Daily Clips for February 7, 2012

PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS

January 30^th Weekly Show
By Gayle Andrews
The BluVu: Florida’s Political Reality Show
A Coalition of Democrats and Republicans overpowers the GOP Senate leadership, the blatant voter suppression law of Florida and Damien Filer has more on the Senate GOP madness this week as political reality comes your way!

FEATURED STORIES

Proposal: Shift Florida health department to counties' control
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
Thousands of state jobs would be lost and Lantana's A.G. Holley Hospital would close under a bill gutting the Florida Health Department that cleared a House panel Monday, despite withering criticism from health care advocates.

Public and charter school advocates clash over bill to expand charter schools, funding
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
A bill to increase the number of charter schools -- institutions funded with public money but privately run -- and boost their funding for capital outlay projects passed through the Senate Education Committee Monday, but the debate largely centered on the limited funds available to public schools and nontraditional charter schools.

What’s Next in Education in the Florida Legislature?
By Gina Jordan
StateImpact
As the legislative session approaches the midway point, education will take a prominent place in the Florida Legislature this week amid budget talk and proposed tuition increases.

Debate on Florida private prisons hinges on cost
By Steve Bousquet
Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau
As state lawmakers consider a massive expansion of prison privatization, one number dominates the debate: 7 percent.

Stimulus dry-up hurts Florida's economic recovery
By Emily Roach
Palm Beach Post
With job cuts, scaled-back public projects and shrunken property tax collections because of declining home values, the government has turned into a drag on the recovery, according to many economists.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Former lawmakers return for Florida Capitol reunion
By Steve Bousquet
Tampa Bay Times
In Tallahassee, it's the return of the dinosaurs.

Corrections Expert Doubts Private Prison Savings
By Tom Parkinson
WMFE Central Florida
The issue of prison privatization has been on a fast track in the Florida Senate this session.

Heavy hands in Tallahassee manhandle Fasano
By Steve Otto
Tampa Tribune
Last week the biggest debate in the Florida Senate centered on a plan to privatize 26 prisons and work camps in South Florida. Proponents say such an outsourcing could save $16 million to $30 million a year.

Critics right: No evidence to support privatizing state prisons
Editorial
Palm Beach Post
How fitting that dissent among the Florida Senate's rank-and-file Republicans is threatening to head off the push to privatize 26 South Florida prisons and work camps.

Big Florida presence at CPAC 2012
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
Several big names in Florida are scheduled to make an appearance at one of the country’s biggest conservative conferences — set to begin this Thursday.

Ethics committee releases details of Buchanan financial disclosure investigation
By Virginia Chamlee
Florida Independent
The details of an ethics investigation into discrepancies on the 2008-2011 financial disclosures of Sarasota Republican Vern Buchanan were made public today.

Former state Sen. Mandy Dawson to plead guilty to income tax evasion
By Paula McMahon
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Former Broward state Sen. Mandy Dawson plans to plead guilty in a federal case that accuses her of income tax evasion, according to court records filed Monday.

POLITICAL RACES

Some Florida Republicans seeking third-party option
By William E. Gibson
Orlando Sentinel
In the wake of the fractious Florida Republican primary, some disgruntled conservatives are thinking about sitting out the general election or turning to a third-party candidate.

Democrat Wasserman Schultz plays national role in Republican primaries
By Anthony Man
South Florida Sun Sentinel
In Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota, Republicans will be voting in presidential nominating contests on Tuesday.

Host committee calls for 7,500 volunteers for Republican National Convention
By Richard Danielson
Tampa Bay Times
They won't get inside for the nominee's acceptance speech, but 7,500 local volunteers will do a lot to set the tone outside the Republican National Convention.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Legislators propose shifting oversight of utility watchdog
By Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau
Related: Senators reject efforts to repeal so-called ‘nuclear tax’
The independent consumer watchdog over state utility regulators is once again under fire.

Who will help the ratepayer?
By Stephen A. Smith
Tampa Bay Times
As the regulator for the state's largest power companies, you would think the Florida Public Service Commission would be doing everything it can to help customers save money on their electric bills during these tough economic times.

Senate panel kills fertilizer legislation while other bills are nearly killed
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
A bill that would exempt certified lawn care workers from local fertilizer regulations was voted down by a Senate committee after it faced continued opposition from environmental groups and counties.

LGBT

Jacobs won't back registry, gay-rights activists say
By David Damron
Orlando Sentinel
Gay-rights advocates have lost hope that Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs will support a domestic-partner registry that would secure end-of-life and visitation protections for unmarried couples.

EDUCATION

Charter schools should get tax money for maintenance costs, Senate panel says
By Kathleen McGrory
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
The charter school movement flexed its legislative muscle Monday, taking a big step toward winning more funding from the state.

Vice President Joe Biden touts college affordability plan in Tallahassee
By Kim Wilmath
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Vice President Joe Biden was on his way to prom years ago when he saw his father pacing outside.

Edison sees decline in enrollment -- economy, not turmoil, cited as reason
By Brittany Shammas
Naples Daily News
For the first time in about five years, Florida colleges are noting a leveling out in enrollment and pointing to the economy as the force behind the change.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Taxes on Desks and Chairs Could Go Away
By Mike Vasilinda
Capitol News Service
Florida businesses could see several tax breaks from state lawmakers this year.

Shared sacrifice?
Editorial
Gainesville Sun
The Florida House of Representatives is preparing to vote on an austere budget plan that eliminates 4,700 state jobs, raises college tuition and cuts payments to hospitals and nursing homes.

Bondi needs to do her job -- side with consumers in large-lender fraud deal
Editorial
Palm Beach Post
Federal officials and state attorneys general are supposed to reach a deal this week with Wells Fargo, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Ally Financial and Citigroup over foreclosure abuses.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Massive overhaul of Department of Health approved by House panel
By Christine Jordan Sexton
Florida Current
As many as 12,000 state employees could lose their jobs under a bill that revamps the Florida Department of Health that was approved by a House health care panel by a 7-4 vote on Monday.

Healthy State reports that Medicaid beneficiary says $10 premium would force her out
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
If state lawmakers get their way, Medicaid recipients in Florida will soon be required to contribute $10 a month for their health services.

Health secretary disputes claims that birth control decision disrespects religion
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
In an op-ed printed in USA Today yesterday, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius takes on accusations that a recent federal decision requiring health insurers to cover contraception as a preventive service is an attack on religious groups.t

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Scott names state solicitor general to replace 'Taj Mahal' judge
By News Service of Florida
Tampa Bay Times
Scott Makar, who has been Florida's lawyer arguing cases before the state and U.S. Supreme Courts for the last few years will join the First District Court of Appeal, Gov. Rick Scott announced Monday.

FDLE questions Bud Day's role at Public Defender's Office
By Thyrie Bland
Pensacola News Journal
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating allegations that the high-profile war hero who administered the Public Defender's Office in Okaloosa County came to work, drank coffee, read the newspaper, then left for the day.