Daily Clips for January 11, 2012

AWAKE THE STATE IN THE NEWS

Tampa protesters urge state to re-examine fiscal priorities
By Jose Patino Girona
Tampa Tribune
Excerpt: About 200 people from about 15 organizations, including Awake the State Tampa, Occupy Tampa and Tampa Bay Now, listened to guest speakers and cheered and chanted for 90 minutes at Lykes Gaslight Square. Some in attendance carried signs that read "People over Profit," "Cuts Cost Lives" and "Human Need Not Corporate Greed."

Protestors left and right as session opens in Tallahassee
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
Excerpt: The Occupy Tallahassee group had joined forces with Awake the State organizers to criticize Scott and GOP lawmakers at a rally on the steps of the Old Capitol.
Related: Florida Independent: Progressives rally at the capitol on first day of session
Related: Capitol News Service: Protestors Converge on Capitol
Related: Associated Press: Occupy Florida greets opening of Legislature
Related: Miami Herald: Video: State of the State and Capitol Protests
Related: News 13 Central Florida: ‘Awake the State’ rally brings protesters to Tallahassee
Related: WESH NBC 2 Orlando: Political Rallies Take On Capitol

Progressive group rallies, targets lawmakers, businesses that supported Gov. Scott
By Scott Powers
Orlando Sentinel
Florida Watch opened the 2012 Legislative Session Tuesday by targeting Gov. Rick Scott and lawmakers and businesses who have supported his budgets and policies, declaring them “anti-middle class.” About 75 people joined Florida Watch at a rally in downtown Orlando Tuesday afternoon, and others were set to rally in 18 other cities. The “Awake The State” protests were full of “Pink Slip Rick” signs, chanted slogans, labor union leaders and others, contending they were supporting all middle-class Floridians.
Related: Fox 13 News Tampa Bay: Protestors to lawmakers: We’re watching
Related: Palm Beach Post: 100 at West Palm rally blast Florida's GOP-controlled legislature as session opens
Related: Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Dozens rally in Sarasota against Rick Scott
Related: WWSB ABC 7 Sarasota: Residents gather to take back Tallahassee

FEATURED STORIES

Gov. Rick Scott vows to increase education funding in State of State speech
By Steve Bousquet
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Related: Text of Gov. Rick Scott's 2012 State of the State
Gov. Rick Scott welcomed back the Legislature to an election-year session Tuesday with an upbeat State of the State speech that centered on creating jobs, holding the line on taxes and spending more on schools.

Stop Pitting School Kids Against Children on Medicaid
By Dick Batchelor
Orlando Sentinel
With the Florida Legislature convening this week, one of the top issues is a projected budget shortfall of more than $2 billion.

Florida Legislature opens session amid budget concerns
By Aaron Deslatte and Kathleen Haughney
Orlando Sentinel
Florida lawmakers and Gov. Rick Scott christened an election-year legislative session Tuesday with the potentially conflicting goals of cutting spending, boosting aid to classrooms, and crafting new political lines that could decide who returns to the Capitol next year.

Haridopolos warns of budget cuts in session opener
News Service of Florida
Ft. Myers News-Press
Senate President Mike Haridopolos opened the 2012 legislative session Tuesday by touting major bills that passed last year --- but warning that lawmakers again face tough budget decisions that will lead to cuts in "beloved" programs.

Cannon urges 'dialogue' on higher-education reform
By Aaron Deslatte
Orlando Sentinel
Pointing the finger at himself and past lawmakers alike, House Speaker Dean Cannon said Tuesday he was summoning Florida university presidents to begin a "dialogue" about reforming the state's often-competing higher education system.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Scott stresses cooperation in State of the State
By Brendan Farrington
Associated Press
Gov. Rick Scott told lawmakers in his second State of the State address Tuesday that Florida needs to continue to streamlining government, cutting corporate taxes and eliminating regulations in an effort to help existing businesses grow and to lure more here.

Senate panel takes last look at Fla. redistricting
Associated Press
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
The Senate Reapportionment Committee is taking a final look at proposed redistricting maps before they go to a floor vote in the Republican-controlled chamber.

