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Michael Moline - page 7

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 family’s roots in Jackson County date back many generations.

Joe Negron starts edging toward the exit

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Senate President Joe Negron said Friday that the Senate was waiting to vote on two bills and then would retire for the evening. Those bills, he said, were the joint resolution extending the session past its midnight expiration time, into Monday, so the House and Senate could debate an $83 billion compromise budget and conforming bills. The other was SB436, by Sen. Dennis Baxley, to allow students to express religious beliefs in class assignments, profess faith via clothing and jewelry…

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Conference committees complete work on budget conforming bills

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The House and Senate staged one last conference committee Friday, agreeing on budget conforming bills containing sweeping policy changes, on public schools, higher education, economic incentives programs and more. House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate President Joe Negron did the honors personally, leading delegations to a committee room to present and consider offers on the conforming bills. The $83 billion state budget landed on members desks in the House and Senate at 2:43 p.m., allowing them three days to study…

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Bill Montford complains about school spending during scholarships debate

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The Senate’s leading education expert unloaded Friday on spending levels for schools contemplated in the Legislature’s compromise $83 billion state budget. During debate on extending Florida’s corporate tax exemption scholarship program, Sen. Bill Montford complained that base spending per student would decline in the public schools next fiscal year, notwithstanding a modest increase in the school budget. “In the budget that you’re going to look at Monday,” he said, “the basic student allocation next year will be $27 less than it…

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Senate sends Dozier school memorial bill to governor’s desk

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Legislation to erect memorials to boys who suffered abuse and death at the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in Marianna was headed to the governor’s desk Friday following final approval by the Senate. The vote to adopt HB 7115 was 35-0. The measure passed the House, 117-0, on April 18. Sponsor Darryl Rouson said the measure would provide “a respectful burial to the inidentified, unclaims remains” of the victims of a 1914 dormitory fire at Boot Hill Cemetery on…

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House moves toward Senate on must-pass workers’ compensation legislation

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The Senate refused Friday to move toward the House position on workers’ compensation reform, but the House gave ground on how much to pay attorneys handling claims appeals. Senate bill sponsor Rob Bradley offered an amendment that would have split the difference between the two chambers by paying attorneys as much as $200 per hour, but the Senate chose on a voice vote to retain his original language — $250. The Senate voted, 21-16, to send the bill to the House…

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Senate bows to minimum-mandatory sentencing for fentanyl traffickers

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The Senate changed its mind Friday and accepted mandatory-minimum prison sentences in a bill cracking down on synthetic opioids, including fentanyl and carfentanil. Senators had stripped the provision earlier in the week, but the House refused to abandon mandatory sentences and sent the bill back. Senate President Joe Negron initially ruled that Sen. Greg Steube’s motion to rescind the amendment had failed on a voice vote. But enough members insisted on a recorded vote, which went 20-18 to back down.…

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Steve Andrews getting involved in Kevin Rader’s crusade against lobbyist

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Could someone in the Senate please ask Kevin Rader to knock it off? That’s the gist of a letter Tallahassee attorney Steven Andrews wrote to Senate general counsel Dawn Roberts last week. “Would you kindly ask Sen. Rader to stop disseminating my client’s picture around the Capitol on stationery that bears the Senate’s seal?” Andrews wrote. “The last week has been bad enough without this nonsense,” Andrews continued in his letter, dated April 27. This was after the Democrat from…

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