2017 Florida House – Page 3

House votes to bar use of red light cameras to monitor intersections

Published on March 23, 2017 in Statewide by Michael Moline

The Florida House voted Thursday to ban the use of red light cameras to enforce traffic laws in the state. The vote on final passage went 91-22. Supporters argued the cameras don’t save lives and have become money-makers for vendors, some of them located out of state. “It has become less about public safety and more about revenue,” said Bryan Avila, the Hialeah Republican who presented the bill. The state is sending $35 million to out-of-state vendors, he said. Yet the cameras are…

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Janet Cruz highlights diversity in picking Democratic leadership

Published on December 7, 2016 in Statewide/Top Headlines by Michael Moline

Florida House Democratic chief Janet Cruz announced her leadership team Wednesday, saying she strove for diversity in their selection. “In order to build consensus on how to confront the difficult issues facing our state, we must take into account the many varying stakeholders whose futures will be affected by the decisions we make in the Legislature,” Cruz said in a written statement. Leading on policy will be Evan Jenne and Cynthia Stafford. Jenne, of Dania Beach, had served in leadership…

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This is your Florida House — men, whites, youth have the numbers

Published on December 6, 2016 in Statewide/Top Headlines by Michael Moline

The Florida House is 76 percent male, 66 percent white, and has an awful lot of newcomers this year, according to data released by the Majority Office. The Republican caucus is 82 percent male and overwhelmingly white, also at 82 percent, with 17 percent Hispanic and 1 percent African-American. That last would be Rep. Byron Donalds, representing Hendry and Collier counties. The 41-member Democratic caucus is 63 percent male, and nearly half — 49 percent — are African-American. Whites comprise…

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