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Public records bill barely gets out of first committee

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A bill that would give judges discretion to award attorney fees in public records lawsuits squeaked out of its first review panel Tuesday. The Senate’s Governmental Oversight and Accountability cleared the bill (SB 80) by a 4-3 vote. It goes next to the Community Affairs Committee. The measure changes the word “shall” to “may” regarding courts awarding legal fees when an “agency (has) unlawfully refused to permit a public record … to be inspected or copied.” It would also require a “complainant (to) provide…

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Tallahassee residency case becomes statewide issue

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Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox lives in the City of Tallahassee. While that should not come as man-bites-dog news, it’s not that simple in Florida’s capital. The residency of the former Tallahassee Mayor and Florida Democratic Party Chair was challenged in court by Dr. Erwin Jackson, a frequent city government and Maddox critic. Maddox maintains two domiciles; a rented home within the city limits and another larger residence outside the city, which he owns. The home outside the city limits was…

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Bill again targets attorney fees in public records cases

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A bill that would give judges the discretion to award attorney fees in public records lawsuits was refiled Wednesday in the Florida Legislature. New state Sen. Greg Steube, a Sarasota Republican and lawyer, is again behind the legislation (SB 80). He backed a version of the bill last session as a state representative. It passed the Senate unanimously but died in the House. The measure changes the word “shall” to “may” regarding courts awarding legal fees when an “agency (has) unlawfully…

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David Jolly makes surprise visit to Seminole City Council

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Mayor Leslie Waters said she and the rest of the Seminole City Council were caught by surprise when U. S. Rep. David Jolly dropped in during Tuesday’s meeting. Jolly, a Republican, was there to honor Waters and council member Thom Barnhorn, who received Home Rule Hero awards from the Florida League of Cities. Waters said the recognition was memorialized into the U.S. Congressional Record. The League recently recognized nearly 70 city officials with 2016 Home Rule Hero Awards. Those local…

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Senate panel passes over 2 dozen changes to Florida Building Codes

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Florida Building Codes are in for a host of changes under a bill approved Wednesday by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government. SB 704, sponsored by Elkton Republican state Sen. Travis Hutson, passed with a 5-1 vote. If enacted, the bill would make more than two dozen adjustments to Florida Building Codes. According to LobbyTools, Hutson said he expects additional variations in the law, although he did not offer any amendments for the committee. Under debate was a provision…

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House committee OK’s rewrite of state economic incentive program

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A series of rewrites to Florida’s economic-incentive programs, a chief priority of Gov. Rick Scott, passed its first House panel Tuesday afternoon. Lobby Tools reports that HB 1325, from Bradenton Republican Rep. Jim Boyd, seeks to establish a new Florida Enterprise Fund, as well as changes in the process of administering economic incentives for businesses to come to Florida. Several provisions of the bill are similar to a proposal (SB 1646) sponsored by Clearwater Republican Rep. Jack Latvala, including lower…

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Senate panel passes red light camera preemption 4-3

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A key Senate panel narrowly passed a proposal to effectively end the use of red light cameras around the state of Florida on Thursday. The Senate Transportation Committee passed the bill by a 4-3 party-line vote. Bill sponsor St. Petersburg Sen. Jeff Brandes, who also chairs the panel, said the bill simply reflects the public policy reality that infraction detectors are not making intersections safer. “The Department of Highway Safety will not testify that there is a safety benefit,” said Brandes. “Red light…

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