Sunshine laws don't always apply to the Florida Legislature

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Monday October 15, 2007 · 10:27 AM PDT

2007/10/15 · 10:27

One visit to the website of the Florida Legislature and you'll notice that its branded with the label "online sunshine" - a homage to Florida's sunshine laws, specifically the passage of a constitutional amendment in 1992 granting the public access to records and meetings of state and local government.

There is a nifty little loophole - the legislature can decide for itself that certain records and meetings are exempt. Lately, in discussions on important matters like cutting $1.1 Billion from the state's budget or reforming the state tax system, there have been quite a few meetings behind closed doors. This is not a partisan issue, all Floridians should be concerned when our representatives try to keep us in the dark.

meowmissy

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Friday October 05, 2007 · 7:56 AM PDT

2007/10/05 · 07:56

Cross-posted from Florida Netroots

Once upon a time, not so long ago, a novice political blogger opened up her big fat, um, keyboard and suggested that there be a blogger panel at the Florida Democratic Party Convention.

meowmissy

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Thursday August 23, 2007 · 8:33 AM PDT

2007/08/23 · 08:33

Remember that old environmental expression: think globally, act locally? Well, some folks in the Big Bend region of Florida are doing just that and they need your help. Allow me to introduce you to a newly formed non-profit organization called Sustainable Big Bend which is designed to be a community resource center for sustainable living.

meowmissy

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Tuesday July 10, 2007 · 11:51 AM PDT

2007/07/10 · 11:51

There are lots of encouraging signs in Florida that make me believe this swing state is turning blue in 2008. What, pray tell, gives me that idea?

Well, for starters, the recent DFA training in Tampa had to be capped due to there being more people wanting to sign up than the venue allowed. There's the fact that the progressive blogosphere in Florida is getting organized. Sites like the Florida Progressive Coalition, Florida Kossacks and Florida Netroots are working on projects like Blog Florida Blue, creating a Florida Netroots Coalition within the state party, the creation of a Florida Progressive Radio Show, and organizing events such as the Netroots luncheon at the Jefferson-Jackson Weekend and a series of Netroots panels at the upcoming state convention.

Want to know more?

meowmissy

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Tuesday July 03, 2007 · 6:38 AM PDT

2007/07/03 · 06:38

This past weekend, I was down in Tampa to attend the Democracy for America training event, which was put together with the help of our very own Susan S. I soon learned that John Edwards would be in town that Friday night for one of his "Small Change for Big Change" fundraising events. The Pinellas County Chapter of OneCorps, headed by Liz France and my father, were coordinating volunteers, so naturally my dad volunteered me to help out if needed. I was in for a long night.

meowmissy

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Monday June 11, 2007 · 7:46 AM PDT

2007/06/11 · 07:46

Help one of the biggest swing states swing blue! We have an opportunity to pick up a seat in the Florida Senate! Not only is this seat winnable, but if we pull it off, the shockwaves you'd send throughout the Republican Party would be HUGE!

Our candidate, is a very capable woman named Suzan Franks. Please Donate and/or Volunteer Today! If you live in the district, be sure to vote June 26th!

meowmissy

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Saturday June 02, 2007 · 4:49 PM PDT

2007/06/02 · 16:49

What started out as a mailing list to bring Florida bloggers and online activists together is now officially a blog: Florida Netroots.

meowmissy

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Wednesday May 23, 2007 · 7:49 AM PDT

2007/05/23 · 07:49

A bill to replace the touch-screen voting machines used in 16 of Florida’s 67 counties with optical scanning equipment and paper ballots passed the Florida Legislature this session and Governor Crist, who pushed for the new voting machines, recently signed it into law.

Having paper ballots (not just a paper trail, but actual ballots) is a very good thing for the voters of Florida. Trouble is it wasn’t a clean bill. Knowing the demand for paper ballots the Republican dominated legislature piled on a bunch of extras.

While bill analysis is certainly not my specialty, I thought I’d take a stab at combing through all 80 pages of HB 537 to see what I could find.

meowmissy

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Tuesday May 08, 2007 · 8:53 AM PDT

2007/05/08 · 08:53

The Florida Democratic Party is hosting a soiree in Hollywood, Florida this June and guess what? You're the guest of honor!

meowmissy

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Wednesday April 11, 2007 · 5:58 AM PDT

2007/04/11 · 05:58

Only about 1% of the U.S. population is bearing the true cost of the Iraq war and that is our nation's military men and women. Most Americans don't know anyone serving our country in Iraq and haven't been asked to sacrifice anything. So, I decided to look at things from a perspective that is a little closer to home. I gathered some numbers on what it is costing my home state of Florida.

meowmissy

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Thursday April 05, 2007 · 8:43 AM PDT

2007/04/05 · 08:43

Yesterday, I wrote a diary about how Republicans in the Florida Legislature blocked funding at the moment for Governor Charlie Crist's proposal to purchase optical-scanning voting equipment to replace the touch-screens used in 15 of the state's counties. Some of the remarks in the comments were rather harsh on the citizens of Florida. We are fighting to change the system. On March 21, the citizens of Florida held a "Rally for Democracy" to demand a verifiable audit trail to protect our vote and preserve our Democracy.

meowmissy

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday April 04, 2007 · 6:31 AM PDT

2007/04/04 · 06:31

By now, many of you may have heard that Florida Republican Governor Charlie Christ proposed a budget that would include monies to purchase new voting machines with a paper trail to replace the touchscreens used in 15 of the states most populous counties. His fellow Republicans in the Florida Legislature have rejected the idea.

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Sunshine laws don't always apply to the Florida Legislature

Bring Matt Stoller to the Florida Democratic Party Convention

Green Living in the Big Bend of Florida

Building a Progressive Florida & Invitation to Kos

I met John Edwards in Tampa

Special Election: Suzan Franks for Florida SD-3!

Florida Netroots Unleashed

Florida's Paper Ballots Come with a Catch

An Invitation to Florida's Progressive Bloggers

A State Perspective on the Iraq War

Floridians Rally for Verified Voting

Florida Republicans Reject Paper Trail