Lauderdale lawyer to be Bar president

TALLAHASSEE — Eugene K. Pettis, a Fort Lauderdale attorney, is set to become the president of the Florida Bar in 2013 and will be the first African American to hold the position. Pettis is a trial attorney who has been practicing law since 1985 and is a founding partner of Haliczer Pettis Read More

Judge kicks ‘religious freedom’ amendment off the 2012 ballot

TALLAHASSEE — A Florida judge has removed a constitutional amendment from the 2012 election ballot that would have deleted the state’s ban on using taxpayer money “in aid of any church, sect, or religious denomination or in aid of any sectarian institution.” Supporters of Read More

Monday Morning Reads: Texting, reforming and the culture of hazing

TALLAHASSEE — Good morning and happy Monday to you. Florida lawmakers returned to their home districts after a hectic final committee week before the full legislative session begins that will be fraught with political fights over redistricting, gambling expansion and personal injury Read More

Emboldened by Penn State Case, Two Men Allege Abuse by AAU Head

The Amateur Athletic Union has permanently removed Robert “Bobby” Dodd from the president’s post after two men accused him of sexually abusing them when they were teens, an AAU spokesman told ABC News.

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Ban on texting while driving: Possible next year?

Florida remains one of 15 states without a ban on texting while driving, even as more people admit to the habit and support a law that would deter it.

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Florida poll puts Gingrich ahead of Romney

Newt Gingrich has surged into the lead in the Florida Republican presidential primary race, according to a poll released on Thursday by Quinnipiac University. Newt Gingrich The statewide poll puts Gingrich atop the Republican field with 35 percent, followed by Mitt Romney with 22 percent. All Read More

Lawmakers begin chipping away at gambling proposal

TALLAHASSEE — A panel of Florida lawmakers got its first chance to start picking away at a controversial gambling bill that would bring three destination casino resorts to Florida, and the overriding message for sponsor Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff , R-Fort Lauderdale, was that she should move Read More

Check out the Legislature’s new redistricting maps

TALLAHASSEE — The Florida House released its first drafts of congressional and legislative maps Tuesday as part of the long and politically perilous process of carving out new electoral turf. Unlike the Senate, the House opted to float essentially a buffet-menu of options for districts Read More