A group of mostly Black civic and faith leaders gathered in Tallahassee’s Captiol Courtyard Wednesday to denounce the controversial HB1 bill. Many fear the Republican-backed bill being fast-tracked through the legislative process would silence minority voices while attacking home rule and the First Amendment. LISTEN: State Representative Kevin Chambliss, a Democrat who represents parts of… Read more »
Here is a link to many coronavirus resources Thursday, Democrats in the State House Thursday introduced a wide-ranging COVID-19 bill that offers alternatives to some Republican proposals. The sweeping bill offers protection from evictions, protects some businesses from COVID-related suits, looks to provide more transparency in data reporting and much more. LISTEN: At 69-pages, representatives… Read more »
A group of more than 30 civic organizations in Florida is calling on lawmakers in the Sunshine State to shed some light on the legislative process. Representatives from the groups held a Zoom conference Thursday. They’re asking for citizens to have meaningful participation in the process even with COVID-19 precautions in place. LISTEN: Olivia Babis… Read more »
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis gave the annual State of the State address Tuesday on the first day of the Florida Legislative session. Here are his remarks, as provided by his office: Opening Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, members of the House and Senate and fellow citizens: I see, in many parts of our country, a sad… Read more »
Members of Hillsborough County’s legislative delegation seem to agree on a lot when it comes to what to tackle in Tallahassee this year, but not always on how to execute it. Republican and Democratic senators and house representatives met with Tampa’s Tiger Bay today and few priorities were as divisive as the HB1 protest bill…. Read more »
February 18, 2021 Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. There is a bill in Tallahassee (SB 90) that would make it harder to vote by mail – if it passes. As the Tampa Bay Times reported this morning: “Florida Senate Republicans agreed Tuesday that Florida’s vote-by-mail process (which) worked smoothly in the last… Read more »
On Saturday social justice groups will demonstrate in Tampa against bills in the Florida Legislature that would crackdown on some protests. The bill was proposed by Governor Ron DeSantis and has been moving through legislative committees. The groups call it a “dangerous bill that is actively trying to curtail the speech of people speaking out… Read more »
January 12, 2021 Good morning, welcome to WMNF’s Radioactivity, I’m Rob Lorei. The Florida chapter of a national non-profit dedicated to open and honest government is calling for most of Florida’s Republican members of Congress to resign after voting last week to overturn the results of the presidential election. Our guest today is Common Cause… Read more »
Florida lawmakers are calling for sweeping reforms after a Department of Justice investigation alleged a culture of “systemic” sexual abuse and cover-ups at a women’s prison in Ocala. State legislators last week held a Zoom call with former inmates of Lowell Correctional Institution to talk about how to move forward. LISTEN: Laurette Philipsen expected to… Read more »
UPDATE, On Friday 8 January Wes Hodge dropped out and endorsed Cynthia Chestnut. After being trounced by Republicans in recent elections, the Florida Democratic Party will vote to choose its new leader Saturday. Candidates met in a virtual forum Thursday, presenting the party with a challenge – continue a centrist path or follow the progressive… Read more »
Governor Ron DeSantis exceeded his authority when he appointed an ineligible person to the Florida Supreme Court. That was the court’s ruling last month regarding incoming Justice Renatha Francis, who has not been a member of the Florida Bar for ten years. But the court did not invalidate her appointment. On Tuesday the State Supreme… Read more »
On Thursday the Florida Supreme Court ruled that Governor Ron DeSantis exceeded his authority when he appointed a judge to a vacancy on state’s highest court. It’s because Judge Renatha Francis had not been a member of the Florida Bar for at least 10 years. That’s a requirement of being a Florida Supreme Court Justice…. Read more »
The national death toll related to the coronavirus outbreak in the United States is just surpassing 100,000, and several progressive activist organizations are pushing the state to provide more financial relief instead of reopening too soon. Three hearses were flanked by a about dozen other cars guiding a funeral procession through Tampa. They attached body… Read more »
Radioactivity with Rob Lorei Listen Here: Or follow this link and select 02/19/20 from the drop down menu: Radioactivity: Interviews & Live Call-In Intro: Our guest today will be speaking afternoon at the St. Petersburg Conference on World Affairs (http://www.stpetersburgconferenceonworldaffairs.com) . He’s Andreas Siegel Germany’s Consul General in Florida. We sat down for this interview… Read more »
(Originally published 4/26/2019) A lot. Florida’s legislature has 60 days (though special sessions can be, and are often, called) to make lots of laws. In odd numbered years, like 2019, the session begins the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March. This year our legislature is in session from March 5, 2019, through May… Read more »
Radioactivity with Rob Lorei Listen Here: Or follow this link and select 11/20/19 from the drop down menu: Radioactivity: Interviews & Live Call-In Intro: Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. President Trump’s ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland is testifying right now in front of the House Intelligence Committee as that committee considers impeachment. Sondland… Read more »
Radioactivity with Rob Lorei Listen Here: Select 09/18/19 from the drop down menu Radioactivity: Interviews & Live Call-In Intro: Good morning, welcome to WMNF’s Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. Coming up—Our new Governor has promised to “drain the swamp” in Tallahassee—but the political editor at the Tampa Bay Times has uncovered what looks like a pay-to-play… Read more »
Both of Florida’s U.S. Senators are Republicans; the governor and two of the three other members of the state cabinet are Republicans; on MidPoint we heard from the only Democrat elected statewide in Florida: Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Nikki Fried. It’s from a recent speech at the Tampa Tiger Bay Club where… Read more »
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is leading a huge delegation to Israel beginning Saturday that includes a state Cabinet meeting inside the controversial new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. But is that meeting a violation of Florida’s open-meeting laws, known as “government in the Sunshine” laws? WMNF asked Barbara Peterson. She’s president of the First Amendment Foundation,… Read more »
Four Tampa Bay area members of the Florida Legislature answered questions Friday afternoon from the Tampa Tiger Bay Club about things like teachers with guns, toll roads through rural Florida and limiting the rights of ex-felons who got their right to vote back after voters passed Amendment 4. There was a testy exchange between Hillsborough… Read more »
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