Legislative Ethics

The Florida legislature continues to prepare for the 2016 legislative session holding a final week of committee meetings. Also this week, the Florida Supreme Court upheld Circuit Judge Terry Lewis’s decision in favor of a congressional district map submitted by Common Cause Florida and the League of Women Voters of Florida. The Supreme Court’s decision means the Common Cause/League of Women Voter’s map is now the new congressional district map for Florida, barring any successful future legal challenges.

Week two of the 2016 Florida legislative session is over and there was action on issues of concern to Common Cause Florida. The big news this week came on Wednesday when the Florida Senate announced it would not appeal a Leon County judge’s ruling on a Senate redistricting plan.

Week two of the 2016 Florida legislative session is over and there was action on issues of concern to Common Cause Florida. The big news this week came on Wednesday when the Florida Senate announced it would not appeal a Leon County judge’s ruling on a Senate redistricting plan.

Week eight of the 2016 Florida legislative session is over and there was action on issues that are priorities for Common Cause Florida. Unfortunately, one of our top priorities failed to make it out of its last committee stop this week and the committee is not scheduled to meet again. All of the legislation we once considered problematic has been neutralized to the point that Common Cause Florida is no longer opposing it.

Legislative report from Florida legislative interim committees in preparation for the 2016 session.

During the last week of the regular session two significant, Common Cause-supported bills were sent to the governor. One is our top priority issue, online voter registration, the other related to modest reforms of the Public Service Commission. A surprise came when the House adjourned sine die, three days early, leaving scores of bills dead for the session. The legislature will re-convene within the next to months to pass a budget, since both houses were hopelessly deadlocked, especially over the issue of Medicare expansion.