St. Petersburg Times The Buzz Blog – Florida Justice Reform Institute

Senate committee passes court reform bill, but they don’t like it

APRIL 25, 2011

A bill that would cut the Florida Bar out of the selection of members of judicial nominating commissions passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Monday, but senators expressed serious concerns about the committee bill, which was presented by Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami as a “conversation starter.”

“I have grave reservations also,” Flores said, after Sen. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, and Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, said the proposal is a bad idea. But Flores said the bill needs to stay alive as a courtesy to House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park. “This is something that is very important to him,” she said.

As it is now, the governor selects five members of the judicial nominating commissions and selects four people for the remaining seats based on recommendations from the Florida Bar’s Board of Governors. SB2170 would have the state Attorney General take over the Florida Bar’s duties.

William Large, president of the Florida Justice Reform Institute, told the committee it makes sense for the attorney general, someone who is accountable to the voters, to help select the people who make recommendations for judgeships.

Others argued that the bill politicizes the process of nominating judges.

“There will be a day, I don’t want to think about it, when the attorney general isn’t of the same party as the ruling party today,” Simmons said. “I know things aren’t forever. We have a proponsity once we get into power to think we’re immortal, that we’re invincible.”

The Florida Bar, he said, provides an “even hand” in the judge selection process.

“Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do it,” Simmon said. “We have an excellent judiciary in the state of Florida. It works.”

Simmons voted for the bill, though. Only Joyner and Oscar Braynon, D-Miami Gardens, voted against the measure.

The full House passed its version of the bill last week. It reduces the size of the commissions from nine to seven members, and allows the governor to appoint all members to terms that run concurrently with the governor’s.

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/content/senate-committee-passes-court-reform-bill-they-dont-it

Naked Politics

Rick Scott announces transition team aimed economy

The 76-member team is tasked with finding ways to reduce the size of government, cut regulation on businesses and find ways to attract new businesses to the state so the Republican governor-elect can fulfilll his promise of 700,000 new jobs in the next seven years.

Like Scott’s previous transition teams, this one dips into the pool of special interests and lobbyists.

Some of the highlights include Wayne Huizenga, owner of the Miami Dolphins, who is heading the Economic Development Transition Team; University of Florida President Bernie Machen; Alan Levine, who is also head of Scott’s healthcare transition team; Tampa/Hillsborough Expressway Authority Joe Waggoner; Florida Justice Reform Institute lobbyist William Large.

Here’s the entire team:

The Economic Development Transition Team Includes: Chair: Wayne Huizenga, Jr., Huizenga Holdings

Amy Evancho, President & CEO, Florida Economic Development Council; Nancy Thompson, Regional VP, ResCare Workforce Services; Tammie Nemecek, President, Collier County Economic Development Council; Chuck Cobb, Senior Managing Director and CEO, Cobb Partners; Anthony Connelly, Senior Vice President and CFO, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts US; Allen Douglas, Legislative Director, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB); Bill Johnson, Director, Port of Miami; Timothy Kuebler, Senior Vice President, Titan Florida Cement and Aggregate; Herschel Vinyard, Director of Business Operations, BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards; Alan Levine, Vice President and General Manager, Enterprise Holdings; John McReynolds, Senior Vice President of External Affairs, Universal Orlando Resort; Rick Murell, CEO, Tropical Shipping Vic Story, Vice Chair, Citrus Commission; Hal Valeche, Owner, York Street Capital Advisors; Lynda Weatherman, President & CEO, Economic Development Council of Florida’s Space Coast; Michele Page, President, Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association; Fredrik Eliasson, Vice President, Emerging Markets, CSX; Henry Rodriguez, Board Member, Enterprise Florida; Kevin Johnson, Vice President of Economic Development, St. Joe Company; Brent Christensen, President and CEO, Gainesville Chamber of Commerce; Mali Gardner, Mayor, Clewiston; Jorge Arrizurieta, President, Arrizurieta Associates; Steven Halverson, President, The Haskell Company; Bob Black, ARINC, Inc.; Hannes Hunschofsky, President, Hoerbinger Corp. of America; John Browning, President, Browning Consulting; Phil Waller, SVP MWH America (Global Water and Wastewater Co.); Jose Hevia, President & CEO, Flagler Co.; RichBlaser, EVP and CFO, Infinite Energy Inc.; Blake Casper, Chairman and CEO, Caspers Company; Sam Forrest, Vice President, Energy Marketing and Trading, FP&L; John Hitt, President, University of Central Florida; Bernie Machen, President, University of Florida; Dan Rice, President, SunDial Capital Partners; ReinholdSchmieding, Founder and President, Arthrex Inc.; Susan Story, President and CEO, Gulf Power Company; Rasesh Thakker, CEO, Tavistock; Aaron Zahn, CEO, BCR Environmental; Roy Periana, Director, Scripps Energy Laboratories; Karen Diebel, Executive Director, Verizon Business; Doug Callaway, President, Floridians for Better Transportation; Gow Fields, Mayor, City of Lakeland; Joe Waggoner, Executive Director, Tampa/Hillsborough Expressway Authority; Tom Conrecode, VP Government Affairs, Collier Enterprises; Robert Poole, Transportation Director, The Reason Foundation; Janet Watermeier, Executive Director, Bay County Economic Development Alliance; Bob Porteus; Mike Horan, President, Ajax Paving

The Regulatory Reform Transition Team Includes: Chair: Chris Corr, Executive VP, Planning, Design, and Development

AECOM Peter Rummell, Rummell Company, LLC; Stephen Joost, CEO and Partner, Firehouse Subs; T.R. Hainline, Partner, Rogers, Towers; Carlos Alfonso, CEO, Alfonso Architects; Peter Corrigan, President, Florida Family Insurance Company; Ashton Hudson, Rock Creek Capital; Don Brown, Senior Fellow, The Heartland Institute; William Large, Executive Director, Florida Justice Reform Institute; Phillip Walker, Agent, Allstate; Corey Simon, Partner and Vice President of Community Relations, Gabor Agency; Marlin Hutchens, Vice President, Store Operations, Walgreens; Marc Salm, Vice President, Risk Management, Publix; Richard Clark, President, Supreme Janitorial Service; Peter Boulware, Vice President, Legacy Toyota; Chris Corr, Executive Vice President, Planning, Design, and Development, AECOM; Ken Wilson, Vice President, Gate Petroleum; Jerry Seeber, General Manager, Tampa Bay Water; Billy Buzzett, Attorney; Doug Manson, President, Manson Law Group; Barbara Miedema, Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications, Sugar Cane Grovers Cooperative of Florida; Mike Taylor, Vice President, Sales, Honeywell Building Solutions; Ann Shortelle, Ph. D., MACTEC Engineering and Consulting, Inc.; Albert Joerger Melissa Meeker, President, Hesperides Group; Carlos Beruff, Medallion Homes; Chris Buckley, Board of Directors, Everglades Foundation.

Posted by Michael C. Bender on Monday, Nov. 29, 2010 at 5:11 PM | Permalink

https://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2010/11/rick-scott-announces-transistion-team-aimed-economy.html#more

Senate Committee Passes Court Reform Bill, but They Don’t Like It

Rick Scott announces transition team aimed economy

Florida Justice Reform Institute

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