The Capitolist

Monday Mailbag: Inspected and Approved for Accuracy Edition

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Monday Mailbag: Inspected and Approved for Accuracy Edition

by Brian Burgess | Jan 20, 2020

Real* emails from real readers... "When the The Capitolist publishes their big fake news hit piece about me this week, just remember that my face is plastered on gas pumps throughout the state next to the phrase 'inspected and approved for accuracy.' And I'm all about...

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The Capitolist’s Champ and Chump of the Week – 1/17/20: José Oliva and Bill Galvano

by Jordan Kirkland | Jan 17, 2020

At the end of every week, we will praise a political playmaker, swipe left on the biggest political loser, and explain what it all means for Florida's political arena. Welcome to Champ and Chump of the Week, presented by The Capitolist. Which one are you? 👍🏆 - House...

Florida Chamber praises passage of USMCA agreement

by Jordan Kirkland | Jan 17, 2020

On Thursday, the U.S. Senate approved the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, replacing the outdated 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which led to U.S. companies moving their manufacturing plants south of the border to take advantage of low-wage...

AIF on tort costs: “It’s depressing to realize how much money Florida families are actually paying in this tort tax”

by Jordan Kirkland | Jan 16, 2020

This week, business leaders in Florida released the results of Economic Beneﬁts of Tort Reform, a rigorous economic study detailing the state's poor legal climate that continues to wreak havoc on small businesses. The study, released by Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse...

Florida’s Office of Public Counsel dragging its feet on transformative community solar proposal

by Brian Burgess | Jan 16, 2020

This week, Florida's Public Service Commission, the body that sets policy governing the state's utility industry, heard testimony about a plan to create the nation's largest community solar program, SolarTogether, which allows customers to reap the benefits of solar...

DeSantis announces plan to buy Everglades land to prevent oil drilling

by Alyssa Parker | Jan 16, 2020

On Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a massive land buyout of 20,000 acres in western Broward County designed to kill any plans to drill for oil in the Everglades. The state will between $16.56 to $18 million depending on when the deal closes with Kanter Real...

Senator Stargel and Representative Sprowls push for DNA privacy

by Alyssa Parker | Jan 16, 2020

DNA can tell a lot about a person. It can show a person's ethnic background, and increasingly, important health information for the future. It is information that can dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands - especially without the owner's knowledge. Insurance...

Justices back DeSantis on key felon voting rights question

by News Service of Florida | Jan 16, 2020

Siding with Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Supreme Court decided Thursday that a state law requiring payment of “legal financial obligations” properly carried out a constitutional amendment restoring voting rights to felons who have completed their sentences. DeSantis...

Moody, other state leaders talk business at annual Florida Chamber Fly-In event

by Alyssa Parker | Jan 15, 2020

The state's top elected officials and lawmakers trekked to Tallahassee's Turnbull Conference Center Wednesday to update Florida Chamber of Commerce members on Florida's business climate and outlook for 2020 and beyond. The event showcased big names in Florida...

Emmett Reed: State Lawmakers Must Boost Long-Term Care to Address the Approaching Silver Wave

by Brian Burgess | Nov 13, 2019

For four decades, policymakers have wrestled with how to address the health care needs of Florida’s growing elderly population. For years, the concern was that eventually the Baby Boom generation would reach retirement age and our state would have a difficult time...

Florida: Where Every Teacher is Above Average

by Lane Wright | Oct 11, 2019

A new national report just came out and Florida, you should really give yourself a firm handshake and a pat on the back. No, not because you scored “green” across the board, suggesting you’ve held to high standards for teacher evaluations. You deserve praise for an...

Florida’s Education Prospects Look Sunny In Latest Report

by Lane Wright | Sep 10, 2019

Last week, I took my car into the dealership for a minor repair and started working from the waiting room. A young salesman came in, presumably on his break, and started chatting me up. He couldn’t have been older than 25. When I told him I worked in education policy...

Op-Ed: A Conservative Fix for Surprise Medical Billing

by Guest Contributor | Sep 10, 2019

The following op-ed was submitted to The Capitolist by Leslie Dougher and represents the opinion of the author. Now that Congress is back in session, our lawmakers must finish a task they started earlier this year—and that is passing common-sense legislation that once...

On Drug Availability, Let Humanity Prevail – Not Bureaucrats

by Brian Burgess | Jun 11, 2019

We need to talk about the cost of drugs – who influences prices, and who truly pays the price. Imagine this awful scenario: Your child and your spouse each needs a life-saving drug. The decision over whether that drug is provided rests not with their doctor, but with...

Guest Op-Ed: Water, The Lifeblood of Florida

by Guest Contributor | Jun 4, 2019

Florida’s vast water resources are the lifeblood of Florida and are precisely why our state is such a vibrant and unique part of America. Water is at the core of Florida’s economy and a defining feature of our state’s identity. Our beautiful beaches, lakes, and...

Rep. Mike Hill facing bipartisan condemnation after joking about filing bill allowing gays to be executed

by Sarah Rumpf | May 31, 2019

Florida State Rep. Mike Hill (R-Pensacola) has been no stranger to controversy in his time in the Florida Legislature, filing a bill to protect Confederate monuments, running viciously negative campaigns against his primary opponents, and generating a seemingly...