June 5, 2023
Government/Politics & Law
Insurance: Headwinds
While the Legislature addressed property insurance during special sessions last year, work remains as premiums continue to rise and insurers bail out. In the meantime, health care providers still struggle with rising costs, mental health coverage issues and staff shortages. Also on the agenda, there's opportunity for rare bipartisan agreement on two key issues: Resiliency and water.
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Published on 3/8/2023
Health Care: Lingering Effects
Three years after it began sweeping the country, COVID-19 continues to cast a pall over the state's health care policy arena.
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Published on 3/8/2023
2023 Florida Legislature Priorities
As Florida's population surges and the state posts a record surplus, there are common causes for Republican and Democratic legislators convening March 7: Defending against natural disasters and water shortages, upgrading infrastructure and providing for affordable housing and workforce needs.
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Published on 3/8/2023
Update: Election results show Black, Hispanic women candidates bringing new perspectives to Florida politics
In the November 2022 issue of FLORIDA TREND, we profiled several Black and Hispanic women candidates who are part of a trend of more women of color running for political office. The 2022 election set a new high bar for women of color in Florida politics: 49% of women candidates running for major state or federal office in Florida are women of color.
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Published on 11/10/2022
Black and Hispanic women running for office are shaking up Florida's political landscape
Ashley Gantt already has two careers under her belt: Teacher and attorney. Now she's embarking on a third: State legislator.
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Published on 11/7/2022
AI-based program makes easy work of legal contract reviews
Reviewing contracts for legal purposes takes a lot of repetitive attention to detail. The use of artificial intelligence at the law firm Foley & Lardner makes that type of review easier, according to Jacksonville-based partner Chanley Howell.
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Published on 10/27/2022
What the generational shift of Florida voters means for the future
The following excerpt is from the forthcoming book Generational Politics in the United States (University of Michigan Press). Susan A. MacManus is a University of South Florida professor emerita of political science. Anthony A. Cilluffo is an economist and holds a master's in public administration from Princeton University.
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Published on 10/13/2022
Florida's rapid rise of No Party Affiliation voters
Amid the acrimony of partisan politics, the ranks of Florida's unaffiliated voters are growing rapidly. Their elusive and critical votes reflect changing demographics.
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Published on 10/12/2022
Florida's new Secretary of the Department of Management Services to oversee state's IT infrastructure
Former U.S. Department of Homeland Security official Pedro Allende has been appointed Florida's new Secretary of the Department of Management Services, which is tasked with overseeing cyber-security for state government and administering tens of millions of dollars in new funding for government cyber-resiliency programs.
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Published on 8/31/2022
The Case Against Scot Strems
South Florida attorney Scot Strems built his law firm suing insurance companies — and built the insurers' case for reining in lawyers.
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Published on 8/24/2022
FAMU's Economic Justice Initiative provides free legal services to minority business owners
With a $110,000 grant from Wells Fargo Bank, Florida A&M University's College of Law is spearheading its Economic Justice Initiative, which will provide free legal services to help minority-owned small-business owners as they launch and grow their enterprises.
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Published on 7/26/2022
Attorney Mischelle D'Angelone reflects on her childhood and why she does so much pro bono work
Pasco County-based Mischelle D'Angelone, one of 20 lawyers recognized this year by the Florida Bar for service to low-income and disadvantaged clients, points to her own childhood as the reason why she does so much pro bono work, particularly work on behalf of children and families.
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Published on 7/20/2022
Noise litigation attorney Mark Bentley's Beatles passion project debuts at Florida Film Festival
Attorney Mark Bentley of Tampa turned his passion for the Beatles into a documentary that kicked off the Florida Film Festival in Orlando.
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Published on 7/14/2022
The Florida Bar Association's new president Gary S. Lesser outlines his goals for the next year
The Florida Bar's new president wants more mentoring, awareness and professionalism.
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Published on 7/12/2022
Florida Icon: Clarence Anthony
I experienced racism at every point in my life, whether it was personal or professional. There were things that occurred that were traumatic, that would hurt your feelings, that would motivate you, as well, and that's how I tend to use those moments — to motivate me.
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Published on 4/5/2022
Infrastructure: Critical strategies Florida can implement as it grows
Florida is projected to gain 2.5 million new residents by 2030. Here's what that means for schools, roads, homes and other infrastructure needs
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Published on 3/8/2022
Sen. Jeff Brandes leaves behind a legacy of big ideas and principled dissents
Last March, as lawmakers cobbled together a spending plan in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Senate budget subcommittee rolled out ...
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Published on 1/13/2022
Legislative Preview - Rags to Riches
Flush state coffers will ease this year's budget process. Here's a closer look at the issues on the Legislature's agenda.
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Published on 1/10/2022
Voter-passed tax referenda generate a bonanza for local governments, inviting pushback from the Legislature
Voters in many Florida counties take advantage of local option taxes to fund some specific services. The Legislature has moved to restrict that flexibility, however.
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Published on 10/27/2021
Where does Florida's government get its money?
With no state income tax Florida's state government generates the bulk of general revenue from sales tax collections.
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Published on 10/27/2021
Orlando cyber-security firm focuses on utilities and other government customers
Orlando entrepreneurs Alex Santos and Peter Kassabov have a knack for staying ahead of the curve.
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Published on 7/30/2021
Key West residents clash with cruise industry, Legislature and governor over cruise restrictions
A month after Florida went on COVID-19 lockdown, Will Benson took his wife and two young children out on his skiff for a quarantine break.
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Published on 7/30/2021
A heavy loss
After Pensacola plaintiff's attorney Fred Levin died from COVID-19, UF-educated trial lawyer Mark Proctor became President of Levin Papantonio Rafferty.
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Published on 6/29/2021
Priorities for the year ahead
“The court system estimates that there'll be a little more than 1.1 million cases backlogged as of July... That's just in Florida."
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Published on 6/29/2021
Thinking bigger
“I had one gift — I was curious, and I liked to learn,” says Gary Sasso.
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Published on 6/29/2021
