Public Affairs

Get ready for more solar power in Florida. Announced earlier this month, the Florida Municipal Solar Project will be one of the largest municipal solar projects in the nation.

Florida Senate President Joe Negron recently announced his decision to resign early and not complete his final two years in office.

The 2018 Best High Schools were announced this month, utilizing criteria based on the number of gold and silver medals received in schools across the country. Medals are awarded for student achievement on statewide tests, graduation rates, college preparation and passing scores on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests.

You probably aren’t ready to hear this, but hurricane season is already upon us, and the time to get prepared is now.

With the Memorial Day weekend kickoff of summer approaching, we continue to be reminded of the true meaning of Memorial Day.

Volunteer Florida recently announced Betty Mulligan as the 2018 Florida Volunteer of the Year. After 35 years of teaching, Betty has dedicated her retirement to developing a free tutoring program in Martin County, allowing students to expand their vocabularies and improve their reading comprehension skills.

In November, Florida residents will have the chance to vote on 13 constitutional amendments – eight proposed by the Constitution Revision Commission.

As many around Florida’s political circle focus on fallout from the legislative session and campaigns for statewide office this fall, the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) has been carrying out its duties below the radar at times.

Have you been wondering why the old capitol has been aglow in purple lights this week?

With another Florida legislative season coming to an end (pending any special sessions, of course), a new political era is approaching the state capital.

At 21, Amber Mariano became the youngest person ever elected to the Florida House of Representatives. Now, with her second legislative session under her belt, we caught up with her to get her perspective about Florida politics.

You have probably walked past it a million times in the Capitol. A wall with the pictures of women who have been inducted into the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame.

The Modern Fish Act (S. 1520/H.R. 2023) took one step in federal legislation and a leap for recreational saltwater anglers when it passed a U.S. Senate Committee on Feb. 28, giving hope to anglers across the nation.

The Florida House, Senate, and Governor are proposing measures to help ensure the horrific Feb. 14 shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School never happen again. Students’ impassioned speeches, poems, songs and statements helped inspire new legislation currently being debated in Florida’s legislature. Proposals include:

The legislative session brings with it numerous opportunities for “days” highlighting a variety of special groups at the capitol that we all look forward to each year.

How much do you know about your local city or county’s debt obligations? The LeRoy Collins Institute recently released its latest report, “Benchmarking Debt Obligations in Florida Cities and Counties,” to help Floridians stay informed on local government spending.

With a daily subscription to The Washington Post, I was an outlier in my first-year college dorm. I found its content more interesting than textbooks on which I perhaps should have focused. Then, I didn’t appreciate the courage of owner Katharine Graham, perfectly profiled by Meryl Streep in “The Post.”

As Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, I am proud to also serve as State Fire Marshal.

On Jan. 19, the Florida Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) Declaration of Rights Committee voted in favor of Proposal 96, known as Marsy’s Law for Florida, which provides victims and their families with rights and protections equal to those already provided to the accused and convicted.

A new year brings reflection on the year gone by. But wow, how fast have the last eight years gone?

2018 marks my last term representing the people of Tampa in Tallahassee. But my time in the legislature ending doesn’t mean I will stop advocating for Florida’s working families. I understand their struggles because I’ve lived them.

Today is Florida Tourism Day. Representatives from nearly 40 local tourism marketing organizations across the state have gathered in Tallahassee to educate lawmakers about the critical role tourism plays in generating revenue and creating jobs in Florida.

Last year, we successfully secured funding to expand the Bright Futures Academic Scholar Award to cover 100 percent of tuition and fees and a $300 book stipend for spring and fall semesters.

In the 2018 session, we are looking to continue to build on the successes of the 2017 session.

The Republican primary for one of Florida’s cabinet posts is heating up among three current House members and a former Circuit Judge.

Florida’s next commissioner of agriculture will be taking the lead on one of Florida’s most important industries, one year after much of Hurricane Irma had a devastating impact on Florida’s farming community. But before the Cabinet seat is filled, first comes the election with three candidates on the Republican side.

This year’s hurricane season took a toll on Florida, Texas and the Carribean. For those students displaced by the storm, the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF)-affilated schools are making it a little easier to get back to work.

Look around Tallahassee and you will probably be seeing a lot of pink. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a great opportunity for the Capital City to show support for the cause. Businesses, retail outlets, community organizations and others are all finding ways to help.

The figurative tumbleweeds blowing across Adams Street all summer, with downtown employees languishing in the scorching sun, were replaced with power suits and the cacophony of heels frenetically clacking in the Capitol.

As we know, hurricane recovery takes more than a few months. In fact, the economic recovery after severe storms takes multiple years. That’s why the Main Street Growth and Opportunity Coalition is promoting tax reform to update our 30-year-old code.