After the idea died in the Senate during the 2017 legislative session, a House Democrat is renewing a proposal to establish a Florida slavery memorial at the state Capitol.
The state’s Democrats, in the wake of their Leadership Blue Gala, say they raised nearly $3.5 million through the first half of the year. Florida Democratic Party spokeswoman Johanna Cervone made the claim in a Saturday news release.
With a tip of the hat to LobbyTools, here are the latest movements – both on and off – of the legislative merry-go-round. Off: Parker Aziz is no longer Special Master and attorney for the House Civil Justice and Claims Subcommittee. Off: Nikolas Pascual has stepped down as a legislative assistant for the vacant House District 116 seat. Off: Garrett Mann has stopped being the district secretary for Jacksonville Republican State Rep. Jason Fischer. Off: Zachary McCulley is no longer legislative assistant for Pensacola Republican…
Florida House Democrats are beefing up their campaign arm for next year’s elections, hiring a communications chief and operatives to begin work immediately. Kionne McGhee, scheduled to become House leader following the 2018 elections, said it is “imperative” that Democrats “take back power” in the House. “I’m pleased to welcome our new staff into the fray,” McGhee said in a written statement. “They represent part of our bold, aggressive effort towards the critical elections ahead of us. Together, we will hold House…
It’s tough to be a top Democrat in Florida, but Evan Jenne is going for it. Jenne, of Dania Beach, recently announced his intention to seek the leadership of the House Democrats in 2020-22. In a state where Republicans have controlled the Legislature for the last two decades, “you can’t promise definitively that something will happen,” he said. That said, he added, “If I say I’m going to do something, you can stick to my word.” The 39-year-old first served in…
Roughly 34 years after the discovery of the virus that causes AIDS, Florida’s lawmakers are considering legislation whose maximum sentence would be death to knowingly spread the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, to a sexual partner without their knowledge, according to a committee that voted favorably Monday in regard to the measure. The bill, HB 165, sponsored by Florida Rep. Kionne McGhee, would expand a current law already on the books in the Sunshine State making it a crime to…
Sponsors of legislation requiring the state to produce a report each year on criminal sentencing disparities based on race said Monday that they don’t mean an attack on judges but need to know what the data show. “I’ve heard there’s been some consternation from some judges,” said Sen. Audrey Gibson, a Democrat from Jacksonville. “The bill is not about judges. It’s justice, and it’s about data. Nobody should fear data,” she said. “The data already exists. The bill simply asks…
