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Mark Walker

Two Janet Cruz sponsored bills headed to Gov. Scott’s desk

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

Two bills sponsored by Tampa House Democratic Minority Leader Janet Cruz are headed towards Governor Rick Scott’s desk. The House on Wednesday unanimously passed SB 800, the Senate companion to Cruz’ bill that will prohibit health insurers from denying patients the ability to receive a partial refill of a prescription if they choose to enroll in a medication synchronization program through their pharmacy. According to the sponsor, this will allow more patients to synchronize their prescription plans and lead to better health outcomes.…

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FAMU ‘thick accent’ case referred to mediation

in Apolitical/Top Headlines by

A lawsuit against Florida A&M University by a Belize native who claims she was wrongly fired is headed to court-ordered mediation. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker last Friday ordered a mediation report by July 27, and tentatively set a jury trial to begin Oct. 16 if the parties can’t resolve the case. Glenda McDougall‘s lawsuit, filed in Leon County Circuit Civil court this August, was transferred to federal court in October, court dockets show. McDougall says the state’s historically black university wrongly got…

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Federal judge to Florida: Why aren’t more people registered?

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

A federal judge wants to know why nearly 25,000 people who’ve applied to vote haven’t been registered in Florida. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker has asked state election officials to tell him during a Friday hearing about their efforts to verify voter registration applications. Walker extended the voter registration deadline from Oct. 11 to Oct. 18 following the disruption caused by Hurricane Matthew. Democrats asked for the extension after Gov. Rick Scott turned down requests to move back the deadline.…

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No evidence Florida is slowing voter verification, judge says

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

A federal judge has rejected the Florida Democratic Party’s request to let people cast a ballot during early voting even if their registration application hasn’t been verified. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker said Thursday morning there is no evidence that state officials are dragging their feet in verifying applications. Walker extended Florida’s voter registration deadline until Oct. 18 due to the disruption caused by Hurricane Matthew. Early voting is scheduled to begin in some counties on Oct. 24 and statewide…

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Democrats want judge to put in new voting rules for Florida

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

Florida Democrats, expressing worries that voters could be disenfranchised, want a federal judge to impose new election rules some state officials are warning could create chaos. The Florida Democratic Party this week asked U.S. District Judge Mark Walker to order state election officials to allow people to cast a ballot during early voting even if their registration application has not yet been verified. Democrats made this unusual request, which was first reported by POLITICO Florida, after saying that some election…

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State could tally 64,000 new voters in extended registration period

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

Secretary of State Ken Detzner on Tuesday night announced nearly 37,000 Floridians had become eligible to vote in the extra week of voter registration. He also said another nearly 27,000 applications were in the verification process, meaning the state could have almost 64,000 new voters on the rolls. Detzner did not provide a breakdown of new registrations by party. Last week, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker of Tallahassee extended the state’s deadline to register by one week, from Oct. 11 to this Tuesday. He…

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Judge rebukes Florida’s top election official in ballot case

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

A federal judge on Saturday issued a scathing rebuke to Florida’s top election official in an order canceling a hearing on a lawsuit over vote-by-mail ballots. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker accused Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner of delaying a hearing on the lawsuit “so that he could use every second available to run out the clock” so there wouldn’t be enough time to address problems raised in the lawsuit. The judge also said Detzner’s actions amounted to an…

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