Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum rolled out his most significant Jacksonville endorsement of his campaign for the Democratic nomination for Governor Wednesday, in the form of former State Rep. Mia Jones. Jones called Gillum a “tireless public servant willing to take on the tough fights … just the kind of leader Floridians need now.”
With a tip of the hat to LobbyTools, here are the latest movements – both on and off – of the legislative merry-go-round. Off and on: Maggie Mickler is no longer press secretary for the Senate Majority Leader’s office. She has become director of communications at the Department of Management Services. On: LaQuisha Persak has become the new press secretary for the Senate Majority Leader’s office. Off: Lindy Smith is no longer legislative assistant for Cape Canaveral Republican state Sen. Thad Altman. Off and on: Drew…
Two potential heirs to the much-discussed 5th Congressional District long held by U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown have confirmed they are sizing up the seat should it become available. “Absolutely,” said state Rep. Mia Jones, one of four veteran Jacksonville politicians seen as a viable contender to run in Brown’s stead. The others are former Jax Mayor Alvin Brown, state Sen. Audrey Gibson, and former state Sen. Tony Hill. “I believe that you have to keep all options open, and it would…
The Florida House on Wednesday began considering a bill that would expand medical marijuana in Florida. The House began discussing the measure (HB 307), and Rep. Matt Gaetz, the Fort Walton Beach Republican sponsoring the bill, fielded questions from lawmakers on the proposal. The bill is expected to receive a vote Thursday. The bill expands the 2015 Right to Try Act to include medical cannabis. The 2015 law allows terminally ill patients to try experimental treatments that have passed the…
A Senate budget panel advanced a bill Wednesday for a grant to the family of a Florida State University football player who died on the practice field. The bill – SB 16 by Sen. Arthenia Joyner – appropriates $1.8 million to the family of Devaughn Darling, who died during preseason drills from complications of an undiagnosed health problem in 2001. Awarded $2 million by a jury in 2005, Darling’s family received just $200,000 of that sum. The legal doctrine of sovereign immunity, which shields governments…
Two Florida legislators and a group of NFL players say this is the year the Legislature should finally compensate the family of Florida State University freshman football player Devaughn Darling, who died after overexertion during a workout in 2001. Darling’s identical twin brother Devard Darling, who also played at FSU and later played professionally, appeared at a news conference in the Capitol Tuesday with two legislators sponsoring a bill that seeks $1.8 million. State Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, and state…
After several weeks of deliberation, Edward James III has made it official — the Sarasota-born Democrat told SaintPetersBlog he filed 2016 campaign paperwork on Tuesday to run in House District 72. James said he was spurred to run by what he called the “cold-heartedness” of the GOP-led House, which abruptly adjourned and left town early last month in opposition to the Senate-led “FHIX” proposal to expand healthcare access to uninsured Floridians by drawing down federal Medicaid dollars left on the table. “You…
