future, said Jacksonville Republican Rep. Lake Ray, sponsor of the House version of the bill.
Think social conservatives control the House? Think again. Social conservatives opposed to the Seminole gaming pact are few and far between during debate on the issue.
This is not the right message to teach our youth, said Rep. Ronald Doc Renuart, R-Jacksonville who added Las Vegas-style gambling should stay in Vegas.
The Gideon of this small army has been Rep. Charles Van Zant, R-Keystone Heights, who condemned the measure in harsh terms.
Comments are now closed.
Yet another farewell address on the House floor. This time it comes from Rep. Kurt Kelly, R-Ocala, who thanked his family and staff. Kelly offered some religious themes, calling the work his staff and comrades did a ministry, and citing the Book of Micah.
Kelly, who has been in the House since a special election in the summer of 2007, is running in a crowded Republican primary to take on U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson.
Comments are now closed.