Controversial Legislation? Wait ‘Til Next Year, Florida
By Ralph De La Cruz
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
Like the upcoming Republican presidential primary, the state legislative session opened earlier than usual — by two months — on Tuesday.

Claims bills top Fla. Senate's first-day agenda
By Bill Kaczor
Associated Press
A man who spent 27 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit and the brain-damaged and paralyzed victim of a crash with a speeding sheriff's deputy who was late for work would receive millions in compensation through claims bills that cleared the Florida Senate shortly after the Legislature opened its 2012 session Tuesday.

Future Senate president backs John Thrasher's ethics bill
By Matt Dixon
Florida Times-Union
Senate President-designate Don Gaetz has become the prime co-sponsor of a bill that would ban lawmakers from working with unviersities or colleges while they serve and for two years after leaving the Legislature.

POLITICAL RACES

Mitt Romney wins New Hampshire primary
By Adam C. Smith
Tampa Bay Times
Mitt Romney took another big step toward the Republican presidential nomination Tuesday, handily winning New Hampshire's primary after showing his biggest political obstacle may be himself.

Poll: Florida headed for another close election
By Brent Kallestad
Associated Press
Another photo finish may be in store for Floridians this fall when they decide whether they want to re-elect President Barack Obama.

BALLOT INITIATIVES

Family Research Council gets behind Personhood Florida
By Virginia Chamlee
Florida Independent
Personhood Florida received a major endorsement this week from the Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Environmental issues left out of opening-day speeches as protestors chant outside
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
Gov. Rick Scott referred to Florida's beaches, its rivers and oceans but said little about the state's direction on the environment, energy or growth management issues in his State of the State address on Tuesday.

Bills would provide $26 million toward solar rebate program that ended in 2010
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
Bills filed within the past week would steer $26 million toward the solar energy rebate program that ended in June 2010.

Progress Energy expects to review repair proposals for nuclear plant by March
By Ivan Penn
Tampa Bay Times
Progress Energy expects to complete its review of proposals to repair the broken Crystal River nuclear plant by March, the utility told the state Public Service Commission this week.

LGBT

Family: Champion was gay, which may be factor in his hazing death
By Denise-Marie Balona
Orlando Sentinel
Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion was gay, which may have been one reason why he was beaten so severely during a hazing attack in Orlando last semester, the Champion family's attorney said Tuesday.

Orange dom. part. registry debate rages…into the night
By David Damron
Orlando Sentinel
Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs held a lengthy press conference Monday on creating a domestic partner registry, and it’s unleashed a flurry of political jockeying and confusion Tuesday.

EDUCATION

On schools, it's New Rick vs. Old Rick
By Scott Maxwell
Orlando Sentinel
Fresh off his first year in office, Gov. Rick Scott is demanding $1 billion in new money for public schools.

Scott offers some encouragement to UF, higher education
By Nathan Crabbe
Gainesville Sun
Gov. Rick Scott largely left higher education out of his State of the State address Tuesday but might have eased tensions with state universities by saying he "can't budge" on his proposal to put $1 billion back into education funding and making light of his now-infamous call for fewer anthropology majors.

Report cites ‘setbacks’ for Florida’s education reform efforts
By Laura Isensee
Miami Herald
Federal education officials gave Florida a warning Tuesday over delays in the state’s plan for education reform.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Pari-mutuels may endanger destination casino bill
By Michael Vasquez and Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald
Related: Poll shows Florida voters narrowly support destination resort casinos
The push to bring mega-casinos to South Florida faces a host of unknowns: would local voters approve the proposal in a public referendum?

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Medicaid cuts could mean huge losses for Jackson, Broward public hospitals
By John Dorschner
Miami Herald
A top state health official said Tuesday that Gov. Rick Scott’s proposed budget contains changes in Medicaid funding to fix an “unfair, not easily understood” payment system but also may trigger huge reductions for many hospitals, including the Jackson Health System.

Fla. gets $72 million grant for homeless shelters
Associated Press
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Florida's child welfare agency is giving nearly $72 million in grants to help fund local homeless shelters.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Anti-shackling bill passes unanimously in state Senate
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
A bill that would create uniform and humane rules for the shackling of incarcerated pregnant women passed the state Senate unanimously today.