Daily Clips for November 22, 2011

FEATURED STORIES

GOP Derails Super Committee To Protect Millionaires & Billionaires
By Pat Garofalo
Think Progress
The fiscal super committee created by last summer’s deal to raise the debt ceiling was charged with crafting a $1.5 trillion deficit reduction package by Thanksgiving.

Fla. House speaker narrows focus of 2012 session to budget, redistricting
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
Florida House Speaker Dean Cannon said Monday he doesn't plan to delay action on crafting next year's state budget, defusing talk that lawmakers might wait in hopes of improving tax collections.

Redistricting Complaints
By Troy Kinsey
WCTV News Tallahassee
After six months of public hearings, committee meetings, and plenty of promises, a critical redistricting deadline has come and gone.

New bill would nix prohibition against poll workers asking voters for ‘additional information’
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
While civil rights advocates and policy-makers around the country have spoken out against increasingly strict and targeted voting rules levied by GOP-led legislatures, state Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Shalimar, last week introduced a new bill that would allow poll workers to ask voters for “additional information” when they present their mandatory photo IDs.

Fla. chief financial officer wants ok on contracts
By Gary Fineout
Associated Press
The top Florida official in charge of the state's checkbook wants more control over state contracts even though it could set up a clash with Gov. Rick Scott.

FLORIDA POLITICS

House Speaker Cannon talks budget, Brody and working with Gov. Scott
By Katie Sanders
St. Petersburg Times
House Speaker Dean Cannon said there is no reason lawmakers should delay passage of the 2012-13 budget beyond the regular legislative session -- not even to factor in sharper revenue projections available in mid-March.

Bogdanoff warns Palm Beach County Commission against slots for kennel club
By Jennifer Sorentrue
Palm Beach Post
Palm Beach County's push to allow slot machines at the Palm Beach Kennel Club could have far reaching, possibly negative effects on the future of gambling in the state, the chair of the county's legislative delegation warned Monday.

Feds close investigation of Sen. Jim Norman without bringing charges
By Jodie Tillman
St. Petersburg Times
Jim Norman's financial link to a longtime political benefactor nearly derailed his run for state Senate — but, according to federal officials, didn't break the law.

BALLOT INITIATIVES

Medical Marijuana Resolution Now in Both Chambers of Florida Legislature
By Matthew Hendley
Broward New Times
Resolutions to let voters decide on an amendment to the Florida Constitution to legalize medical marijuana have now been proposed in both chambers of the Legislature.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Tentative Deal With EPA on Water Standards Could Collapse Over Canal Exemptions
By Dennis Maley
Bradenton Times
Though Florida's Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have tentatively agreed on pollution rules to protect Florida's waters, the whole deal could go up in smoke over the issue of canals and whether they will be protected from pollution.

PSC to consider Progress Energy request for replacement power costs for Crystal River plant
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
The Florida Public Service Commission is set to decide Tuesday whether Progress Energy should bill its customers for $140.1 million in replacement power costs while its Crystal River nuclear plant is being repaired.

PSC should delay Progress Energy's fuel cost request
Editorial
St. Petersburg Times
The Florida Public Service Commission today should not grant Progress Energy Florida's request to burden consumers with more of the growing expense of its Crystal River nuclear plant debacle.

Sharks need saving, too
Editorial
Miami Herald
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission should take a bow for living up to the Conservation in its name.

EDUCATION

UF explains its "unique mission'' to governor
By Nathan Crabbe
Gainesville Sun
Rather than simply respond to Gov. Rick Scott's questions, the University of Florida decided to rewrite the test.

Bright Future Changes
By Whitney Ray
Capitol News Service
A plan to encourage college students to finish their undergraduate degrees faster will be laid out for lawmakers before the end of the year.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Failure of debt supercommittee triggers automatic cuts in 2013
By Laura Green
Palm Beach Post
It was difficult to imagine Congress could do more to tarnish its already sad, do-nothing reputation.

As super committee fails to reach deal, here are winners and losers in Florida
By William E. Gibson
Orlando Sentinel
A congressional super committee's failure to agree on a debt-reduction plan Monday disappointed sugar growers and alarmed defense contractors in Florida while bringing a sense of relief to proponents of Social Security and Medicare.

Florida home prices dip, condos bounce back in October
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
Sales for existing Florida homes and condominiums rose last month, but although the median sales price rose for condos, home prices dipped slightly, according to a report released Monday by the Florida Association of Realtors.

Florida revenue officials spike idea to tax business leases
Staff Report
St. Petersburg Times
After lobbying by commercial real estate groups, Florida's Department of Revenue spiked a plan that could have imposed more taxes on business leases.

Feds give out $2.4M grant for SunRail planning
By Dan Tracy
Orlando Sentinel
The federal government awarded a $2.4 million grant Monday to a Metro Orlando planning agency to help devise development around 12 of the 17 stops that will serve the SunRail commuter trains.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Commission is asked to require the sale of all public hospitals and their assets
By Christine Jordan Sexton and Travis Pillow
Florida Current
A proposal to require the sale of all public hospitals and their assets to the private sector got a chilly reception Monday from a majority of those on the state panel charged at looking at public hospitals.

Census: 23% of all Florida children live in poverty
By Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald
Here’s a piece of data that missed our radar last week: Nearly one in four Florida children under age 18 live in poverty, higher than the national average and a 1.2 percent increase over the previous year, according to data released last week by the U.S. Census.

Anti-abortion Democrats want religious exemption in birth control decision
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
Democrats opposed to abortion are asking the Obama administration to uphold an exemption for religious employers in its recent decision requiring health insurers to cover contraception without co-payments.

New Prescription Drug Monitoring Program stats released
By Virginia Chamlee
Florida Independent
A statewide prescription drug monitoring program continues to be successful in Florida, where it was only recently implemented.

Legislator files bill to increase access to fresh produce for underserved communities
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
State. Sen Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, introduced legislation earlier this month that would increase access to fresh vegetables and fruits for low-income and struggling communities.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Police at Odds With Miami’s Black Community — Again
By Ralph De La Cruz
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
We probably shouldn’t be surprised that aggressiveness and violence are part of a police culture.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Cannon puts damper on push to fund courts
By Tom Flanigan
WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee
During the 2011 Florida lawmaking session, House Speaker Dean Cannon was pushing big changes to the state's courts, especially the Supreme Court.

Pennsylvania private prison scheme has familiar ring to it
By Frank Cerabino
Palm Beach Post
It seems only fitting that Michael Conahan became a Florida resident this month.

Drug law case on fast track in Fla. Supreme Court
By Bill Kaczor
Associated Press
A case that could result in the release of hundreds, if not thousands, of drug offenders is on a fast track in the Florida Supreme Court.