Rep. Jim Boyd raises $37,100 in final three months of 2011

State Rep. Jim Boyd collected $37,100 in campaign contributions in the final three months of 2011, leaving him with more than $85,600 for his re-election effort, according to reports filed with the Florida Division of Elections.

Boyd, a Republican from Bradenton, has raised a total of almost $93,100 and spent less than $7,500.

Boyd's current district includes Bradenton, Anna Maria Island other large swaths of Manatee County. But the district in which he will run for re-election is still taking shape through the Legislature's redistricting efforts.

He is currently listed as candidate in House District 68, and no one else has filed for the seat.

To see a detailed list of Boyd's donors, go to this page and click on "Campaign Finance Activity."

To see what other local and statewide candidates are raising and spending, start here.

Subcommittee passes Boyd's anti-fraud insurance bill

State Rep. Jim Boyd's office this afternoon provided an update on a piece of insurance-related legislation he is carrying during this session of the Florida Legislature.

Here's the press release:

Boyd’s PIP Fraud Legislation passes House Subcommittee
Tallahassee, Fla. – Today the House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee passed House Bill 119, Motor Vehicle Personal Injury Protection Insurance by Rep. Jim Boyd R-Bradenton. 

CS/HB 119, creates the Emergency Care Coverage (ECC) Law, a new no-fault motor vehicle insurance system. The ECC replaces the PIP system, but still retains many aspects of PIP. The bill also includes other fraud-fighting components. 

“The Emergency Care Coverage Law will eliminate the enormous opportunity for fraud while
insuring those injured in an automobile accident are promptly treated” said Boyd. 

HB 119, had twice been workshopped in the Insurance and Banking Subcommittee before being voted on and passed out of the subcommittee today.

Rep. Jim Boyd's bill would mean a mandatory 10 years in prison for felons caught with guns

Florida Rep. Jim Boyd on Thursday filed House Bill 947, which would slap a mandatory minimum prison sentence on convicted felon if they care caught carrying a gun or using it in commission of a crime.

The measure would be an amendment to Florida's current "10-20-Life" law which sets mandatory minimums for anyone convicted of a gun-related crime. Boyd said the proposal has already been endorsed by the Florida Sheriffs Association and other law enforcement groups.

“This amendment to the 10-20-Life Law will give violent felons pause before arming themselves because they will be facing a 10-year minimum mandatory prison sentence. If they make the choice to carry a firearm and are apprehended, our society will be safer knowing they are behind bars for a long time” said Greg Stout, president of Tampa Police Benevolent Association Inc., in a news release issued by Boyd's office.

Boyd said Stout has been a friend for more than 20 years and said they met earlier this year to "brainstorm" ideas on how to toughen gun laws after the shooting deaths of police officers in Miami and St. Petersburg and other violent crimes.

“This bill will protect not only law enforcement but also the citizens of this great state by
keeping violent felons off the street," Boyd said in the statement.

In an interview, Boyd acknowledged that there might be an added expense for the state by locking up offenders for lengthy minimum prison terms. But it's worth it, he said.

"Personally, the cost of a life is more important than if they are on the outside," he said.

Read the proposed bill here.

Proposed maps offer possibility of big changes, but Florida redistricting process far from over

That Florida lawmakers remain very early in redistricting process was belied by the fact that the Florida House on Tuesday released seven possible ways to redraw boundaries for Congressional districts and five possible remaps for their own House districts. There's no easier way to avoid making a decision than to leave all options --- whether likely choices or not -- open.

But a cursory look at the House's maps does reveal some common themes, at least in how they might affect Manatee County and our current lawmakers.

For the Florida House districts, each of the five maps would place incumbent state Rep. Greg Steube, R-Bradenton, in a renumbered District 73 generally comprised  of East Manatee, Parrish and Lakewood Ranch, that would be not dissimilar from the district he now represents.

Greater changes would be in store for Rep. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton. The proposed maps would place him in a renumbered District 71 that covers most of Bradenton and west Manatee County but also extend south into Sarasota County -- the maps vary on how far south that would be.

All the proposed maps would keep several neighborhoods in Palmetto and Bradenton in a renumbered District 70 that would extend south from Pinellas County, as they are now.

As for the proposed Congressional remaps, all would place incumbent Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota, in a renumbered 16th Congressional District that would remain primarily a Manatee-Sarasota district with one notable change: All of Manatee County, including neighborhoods in Palmetto and Bradenton now included in a Tampa-based district, would be in one district, meeting one of the goals of new constitutional requirements that districts be as geographically compact as possible.

That differs from the proposed remap offered last week by the Florida Senate, which kept Manatee divided into two districts -- suggesting that this and just about everything else related to redistricting is up for negotiation and, probably, litigation.

So who can blame the House, with all its possible maps, for not making a decision.

You can review all the maps and Census data used to draw them, here.

Bill Galvano continues to draw in big money for Senate race

The campaign cash is flowing to lawmakers in Tallahassee and to those hoping to join them.

And that includes to officeholders and candidates for seats in the Manatee County delegation.

Here's a breakdown:

• Former state Rep. Bill Galvano, a Republican from Bradenton running unopposed for a state Senate seat, collected $56,700 in contributions during the third quarter, which ended Sept. 30, bringing his total take so far to more than $305,000. Galvano so far has spent almost $109,000 on his campaign.
• State Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, raised $19,000 in the third quarter, bringing her haul to $63,400. So far running opposed, she has spent more than $8,000 on her re-election effort.
• State Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, raised $12,350 in the third quarter for his re-election campaign, bringing his total to $19,150. He has spent almost $9,200. His only announced opponent, Republican Sharon Russ of St. Petersburg, reported receiving $140 in the third quarter, bringing her total to $290. She has spent a total of $185 on her campaign. (House District 57 includes parts of Manatee County.)
• State Rep. Greg Steube, R-Bradenton, reported receiving $7,750 in contributions during the third quarter, bringing his total take to more than $23,000. He has spent almost $8,900 on his re-election effort. So far, he is running unopposed for re-election.
• State Rep. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, reported receiving almost $41,000 in contributions in the third quarter, bringing his total take to almost $56,000. So far running unopposed, Boyd has spent almost $2,800 on his re-election campaign.
• State Rep. Ray Pilon, R-Sarasota, reported receiving more than $52,000 in contributions in the third quarter. So far running unopposed for re-election, Pilon has collected total of more than $58,000 and spent more than $3,000.