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Dozens of candidates have raised $100,000 or more for their House races

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The end of the 2016 legislative session last month can only mean one thing — election season is coming. Campaign finance reports were due to the state on Monday. The March fundraising reports show that more than two dozen candidates for the Florida House have more than $100,000 in cash on hand, and several candidates raised upwards of $200,000 since getting in the race. The fundraising totals were compiled by On 3 Public Relations. House District 52 — Republican Brian Hodgers…

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Latest on the legislative staffing merry-go-round

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With a tip of the hat to LobbyTools, here are the latest movements – both on and off – of the legislative merry-go-round. Off: Amanda Cogan has stepped down as district secretary for Shalimar Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz. On: Lisa Goodson is Gaetz’s new district secretary. Off and on: Kevin Reilly has left the job of deputy staff director for the House majority leader for a new position as legislative affairs director for Gov. Rick Scott’s office. Off: Gloria Perez is no longer district secretary…

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Florida Democrats endorse medical marijuana amendment

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The Florida Democratic Party has endorsed the 2016 medical marijuana initiative. The state executive committee unanimously backed the resolution during Democratic County Chair Association retreat Saturday. The Florida Democratic Party unanimously supported the amendment in 2014. In the resolution approved Saturday, the state party said: “There are hundreds of thousands of Floridians suffering from debilitating conditions.” The resolution goes on to say those current state laws dealing with medical marijuana “fall shamefully short of providing adequate access to medical marijuana…

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Latest on the legislative staffing merry-go-round

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With a tip of the hat to Legislative IQ powered by LobbyTools, here are the latest movements – both on and off – of the legislative merry-go-round. Off: Matthew Yost is no longer legislative assistant for Hillsborough County Republican Rep. Ross Spano. Off: Tradrick McCoy is no longer legislative assistant for Palm Beach Shores Democratic Rep. Bobby Powell. Off: David Zaret is no longer legislative assistant for Democratic Rep. David Richardson of Miami. Off: Haley Pitts is no longer legislative assistant for Rep. Irv Slosberg of Delray Beach. On:…

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Florida House votes 82-37 to approve “Pastor Protection” Act

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The Florida House voted 82-37 to approve a bill that allows members of the clergy to refuse to perform gay marriages. The passage came after more than an hour of passionate debate. Opponents questioned why the bill (HB 43) was needed, with some calling it an insult to the state’s gay community. “This bill is about discriminating in the name of religion, sadly,” said Rep. David Richardson, a Miami Beach Democrat and the only openly gay member of the Florida…

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House panel approves raft of gaming bills

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The House Regulatory Affairs Committee approved a trio of bills that could reshape Florida’s gaming industry, mainly by ratifying a newly renegotiated compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida and by separating pari-mutuel racing from the card games which have come to dominate those facilities. A panel passed all three bills sponsored by its Chairman Rep. Jose Felix “Pepi” Diaz by narrow majorities and with defections from Diaz’s fellow members of the GOP majority. The committee passed bills to give necessary…

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House budget panel hears from Rick Scott’s budget chief, and vice versa

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The House Appropriations Committee heard from Gov. Rick Scott‘s chief budget aide Tuesday afternoon, who presented Scott’s $79.3 billion proposed budget for the 2016-2017 fiscal year before being peppered with questions on taxes, state worker pay, hospital regulation and land acquisition among other issues. Cynthia Kelly, director of Scott’s Office of Policy and Budget presented the governor’s “Florida First” budget, the sixth since such proposal Scott took office in 2011. Kelly began with an upbeat presentation, touting gains in revenue growth bolstered by…

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