Daily Clips for February 2, 2011

FEATURED STORIES Gov. Rick Scott's pension proposal: have state workers pay 5 percent into retirement and end DROP By Mary Ellen Klas St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Gov. Rick Scott is proposing to overhaul the state's pension system for tens of thousands of teachers, police officers and other state and county workers by requiring them to contribute to their retirement accounts and by not offering the pension plan to new workers. Scott calls halt to federal health care law implementation By Dara Kam Palm Beach Post Gov. Rick Scott, who’s fought against federal health care reform since its inception, said today Florida won’t begin implementation of the federal health care law ruled unconstitutional by a judge yesterday. Now what? Ignore the law? By Jim Saunders and Carol Gentry Health News Florida Related: FL official sends back $1M Related: Ruling on Medicaid only GOP downer Okay, now what? That’s the looming question in the wake of U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson’s ruling on Monday that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional. FLORIDA POLITICS Scott looks to rein in state pensions By Lloyd Dunkelberger Sarasota Herald-Tribune In a hint of the sweeping changes that may come, Gov. Rick Scott outlined an ambitious plan to curb the state pension fund, which provides retirement benefits to 650,000 state workers, public school teachers, county employees and some municipal workers across Florida. Poll: Florida voters who swooned for Crist in ’07 are viewing Scott more cautiously By George Bennett Palm Beach Post Florida voters who were dazzled by Charlie Crist after his first month in office four years ago are viewing new Gov. Rick Scott much more warily, a new Quinnipiac University poll released this morning shows. New RNC chair coming to Tampa Wednesday on convention issues By William March Tampa Tribune As expected, newly elected Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus is coming to Tampa to talk to locals about preparation for the 2012 Republican Convention. Bill aims to crack down on teen cell-phone use in cars By Alexia Campbell South Florida Sun-Sentinel The high school auditorium echoed with gasps and jeers as officials told stories of tragic deaths and endless lawsuits caused by accidents involving distracted teenage drivers. Ignoring the voters' wishes Editorial Northwest Florida Daily News We knew some politicians were against the redistricting amendments that Florida voters approved in November. POLITICAL RACES It's official: Rick Scott is the all-time big spender By Scott Powers Orlando Sentinel With final 2010 election numbers released Tuesday, Gov. Rick Scott officially obliterated the state record for campaign spending, pouring $85.1 million — including more than $73 million of his own family's money — into getting elected. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Scott plans realignment of Florida's growth management agency By Bruce Ritchie FloridaEnvironments.com Gov. Rick Scott said Monday he plans to cut $1 billion in government spending over two years by consolidating and streamlining government including the Florida Department of Community Affairs. Senate bill would scrap Florida's climate program By Bruce Ritchie FloridaEnvironments.com A bill filed by Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, would eliminate Florida's greenhouse gas emissions cap-and-trade program before one was ever adopted. EDUCATION Senator files teacher merit pay bill By Kathleen McGrory Miami Herald State lawmakers are taking a second stab at legislation that would overhaul the way Florida's teachers are evaluated and paid. FCAT Pressure Heating Up Editorial Lakeland Ledger As the countdown to the FCAT is in progress, every outstanding teacher in the Polk Public Schools feels the pressure of forging ahead, cultivating every student in every class to reach deep down inside of themselves and pull out every skill and lesson they have learned since returning to school in August. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Mica's new clout in House huge boost to high-speed-rail projects By Mark K. Matthews Orlando Sentinel For insight into U.S. Rep. John Mica's priorities as new chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee, just look at his calendar. UF Senate passes resolution calling on Publix to meet with tomato pickers By Brett Ader Florida Independent The University of Florida Student Senate approved legislation last week calling on Publix to meet with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in an attempt to pressure the state’s largest supermarket chain to adhere to the labor demands many other national grocers and fast food chains have agreed to in recent years. Legislature and governor should heed the concerns of Florida's municipalities Editorial TC Palm Tensions between local governments and elected leaders in Tallahassee have intensified in recent years as cities, counties and state government have wrestled with the needs of constituents while dealing with unprecedented strains on financial resources. HEALTH AND SENIORS Judge's health care ruling reverberates; Florida gives back money to implement law By Janet Zink St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Reverberations of a Florida judge's ruling that the federal health care law is unconstitutional are spreading throughout the country, with supporters and opponents of the overhaul using the decision to draw their lines in the sand. An Activist Decision The Progress Report Think Progress Yesterday, a conservative district court judge appointed by President Ronald Reagan ruled that the individual mandate in the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional, arguing further that, since he believes the mandate is "inextricably linked" to the rest of the measure, the entire law must be unconstitutional. Uninsured kids propel Florida's low health care rating By Jeremy Cox Florida Times-Union It's a good thing for Texas, Arizona, Mississippi and Nevada. Florida sidesteps AIDS drug crisis – for now By Bob LaMendola South Florida Sun-Sentinel Florida has averted a major crisis that would have forced the state to drop 6,500 uninsured HIV/AIDS patients from a cash-strapped state program that supplies their life-saving drugs, activists said Tuesday. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES Immigration 'activist' accused of threatening Florida state Rep. William Snyder By Marc Caputo St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Massachusetts police have arrested a local man and accused him of sending a threatening e-mail to Florida state Rep. Will Snyder over the Republican's proposal to bring an Arizona-style immigration law to the Sunshine State. Pew Hispanic Center: Large decline in Florida’s unauthorized immigrant population By Marcos Restrepo Florida Independent The Pew Hispanic Center held a press conference Tuesday to release a study that estimates the overall number of unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S. as of March 2010 at about 11.2 million people, the same number for the previous year. Huckabee to support group whose leader said Planned Parenthood efforts ‘almost like’ genocide By Virginia Chamlee Florida Independent Florida resident and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee will act as keynote speaker for the controversial anti-abortion group Heroic Media at a Feb. 15 dinner in Orlando. Lt. Governor Carroll kicks off black history month By Tom Flanigan WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee February is Black History Month. Tom Flanigan reports its Florida observance was marked this Tuesday morning in Tallahassee by the state's new lieutenant governor.