Gary Siplin

In case you missed it, today's paper carried an insightful little story about the debates over turkeys and pet projects in the state budget. Several things worth noting about this story: First, it still happens. These guys want you to think they are...

TALLAHASSEE — While House Speaker Dean Cannon managed to squeeze some hometown spending into the final state budget plan taking shape, another Orlando-area lawmaker saw his district projects wiped out. Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, had drawn some...

TALLAHASSEE — On the last day of a once-a-decade redistricting legislative session, the Florida Supreme Court officially ordered overtime Friday by finding that the re-drawn state Senate map failed to follow new anti-gerrymandering standards. The...

TALLAHASSEE — Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner got some bad news last week. The Florida Supreme Court ruled that his newly drawn Senate seat was one of eight that ran afoul of the Fair Districts anti-gerrymandering reforms. But he's not giving...

TALLAHASSEE — Sen. Jack Latvala, a St. Petersburg Republican who joined forces with Andy Gardiner during session to beat back a GOP palace coup in the Senate, has filed an amendment to the new Senate redistricting map that moves his former opponent'...

TALLAHASSEE — An attempt to adopt newly fashioned Senate district lines in response to a court order bogged down Tuesday as lawmakers clamored for political information on how the new lines would look and whether they provided enough protection...

Gee, it was almost like the Old Days, when legislators voted on personal conviction instead of straight party lines. Almost. The 20-20 tie this afternoon in the Florida Senate that at least for now killed the Parent Trigger bill saw local senators split,...

TALLAHASSEE — State Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, flanked by other lawmakers, asked Gov. Rick Scott to appoint a special prosecutor to oversee the investigation of Trayvon Martin's death. The unarmed 17-year-old was shot Feb. 26 by George Zimmerman,...

TALLAHASSEE — Senate President Mike Haridopolos and his successor Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, said they are open to looking at town halls or potential hearings on the Trayvon Martin case after the November elections when lawmakers will begin...

Americans United for Separation of Church and State wrote Gov. Rick Scott this week urging him to veto the school prayer — or “inspirational message” — bill passed by the Florida Legislature. The group says the bill, sponsored by...

Gov. Rick Scott today named 15 members of a task force to study possible changes in the state's “stand your ground” law in the wake of the killing of Trayvon Martin, the Miami teenager who was shot by Neighborhood Watch captain George...

It's been about a decade since the so-called "War on Christmas" began. Obviously, Christmas has been ruined ever since. Yes, ever since people and stores started saying things like "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas," true Christmas-lovers...