Life and politics from the Sunshine State's best city

Author

Michael Moline - page 17

Michael Moline has 306 articles published.

Michael Moline is a former assistant managing editor of The National Law Journal and managing editor of the San Francisco Daily Journal. Previously, he reported on politics and the courts in Tallahassee for United Press International. He is a graduate of Florida State University, where he served as editor of the Florida Flambeau. His familyā€™s roots in Jackson County date back many generations.

Senate moves proposal to elect secretary of state closer to the ballot

in Statewide by

The Senate voted tentativelyĀ Tuesday to ask the voters next year whether Floridaā€™s secretary of state should once again be an elective position. SJR 882, by Sen.Ā Aaron Bean, would amend the state constitution to make the Secretary of State an elected member of the Cabinet beginning with the 2022 General Election. Identical legislation is pending in the House. The Senate action set upĀ the measure forĀ a final vote. BeanĀ arguedĀ the state’s chief elections officer should be “accountable to the people.” Now, secretaries of…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Senate panel OKs workers’ comp bill opposed by insurance industry

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee voted 7-1 Monday to approveĀ legislation that would require workersā€™ compensation carriers to compete on price rather than propose premium levels through a common ratings agency, and that would allow workers to pay attorneys hourly rates if they take insurers to court. The ‘No” vote was by Sen. George Gainer, a Republican from Panama City. The next stop is the Appropriations Committee. SB 1582, by Rob Bradley, would convert Florida into a ā€œloss costā€ state…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Safety net hospitals decry Medicaid spending cuts planned for Florida

in Statewide by
trauma centers

Representatives of hospitals that invest heavily in physician training and care for the indigent held a news conference Monday to protest plans in the Legislature to slash Medicaid re-imbursement rates. The cuts would undermine the stateā€™s investments in training doctors, alliance members argued outside the Senate Office Building in Tallahassee. Under the Graduate Medical Education Startup Bonus Program launched by Gov. Rick Scott two years ago, teaching hospitals draw $100,000 bonuses for every residency they add in key specialties. New…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Higher education projects fail Houseā€™s strict new budget test

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

The Florida Houseā€™s proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning on July 1 could make life uncomfortable for the stateā€™s colleges and universities. The budget ā€” agreed upon in principle, and due in bill form this week ā€” will call forĀ something like $2.2 billion in spending cuts, according to House leaders, for a total expenditure of $81.2 billion. Among the biggest targets ā€” because they rank among the single most significant expenses outside entitlements like Medicaid ā€” is member projects,…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Anitere Flores bets on Washington intervention in Floridaā€™s health care budget

in Statewide by

Sen. Anitere Flores has built a health care budget around $600 in federal money for indigent care that she concedes might never arrive. ā€œIf it doesnā€™t happen, look, weā€™ll have to reassess the situation,ā€ Flores said this week during a hearing before the Subcommittee on Health and Human Services. ā€œThis is just the Senateā€™s version. Thereā€™s a whole other version thatā€™s going on in the House,ā€ she said. Pending negotiations with the House and Gov. Rick Scott, ā€œI think itā€™s…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

House approves crackdown on public investment in pro sports stadiums

in Statewide by

The Florida House approved legislation on an 82-33 vote Thursday that would ban professional sports teams from building or refurbishing stadiums on public land. CS/HB 77, by Bryan Avila, would forbid the construction, renovation, or improvement on any pro facility ā€œon public land leased from the state or a political subdivision thereof.ā€ Cities and counties could sell public land to teams only at fair market value. Teams would have to assume public debt undertaken for their facilities if they move…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Union-decertification bill clears Florida House on a 75-41 vote

in Statewide by

The House approved legislation Thursday that would require the decertification of any public employee union unless at least 50 percent of the eligible workers in a unit pay dues. HB 11 passed on a vote of 75-41, with many Democrats calling it union busting. ā€œIt amazes me that we constantly come up with bills that are disguised, but that actually weaken the unions,ā€ Broward Democrat Richard Stark said. ā€œIn this day and age, we forget how important unions were in…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

1 … 15 16 17 18 19 … 44
Go to Top