Daily Clips for February 1, 2011

PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS Nearly 12,300 people have signed online petition against “private voucher scheme” By Leslie Postal Orlando Sentinel There is no bill yet — and, therefore, no firm proposal – but there is already plenty of opposition to the idea of “education savings accounts,” or what some call “universal vouchers.” FEATURED STORIES Florida judge rules federal health care legislation is unconstitutional By Janet Zink and Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Related editorial: Improving the health care law The battle over federal health care reform continued its inevitable march toward the U.S. Supreme Court, with a U.S. district judge in Pensacola ruling Monday that the law is unconstitutional. Scott to unveil state budget with tea party organizers in rural Eustis By Marc Caputo St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Rick Scott wants to throw himself a tea party over the Florida budget. New merit pay bill filed in Senate Leslie Postal Orlando Sentinel Florida teachers would be judged on their students' growth on standardized tests, and new teachers would be paid based on that test-score data as part of a new merit pay bill filed Monday in the Florida Senate. 91,000 Gulf oil spill claims, just 1 final payment By Brian Skoloff Associated Press BP's compensation fund for Gulf oil spill victims has issued a final settlement payment to just one of the thousands of people and businesses waiting for checks, records show, and that $10 million payout went to a company after the oil giant intervened on its behalf. FLORIDA POLITICS Gov. Rick Scott announces plan to save $1 billion over two years By Christine Show Orlando Sentinel With homes under construction in this giant senior community as a backdrop, Gov. Rick Scott announced changes today to streamline government and save the state $1 billion over two years in an effort to spur growth. Gov. Scott plans to merge 5 agencies By Zac Anderson and Lloyd Dunkelberger Gainesville Sun Gov. Rick Scott's first concrete proposal to cut state spending Monday was heavy on symbolism and light on specifics. Gov. Rick Scott finishes up four-day visit to D.C. By Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times Gov. Rick Scott on Monday wrapped up a four-day visit to Washington, D.C., meeting with housing and health care officials and the new chairman of the Republican National Committee. The half-pint and the half-baked plan By Daniel Ruth St. Petersburg Times Even in the sleaziest of political environments there are — ahem — certain proprieties to be observed. Redistricting website: Florida’s congressional districts rank among the nation’s least compact By Travis Pillow Florida Independent Related: Bill would make redistricting proposals public records The Florida House of Representatives has launched its public redistricting website, and lawmakers are getting to work drawing congressional boundaries that comply (lawsuits notwithstanding) with two new constitutional amendments intended to require geographically compact districts that don’t favor or disfavor political parties, racial groups or incumbents. Rubio to skip Conservative Political Action Conference By Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is the latest top-name Republican to bail on the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, set to begin Feb. 10. Over 280 former officials that owe the state money Editorial Orlando Sentinel Time, the saying goes, heals all wounds. POLITICAL RACES Harsh campaign for governor had an "unexpected" jump in voters skipping race By Gary Fineout Florida Tribune The highly charged and negative campaign for governor might have turned off a higher number of voters this past year. One month into Rep. Allen West’s term, national Dems spending money to try to oust him in 2012 By George Bennett Palm Beach Post Freshman U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, is one of 19 Republican House members being targeted by a new Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee blitz of radio ads, automated phone calls and Internet advertising. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Florida lawmakers challenge EPA greenhouse gas regulations via ‘Free Industry Act’ By Travis Pillow Florida Independent Five members of Florida’s congressional delegation are among the 113 cosponsors of the “Free Industry Act,” a bill by Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., that would strip the Environmental Protection Agency of its power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. EDUCATION G.O.P. Governors Take Aim at Teacher Tenure By Trip Gabriel and Sam Dillon New York Times Seizing on a national anxiety over poor student performance, many governors are taking aim at a bedrock tradition of public schools: teacher tenure. Senate Education chairman files his teacher pay bill By Jeff Solochek St. Petersburg Times Jacksonville Republican Steve Wise, chairman of the Senate Pre-K-12 Committee, spent last week quizzing school teachers, superintendents, education activists, union chiefs and others about the best way to reform teacher pay, contract, evaluation and other key issues. NAACP threatens to sue if state tries to take struggling schools from county control By Topher Sanders Florida Times-Union The local NAACP branch wants the Duval County School Board to stand up to the state, but if the district won't the group is prepared to pursue a law suit to protect the Duval's poorest performing schools. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Bill would tighten unemployment eligibility By Jim Stratton Orlando Sentinel State Sen. Nancy Detert, who last month urged state labor officials to move "slackers and malingerers" off unemployment rolls, filed a bill Monday that would tighten unemployment eligibility, make it easier for businesses to deny benefits and push laid-off workers to take lower-paying jobs after they have received 12 weeks of payments. Florida has spent only half of its stimulus grants By Scott Powers Orlando Sentinel Florida still has spent only about half of the federal grant and contract money it has been awarded through the federal-stimulus program, although most of what is left — more than $5.5 billion — is slated to be spent soon. Shuttle Discovery back on launch pad today for final mission By James Dean Florida Today Space shuttle Discovery arrived back at Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A early this morning. HEALTH AND SENIORS ‘Choose Life’ plate law rewrite draws concern from pregnancy centers By Virginia Chamlee Florida Independent A new piece of legislation that would rewrite the law governing funds generated by the sale of Florida’s “Choose Life” license plates is drawing concern from representatives of the pregnancy centers currently receiving money, who argue that some of the changes don’t seem enforceable or, for that matter, fair. Health officials team up to fight prescription abuse By Barbara Peters Smith Sarasota Herald-Tribune Leaders of 12 area hospitals and four county health departments promised Monday to work together on what they called a "shocking" escalation in prescription drug misuse, blamed for 86 percent of local drug-related deaths in 2009. CDC finds no link between deaths, Chinese drywall By Cain Burdeau Associated Press The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday it has found no link between tainted Chinese drywall and the deaths of 11 people exposed to the imported drywall in Louisiana, Florida and Virginia homes. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES ‘The Police Took Mommy’: How Reporting a Crime Nearly Resulted in Deportation for Florida Woman By Ralph De La Cruz Florida Center for Investigative Reporting When Gov. Rick Scott spoke before the Hispanic Leadership Network earlier this month, people periodically yelled out, often in Spanish-accented English, “Let’s get to work.” JUSTICE AND THE COURTS Study: Florida trial judges deserve a big raise By Rene Stutzman Orlando Sentinel A new study, conducted by an arm of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, says Florida trial judges deserve a $16,000 pay raise.