edited by: Kay Day,
Florida Editor
Gov. Charlie Crist swung through Tampa on Wednesday to sign legislation supporting commuter rail in Florida. The state legislation is intended to improve Florida's chances of winning $2.5 billion in federal stimulus money for a high speed rail line connecting Tampa to Orlando.
The bill-signing event drew a passel of state [...]
Amid discussion of State Farm today, Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty addressed a new bill to deregulate the insurance company sponsored by Rep. Bill Proctor, R-St. Augustine, and Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton.
McCarty initially avoided commenting directly on the legislation -- HB447 -- and he said he is open to [...]
Amid discussion of State Farm today, Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty addressed a new bill to deregulate the insurance company sponsored by Rep. Bill Proctor, R-St. Augustine, and Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton.
McCarty initially avoided commenting directly on the legislation -- HB447 -- and he said he is open to [...]
Congressman Kendrick Meek, D-Miami, wants war bonds to finance the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, calling it an effort to promote "national shared sacrifice and responsibility." Meek, who is running for Senate, introduced the legislation today, a companion to legislation by Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Nebraska.
“At a time of tremendous [...]
In her official capacity as Florida's chief financial officer, Alex Sink on Tuesday called on Gov. Charlie Crist to conduct an internal investigation of why a top DOT official used words like "French toast" and "pancakes" in the subject header of emails dealing with the SunRail legislation.
Crist promptly ordered his [...]
With the state's chief transportation official conspicuously not in attendance, Gov. Charlie Crist signed the rail bill (HB 1B) into law at a ceremony in the Capitol Wednesday morning.
"Today we celebrate because Florida's transportation future moves into the 21st century," Crist said. The legislation, he added, "solidifies our state's commitment" [...]
With the state's chief transportation official conspicuously not in attendance, Gov.Charlie Crist signed the rail bill (HB 1B) into law at a ceremony in the Capitol Wednesday morning.
"Today we celebrate because Florida's transportation future moves into the 21st century," Crist said. The legislation, he added, "solidifies our state's commitment to [...]
Gov. Charlie Crist -- not known as a regular user of e-mail -- says he found it "odd" that the Department of Transportation would use breakfast words like "pancakes" and "French toast" in official communications dealing with the recent commuter rail legislation. DOT Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos' No. 2, Kevin Thibault, said he' [...]
Gov. Charlie Crist -- not known as a regular user of e-mail -- says he found it "odd" that the Department of Transportation would use breakfast words like "pancakes" and "French toast" in official communications dealing with the recent commuter rail legislation. DOT Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos' No. 2, Kevin Thibault, said he [...]
Outside the U.S. Capitol today, there's a big tea-party style rally against the health care legislation. The scene below stood out amid shouts of "kill the bill" and sharply anti-Obama signs signs. I went up to the man in the grim reaper costume to ask some questions and he [...]
Rep. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami, has filed legislation to replace the FCAT with end-of-course exams in a range of subjects. Bullard and fellow House Democrats say the exams would expand and better measure what students learn over the course of the year -- replacing the current practice of teachers who spend [...]
Rep. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami, has filed legislation to replace the FCAT with end-of-course exams in a range of subjects. Bullard and fellow House Democrats say the exams would expand and better measure what students learn over the course of the year -- replacing the current practice of teachers who spend [...]
A few follow-up notes on the congressional front…
Mica ignores birther bill. Sunday’s column mentioned that Bill Posey is still championing the birth-certificate bill that has made him the hero of (and now officially endorsed by) the birther crowd. But I thought you might also like a take on this legislation [...]
TALLAHASSEE –State Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, and one of her staunchest grassroots supporters, Orlando consultant Doug Guetzloe, are blasting the state Department of Transportation over what they are calling “Wafflegate.”
To recap, The Palm Beach Post reported today that FDOT officials were using breakfast terms as code words to discuss recent rail legislation [...]
TALLAHASSEE — The Palm Beach Post had a juicy story today that basically suggested the Florida Department of Transportation was using breakfast terms as code words to discuss its recent rail legislation — in order to avoid public records requests.
It makes me hungry every time I read the story. I [...]
The House of Representatives passed legislation Friday designed to bring the most sweeping rewrite of financial regulation since the New Deal era following the Great Depression: "We are sending a clear message to Wall Street: The party is over," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Florida Republicans joined their counterparts in [...]
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A year after Wall Street failures plunged the nation into recession, the House on Friday passed the most ambitious restructuring of financial regulation since the New Deal.
The sprawling legislation gives the government new powers to break up companies that threaten the economy, creates a new agency to [...]
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the [...]
Rep. Bill Proctor and Sen. Mike Bennett are reviving their attempt to deregulate large private property insurers' rates -- this time with proposed legislation that would open up the rate deregulation for all private insurers, big and small.
Proctor, R-St. Augustine, filed HB 447 this morning and is planning a press conference' [...]
Rep. Bill Proctor and Sen. Mike Bennett are reviving their attempt to deregulate large private property insurers' rates -- this time with proposed legislation that would open up the rate deregulation for all private insurers, big and small.
"This is to revitalize the private insurance market in Florida, which we know is [...]
Much of the House's debate this morning about the proposed commuter rail legislation emphasized SunRail, the Central Florida commuter system that supporters are trying to get passed after two years of defeat.
But to hear Sen. Jeremy Ring tell it to fellow members of the Senate Democratic Caucus, the bill isn't' [...]
Much of the House's debate this morning about the proposed commuter rail legislation emphasized SunRail, the Central Florida commuter system that supporters are trying to get passed after two years of defeat.
But to hear Sen. Jeremy Ring tell it to fellow members of the Senate Democratic Caucus, the bill isn't [...]
Well, that didn't go very well.
If Senate Dems Jeremy Ring and Al Lawson were hoping to walk away from today's lunchtime Democratic Caucus meeting with support for the rail legislation from their fellow D's, they saw those hopes dashed -- and before a packed room full of reporters, staffers, and [...]
Behind an "Ax the Tax" sign and a bank of microphones, state Sen. Paula Dockery continued her assault on the proposed commuter rail legislation, launching into a 40-minute number-laden dissertation that left a Capitol press corps weary.
The Republican gubernatorial candidate specifically took issue with the $44 million the state transportation department already spent on the [...]
Well, that didn't go very well.
If Senate Dems Jeremy Ring and Al Lawson were hoping to walk away from today's lunchtime Democratic Caucus meeting with support for the rail legislation from their fellow D's, they saw those hopes dashed -- and before a packed room full of reporters, staffers, and [...]
