FEATURED STORIES
Report: Weak campaign laws in Florida shield influx of money in politics
By Mary Ellen Klas
St. Petersburg Times
A new report by the National Institute for Money in State Politics finds that, surprise, campaign spending in Florida is increasingly allowing both large donors and candidates to circumvent the state's campaign finance limits but, "poor disclosure laws inhibit analysis of the impact this spending had on the outcome of elections."
Nelson to get hearing on restrictive election laws
Staff Report
Florida Current
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson will get his Senate committee hearing about whether new restrictive voting laws in Florida and other states are part of an orchestrated effort to suppress voter turnout in 2012, according to TBO.com.
Rick Scott: The United States’ regulations “are among the most difficult in the world”: False
By Amy Sherman
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Politifact
Republican Gov. Rick Scott repeated a familiar politician's mantra when he bashed "overregulation."
Feds delay decision on new medical loss ratio requirements
By Christine Jordan Sexton
Florida Current
Florida will have to wait to hear whether it will be exempt from the new medical loss ratio requirements required under federal law, state officials learned Wednesday.
With one week left, GOP, Dems, far apart on deficit deal
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
The top Republican on a special deficit-cutting panel says GOP negotiators have "gone as far as we feel we can go" on tax hikes, a public signal that a debt bargain could be out of reach despite weeks of negotiations.
FLORIDA POLITICS
State lawmakers debate GOP memorial requiring federal government to balance its budget
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
Continuing an ongoing theme in the GOP-led Legislature, a committee today spent a considerable amount of time debating a memorial that would require the federal government to pass a balanced budget.
RPOF lawyer: Press isn’t welcome to hear Jim Greer’s lawyers depose party insiders
By Bob Shaw
Orlando Sentinel
Jim Greer, the fired Republican Party of Florida chairman who faces fraud and theft charges for allegedly funneling $125,000 in RPOF funds into his bank account, is sending his defense attorneys to Tallahassee to take depositions this week — and nobody’s invited.
ACLU wants Senate hearings on voter law before Jan. 31 prez primary
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
The ACLU of Florida, already suing to overturn the state’s new voting law, urged a Senate panel Wednesday to hold its planned hearing on the measure — preferably before the state’s Jan. 31 presidential primary.
Senator to testify before grand jury over tree-cutting deal
By Michael C. Bender
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
A state senator from the Panhandle has been called to testify in front of a grand jury about a deal that let a billboard company chop down more than 2,000 trees without paying any state fees.
Lobbying income continues to grow
By Travis Pillow
Florida Current
Legislative lobbying firms reported earning up to $42 million in the third quarter of this year, according to disclosure forms that were due late Monday.
Special interests rule prison dispute
Editorial
Miami Herald
The political and legal struggle over the privatization of Florida’s state prisons is at first blush a Tallahassee-insider mud fight between Republicans abetted by their campaign contributors in the private-prison industry and state prison guards and their huge union.
POLITICAL RACES
Cain stumbles on Cuba question in S. Florida
By Alex Leary
St. Petersburg Times
Returning to the state that made him a rising star seven weeks ago, Herman Cain stumped Wednesday morning in South Florida as a different candidate, nagged by questions about his foreign policy expertise and his handling of sexual harassment allegations.
In West Palm Beach stop, Cain stresses 'clarity,' 'leadership,' downplays gaffes
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
Facing new questions about his grasp of foreign policy, Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain got big applause from supporters tonight when he said leadership and clarity are more important than expertise in international affairs.
GOP presidential hopefuls pick up campaign pace in Florida
By William March
Tampa Tribune
It's looking like a busy week in Florida for Republican presidential candidates, and it's also looking like it's going to get busier.
ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
What Global Warming? Science-Doubting Florida Lawmakers Move to Kill Cap-and-Trade
By Jim Saunders
FlaglerLive.com
With the sponsor raising questions about climate-change science, a House panel moved forward Tuesday with repealing a law that could lead to using a “cap and trade” system to limit greenhouse-gas emissions.
Protesting Progress Energy, town to stage mock funeral for itself
By Virginia Chamlee
Florida Independent
To call attention to its ongoing struggle against power company Progress Energy’s plan to install 100-foot power poles through the downtown area, the fishing town of Apalachicola will stage a mock funeral for itself on Sat., Nov. 19.
Florida approves shark protections
By Curtis Morgan
Miami Herald
Florida wildlife managers approved a ground-breaking shark protection measure on Wednesday that will make it illegal for anglers fishing state waters to keep tiger sharks or three species of hammerheads.
Assistant agriculture commissioner: Water issues could be state game changer
By Anthony Clark
Gainesville Sun
Florida's agriculture industry has tremendous opportunities to provide nutritious school meals and grow crops for alternative energy, but water supply issues could create serious problems without the right solutions, said Mike Joyner, the state's assistant commissioner of agriculture.
