Life and politics from the Sunshine State's best city

Tag archive

Fair Districts - page 2

House, Senate seek to bridge differences on Senate districts

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

The Florida House and Senate are trying to work out their differences on political boundaries for state Senate districts. The Senate decided Wednesday to go to conference with the House after the two chambers approved different maps for the 40 Senate districts. During a meeting Wednesday night, Senate Chair Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, brought up concerns raised during Wednesday’s Senate session about how the House-approved map has certain districts drawn in Lake, Duval and Miami-Dade counties. After brief discussions, Galvano and…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

House panel clears Jose Oliva map for state Senate districts

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

The House redistricting panel on Monday OK’d along party lines a map filed by its chair to redraw the state Senate districts. The Select Committee on Redistricting voted out the map that chair Jose Oliva, a Miami Lakes Republican, had said borrows from the plaintiffs’ proposal. The full House will next take up that map in its Tuesday floor session, scheduled for 3 p.m. But committee Democrats still complained about voting data used for map-making not being updated and about map-drawing…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

House files its own Senate district map

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

State Rep. Jose Oliva, chairman of the House of Representatives redistricting panel, on Friday filed a plan to redraw the state Senate districts that he said borrows from the plaintiffs’ proposal. That map now will be considered as an amendment to the map sent over by the Senate on Wednesday. Oliva’s Select Committee on Redistricting meets noon to 4 p.m. Monday, the House website shows. State Sen. Bill Galvano, who leads redistricting efforts in that chamber, said his staff is reviewing the House…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

What’s next after Florida Senate narrowly approves new Senate map

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

Amid an ugly political brawl in which one senator publicly accused another of being a bully, the Florida Senate on Wednesday narrowly approved a new map for the state’s 40 senate districts. But some senators predicted shortly after the 22-18 vote that the proposal may not pass the Republican-controlled Florida House. That’s because the Senate made last minute changes to a handful of districts in Miami-Dade County that some Democrats said were aimed at helping an incumbent GOP senator from…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Senate passes new district map, sends to House

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

The Florida Senate on Wednesday passed its redrawn district map by a close vote of 22-18, with all 14 Democrats and four Republicans opposed. It’s now up to the House of Representatives to OK the map as is or change it and send it back as the Special Session clock ticks to an end. “We now have a map from the Senate and a great deal of information that the House will consider,” said Michael Williams, spokesman for House Speaker Steve Crisafulli. It…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

More Senate district maps filed Monday

in Statewide by

State Sens. Gwen Margolis and Miguel Diaz de la Portilla have filed their own versions of state Senate district maps, according to the chamber’s redistricting website. Margolis, a Miami Democrat, and Diaz de la Portilla, a Coral Gables Republican, submitted maps on Monday afternoon. Margolis filed one; Diaz de la Portilla turned in four. For details on those maps, click here. Those maps are intended to contend with the map favored by Senate Reapportionment Committee Chairman Bill Galvano, and another five…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Today on Context Florida: Happy endings, bad reviews, black bears and no joy in Tallahassee

in Apolitical/Top Headlines by

Today on Context Florida: On Tuesday night, Tom O’Hara heard two attorneys at the heart of the redistricting fight tell a riveting tale that has a happy ending. Dan Gelber, a prominent Florida Democrat, and Ellen Freidin, the woman who is primarily responsible for the state constitutional amendments that guarantee fair districts, told a story about how determined citizens can overcome brute political power. Heather Gibson, who serves as marketing director for the UCF School of Performing Arts, believes it’s critical…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

1 2 3 4
Go to Top