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Eleanor Sobel

Nearly 40 apply to Joe Negron for Constitution Revision Commission

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A former Senate President, Secretary of State, and state Supreme Court Justice have applied to Senate President Joe Negron for a seat on the panel that reviews the state’s constitution every 20 years. At last tally, 39 people had applied for one of Negron’s nine picks to the Constitution Revision Commission, according to a list provided by his office. They include: — Former Sen. Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican who was term limited out of office this year. Gaetz also…

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Latest on the legislative staffing merry-go-round

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With a tip of the hat to LobbyTools, here are the latest movements – both on and off – of the legislative merry-go-round. Off: Amanda Cogan has stepped down as district secretary for Shalimar Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz. On: Lisa Goodson is Gaetz’s new district secretary. Off and on: Kevin Reilly has left the job of deputy staff director for the House majority leader for a new position as legislative affairs director for Gov. Rick Scott’s office. Off: Gloria Perez is no longer district secretary…

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Florida Senate begins discussion on bill that could defund Planned Parenthood

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The Florida Senate is poised to vote on a controversial bill that prohibits public funding for clinics, like Planned Parenthood, that are affiliated with a licensed abortion clinic. Lawmakers began discussions of the measure (HB 1411) on Tuesday. The proposal, sponsored by Lakeland Republicans Sen. Kelli Stargel in the Senate and Rep. Colleen Burton in the House, requires annual inspections of clinics, and calls on physicians who perform abortions to have admitting privileges or a written transfer agreement with nearby…

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Senate panel advances bill to defund abortion providers

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After nearly an hour of at times emotional debate on Wednesday, a Senate budget panel approved a controversial proposal to prohibit public funds from going to any facility that provides abortions. The Senate Appropriations Committee on Health & Human Services passed SB 1722 by a party-line vote Wednesday morning, with the eight-member panel’s three Democrats voting in opposition. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Kelli Stargel, targets state funding for family planning and women’s health. While Florida already has a ban on publicly financed abortions on…

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Senate budget: Don Gaetz questioned over mentoring funding

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As the Florida Senate began considering its proposed $80.9 billion budget, state Sen. Don Gaetz on Wednesday defended his recommendation for a $30 million competitive grants program for after-school mentoring instead of direct funding. Gaetz, who chairs the Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee, said he wanted to save nonprofits on “expensive lobbying and the anguish of the Legislative Session.” “We shouldn’t have to put those people through that,” the Niceville Republican said, referring to being left out of the budget. His subcommittee “felt that (by) taking it…

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Senate health care panel narrowly advances CON, balance billing changes

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Monday afternoon, the Senate Health Policy Committee narrowly approved a pair of closely-watched health care bills, with exchanges between lawmakers that predict much more debate will still be to come. Bills weakening the state’s “certificate of need” regime for hospital licensure, and shielding patients from a medical collections practice known as “balance billing” each passed by votes of 6-3 and 5-4, respectively. Former Senate Don Gaetz joked his SB 1144 was simply an “another uncontroversial bill” after the panel approved a number of relatively minor…

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Latest on legislative staffing merry-go-round

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With a tip of the hat to LobbyTool, here are the latest movements – both on and off – the legislative merry-go-round. On: Caitlin Butler, formerly Florida field director for Turning Point USA, is now district secretary for Altamonte Springs Republican State Rep. Bob Cortes. Off: Jonathon Little is no longer Cortes’ legislative assistant. He becomes the new deputy director of communications with the Agency for Health Care Administration. On: Little is being replaced by Murphy Kennedy, Cortes’ District Secretary.…

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