LGBT
FAU adds protected status to gay and lesbian students, faculty
By Scott Travis
South Florida Sun Sentinel
After a long wait, gay and lesbian students and employees at Florida Atlantic University are now specifically protected from discrimination and harassment.
Broward requires vendors to treat spouses, same-sex partners the same
By Brittany Wallman
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Broward has come out — again — as gay friendly, passing a law preventing the county government from doing business with companies that don't treat same-sex couples the same as spouses.
EDUCATION
Jax senator wants 2 percent of all gaming money for education
By Kathleen Haughney
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Sen. Steve Wise, R-Jacksonville, doesn't support a new destination resort bill that would bring Las Vegas-style casinos to Florida.
Bill announced to expand vouchers in Florida
By Ron Matus
St. Petersburg Times
To ease a growing waiting list for private-school vouchers, a Florida state senator has filed legislation to expand the program next year.
Should Florida teachers grade parents?
By Jeff Solochek
St. Petersburg Times
Florida Rep. Kelli Stargel, a Lakeland Republican, got lots of state and national press last spring -- but no legislative traction -- for her bill to have public school teachers educate parents about their role in education and then rate their performance.
Sen. Alexander wants probe of USF leaders over Poly
By Lindsay Peterson
Tampa Tribune
State Sen. JD Alexander lashed out at the University of South Florida on Wednesday in a letter accusing USF of waging a "campaign of misinformation" in the debate over making USF Polytechnic an independent university.
What's the rush?
Editorial
Gainesville Sun
Related: UF misses governor’s deadline to answer questions
If Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature are known for anything, it's quick fixes.
JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Genting’s spectacular promises raise legislative doubts
By Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald
In the debut debate over the resort casinos bill Wednesday, the head of Genting Americas offered legislators glittering promises and pitches — from guaranteeing non-stop flights between Asia and Miami, to $1.7 billion in new revenue to the state, to the purchase of thousands of Disney World tickets for resort patrons.
Casino kingpin calls BS – during committee meeting – on gambling critics
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
Colin Au, president of Malaysian-based gambling giant Genting America, made big promises to lawmakers during a Senate Regulated Industries workshop on Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff’s proposal designed to allow up to three casinos in South Florida.
Biz groups: Tax online sales or else
By Aaron Deslatte
South Florida Sun Sentinel
A new business-backed report indicates that Florida’s sales tax base is eroding, and not collecting sales taxes on online transactions will continue to worsen the state’s competitive playing field.
This time, the debt deadline comes with asterisks and outs
By Alex Leary
St. Petersburg Times
Sen. Patty Murray, the lead Democrat on the debt "supercommittee," strode stone-faced past a pack of reporters.
Who is Grover Norquist and Why is the GOP So Afraid of Him?
By Dennis Maley
Bradenton Times
As the Congressional super-committee on cutting the deficit zeroes in on its Thanksgiving deadline, one name keeps coming up – Grover Norquist.
HEALTH AND SENIORS
Feds delay decision on new medical loss ratio requirements
By Christine Jordan Sexton
Florida Current
Florida will have to wait to hear whether it will be exempt from the new medical loss ratio requirements required under federal law, state officials learned Wednesday.
Workers’ comp panel votes to limit drug, outpatient charges
By Christine Jordan Sexton
Florida Current
A panel charged with keeping Florida's workers' compensation delivery system running smoothly wants the state to cap how much physicians can charge for dispensing prescriptions to injured workers.
Data ‘highway’: road to nowhere?
By Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
As a health IT expert for a national consulting firm, Lindsey Jarrell has tried to get hospitals and doctor groups to share information with one another. But they just plain won’t, he says.
Governor and CFO team up on PIP proposal
By Christine Jordan Sexton
Florida Current
Gov. Rick Scott and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater vowed at a joint press conference Tuesday to work together to pass an overhaul of personal injury protection (PIP) insurance.
CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Eased zero-tolerance law brings fewer arrests in Florida schools
By Leslie Postal
Orlando Sentinel
The number of Florida students arrested in school has dropped significantly in the past six years, a trend accelerated by lawmakers' decision to dial back the state's strict zero-tolerance law in 2009.
JUSTICE AND THE COURTS
Facing ethics trial, 'Taj Mahal' courthouse Judge Paul Hawkes says he's resigningBy Lucy Morgan
St. Petersburg Times
Related editorial: Gavel should fall on Paul Hawkes' career
Unable to negotiate a penalty short of being removed from office, 1st District Court Judge Paul M. Hawkes is resigning from the court to avoid facing a trial before the Judicial Qualifications Commission.
State appeals court rejects controversial ruling on Florida drug law
By David Ovalle
Miami Herald
A state appeals court on Wednesday rejected a federal judge’s controversial ruling that Florida’s drug statute is unconstitutional.
No comments:
Post a Comment