Life and politics from the Sunshine State's best city

Author

Michael Moline - page 9

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 acknowledges the Legislative Session will enter extra innings

in Statewide by

Senate President Joe Negron conceded the obvious Tuesday night: The House and Senate won’t wrap up budget negotiations in time to adjourn as scheduled on Friday. “You know the timetable as well as I do, with the 72-hour requirement. So we will definitely not complete the budget work prior to the end of Friday, and so we’ll continue to work diligently,” Negron told reporters after the Senate recessed for the evening. “We made a lot of progress today in a…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Must-pass workers’ compensation, AOB reform languishing in Legislature

in Statewide by

With House and Senate leaders caught up with budget negotiations ahead of Friday’s deadline for adjournment, advocates for legislative fixes for assignment of benefits and workers’ compensation reform confronted this possibility: Their must-pass legislation might not pass. There’s a workers’ compensation bill on the Senate calendar, but it differs in significant respects from the version the House adopted, and it was unclear whether those differences could be reconciled in the time left. Meanwhile, the House has adopted assignment of benefits,…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Lawmakers, lobbyists begin to contemplate an extended session

in Statewide by

House Speaker Richard Corcoran insisted Tuesday that he still hoped to complete a budget deal in time to adjourn on schedule Friday — but other lawmakers and Tallahassee’s lobbyists have begun clearing their calendars for next week. “I think it’s 90 percent likely,” Corcoran said of chances the negotiations with the Senate could be wrapped up that day, conceivably allowing a timely adjournment. Sen. Jeff Brandes wasn’t counting on it. “Monday — it’s my best guess. That’s my math,” Brandes…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Opioid-crackdown bill picks up potentially deadly amendment in Senate

in Statewide by

The Senate adopted an amendment Tuesday easing mandatory-minimum prison sentences in a bill cracking down on trafficking in synthetic opioids, including fentanyl and carfentanil. Senate President Joe Negron ruled that Sen. Randolph Bracy’s amendment had passed on a voice vote, following an impassioned debate touching on the drugs’ dangers and the damage minimum-mandatory sentencing has done to communities. The amended legislation awaits a final vote. “Man, this was one of my noncontroversial bills that I filed this session,” Senate sponsor…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Joe Negron sees ‘good progress’ toward budget deal as session enters final week

in Statewide by

Senate President Joe Negron held out hope Monday evening that he and House Speaker Richard Corcoran could resolve lingering disagreements about the state budget in time to present a bill Tuesday and adjourn as scheduled on Friday. “I know there was some real good progress made today on a number of issues, particularly in the environmental budget. If we work diligently through the rest of the afternoon and evening, I’m still optimistic that we can get it done,” Negron told…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Homestead exemption expansion wins supermajority vote in Senate

in Statewide by

The Senate approved a proposed ballot measure Monday to raise the value of Florida’s homestead exemption, improving chances that separate legislation to expand gambling would survive the Legislative Session. The vote was 28-10, within the required three-fifths majority. House leaders, who have been reluctant to open Florida to additional gambling options, have made approval of legislation to do that contingent on passage of the homestead exemption increase. Several senators referred to those stakes, but sponsor Tom Lee maintained that the…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Tax breaks clear Senate Appropriations as session enters final scheduled week

in Statewide by

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved some $75 million in tax breaks Monday, including repeal of Florida’s tampon tax, that would be central to passing an $83 billion budget and ending the Legislative Session on time Friday. The committee also approved across-the-board pay raises for state workers, with extra money for high-risk employees, plus an option to participate in a defined-contribution retirement plan instead of a traditional pension. “I am pleased to see a tax package advance to the Senate floor that…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

1 … 7 8 9 10 11 … 44
Go to Top