Mitch Perry
The Florida Phoenix
Tallahassee, FL, United States
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Past articles by Mitch:
Lawmakers who at one time in their lives used food stamps question House proposal on soda
It was more than a decade ago when federal officials rejected New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposal to bar food stamp users from buying soda. But a GOP Florida lawmaker says it’s time to make a request for the federal government to stop subsidizing the purchase of soft drinks. Rep. Ralph Massullo, representing Citrus […] → Read More
Florida Senate unanimously approves $700 million plan to address affordable housing
Saying that it’s the time to address the housing crisis in Florida, the state Senate unanimously passed a more than $700 million affordable housing package on Wednesday, on the second day of the 2023 regular legislative session. The measure, called the Live Local Act, has been considered a top initiative for Senate President Kathleen Passidomo going […] → Read More
DeSantis makes a case to let unvaccinated tennis star Novak Djokovic play in Miami
Tennis star Novak Djokovic is unable to participate in the Miami Open tournament that begins later this month because he remains unvaccinated – a requirement that Gov. Ron DeSantis thinks is absurd. “It is wrong to discriminate against somebody based on the choice they’ve made regarding this,” the Republican governor said at the end of […] → Read More
Florida GOP leaders make it clear that they don't support 'open carry' legislation this year
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made it clear once again on Tuesday that he would sign legislation including what’s called “open carry” — the practice of carrying openly visible firearms in public — but he also added that it would be up to legislative leaders to send him such a bill. Currently, lawmakers are pursuing a […] → Read More
Should the state reduce the number of jurors who can put someone to death? It's up to lawmakers
For the past six years it’s been required that a jury in Florida must rule unanimously to sentence someone to death. But that could change in the 2023 legislative session. That’s because of the community outrage that came when a Broward County jury voted 9-3 last fall to send gunman Nikolas Cruz — who killed […] → Read More
Will DeSantis' nod persuade GOP leaders to pursue an 'open carry' measure?
Second Amendment groups had soured on a permitless or “constitutional” carry bill moving through the Legislature because it didn’t include what’s called an “open carry” measure that almost every state in the country allows — though not Florida. Open carry refers to the practice of carrying openly visible firearms in public. Now, the groups are […] → Read More
Legislation would grant new medical marijuana licenses to Black farmers previously denied
The Florida Department of Health will soon be accepting applications for up to 22 new applicants to enter the medical cannabis industry, which would ultimately double the number of Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC) license holders operating in the state to 44. Now a state Democrat has proposed legislation that would automatically award nearly half […] → Read More
Sen. Rick Scott disagrees with DeSantis' proposal to repeal in-state tuition for 'dreamers'
Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott is taking issue with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ legislative proposal announced Thursday that would repeal in-state tuition fee waivers for undocumented immigrant students at colleges and universities, a law that Scott signed back in 2014. The proposal was one of a package of measures that DeSantis unveiled Thursday regarding undocumented […] → Read More
U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel calls out Scott, DeSantis and Trump on Social Security and Medicare
Democrats nationally and in Florida spoke about their continued support for Social Security and Medicare on Wednesday, exactly a year after U.S. Sen. Rick Scott called for Congress to sunset those powerhouse federal programs every five years. Just recently, Scott backtracked on his plan to reevaluate Social Security and Medicare every five years, but U.S. […] → Read More
Inmate population in Florida prisons expected to grow to more than 88,000 next year
The number of inmates in Florida correctional facilities has fluctuated significantly in recent years, but the figure is expected to grow by more than 4,000 in the next couple of years — which will require more staffing. That’s according to Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon, who spoke Wednesday before a key Senate appropriations […] → Read More
Advocates for both gun rights and gun safety blast lawmakers over concealed weapons bill
A GOP-backed measure that would allow people to carry concealed weapons without a permit in Florida is headed for a vote in the state House — but not before it was again attacked by advocates for both gun rights and gun safety. The bill, HB 543, called “constitutional carry” by its supporters and “permitless carry” […] → Read More
Proposal to allow permitless-carry advances in Florida Senate
Less than a week after Floridians observed the fifth-year anniversary of the mass school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, a committee in the Florida Senate has advanced a measure that would let people carry guns in the state without state permits or having to undergo gun-safety training. The measure (SB 150), […] → Read More
Report says women pay on average $300 more than men for auto coverage in Florida
A new study on auto insurance rates across the country finds that there is a very real gender gap in Florida, with women motorists paying more than $307 annually than men in their auto premiums. That’s the second biggest gender disparity gap in the nation, according to a report from Quote Wizard by Lending Tree, LLC. The […] → Read More
Report says women pay on average $300 more than men for auto coverage in Florida
A new study on auto insurance rates across the country finds that there is a very real gender gap in Florida, with women motorists paying more than $307 annually than men in their auto premiums. That’s the second biggest gender disparity gap in the nation, according to a report from Quote Wizard by Lending Tree, LLC. The […] → Read More
Candidates for FDP Chair talk about uniting different wings of the party
The four remaining candidates in the race to lead the Florida Democratic Party convened in a debate hosted by the Florida Legislative Black Caucus on Thursday night in Tallahassee. Former Miami-Dade County state Sen. Annette Taddeo, Broward County Democratic Executive Committee Chair Rick Hoye, and Carolina Ampudia, chair of the legislative committee of the Democratic […] → Read More
Florida’s major political parties to choose new leaders
Florida’s Republican and Democratic state parties are meeting separately in Central Florida over the next two weekends to select new state party chairs to lead their organizations going into the 2024 presidential election cycle — and the stakes are high for both parties. GOP dominance over Democrats has never been greater following the November elections, […] → Read More
Yet another move to make it harder to pass constitutional amendments in Florida
GOP lawmakers want to make it more difficult to pass constitutional amendments in Florida. How would that happen? Raise the percent of the popular vote from 60 to 67 percent to be able to pass an amendment. The proposal came up Tuesday in a committee meeting in the Florida House — and not everyone was […] → Read More
Nikki Fried joins the race for Florida Democratic Party Chair
Former Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried has officially entered the race to lead the Florida Democratic Party. “As Florida Democrats, we either fight like hell against right-win extremism or accept irrelevance and oppression,” Fried tweeted Monday morning. “I choose to fight. That’s why I’m running to be the Chair of the @FlaDems. LFG.” The election for Florida Democratic […] → Read More
Disney's special operating district poised to be under Gov. Ron DeSantis' control
The GOP-controlled Florida Legislature has passed legislation to allow the state to take control over Disney World’s special tax district, with Democrat Sen. Jason Pizzo of South Florida calling the move “truly socialism.” “The only sort of box that this lands in is nationalism,” Pizzo said during a special session in the Florida Senate chamber […] → Read More
In the Sunshine State, Biden makes the case for Medicaid expansion; protects Social Security
Two days after delivering a spirited State of the Union address in Washington, D.C., President Joe Biden appeared in Florida on Thursday before an intimate crowd at the University of Tampa, where he pledged to protect Social Security and Medicare and push for Medicaid expansion for vulnerable families. The president also drew a contrast with […] → Read More