Daily Clips for March 30, 2012

FEATURED STORIES

Gov. Scott signs Medicaid billing changes; counties could be on hook for $325.5 million
By Tia Mitchell
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Against the wishes of counties and tea party leaders, Gov. Rick Scott signed a controversial bill into law Thursday that will change the way counties are billed for Medicaid costs and could set up a legal showdown.

Gov. Rick Scott on pros and cons of splitting off USF Polytechnic
By Steve Bousquet
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Gov. Rick Scott continues to get a lot of advice from both sides as he considers whether to sign or veto a bill that spins off USF Polytechnic in Lakeland into a 12th state university.

Lawmakers scramble for redrawn seats
By Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau
As the Florida Legislature finished its historic special session and sent a revamped redistricting map back to the state Supreme Court this week, another kind of history was being made.

American Apartheid? The Republican "Dream" Scheme
By Michael B. Keegan
Huffington Post
The Senate GOP seems to be banking on the assumption that Latino voters are stupid, don't read the fine print – or are not paying any attention at all.

Capital Orlando
By Dave Plotkin and PJ Tamayo
Orlando Weekly
A first look at Florida's new capitol complex coming to downtown Orlando.

BEST OF THE BLOGS

Surprise! Scott Can't Justify His $1 Billion Business Tax Giveaway With Job Creation
By Inkberries
Beach Peanuts
Once again Rick Scott has gathered around big business leaders for a ceremonial tax giveaway to the tune of $1 billion, cuts that he can't justify with job creation.

Why "Stand Your Ground" Is Actually "Shoot First"
By Ray Seaman
Progress Florida
The tragic death of 17 year-old Trayvon Martin at the hands of self-appointed "neighborhood watchman" George Zimmerman has reignited the debate over Florida's so-called "Stand Your Ground" law.

Big Sugar: Great Destroyers of Florida Foist Costs of Pollution on Taxpayers
By Gimleteye
Eye on Miami
One of the repeated claims by the Unreformable Majority of the Miami-Dade County Commission is what good environmentalists, farmers are.

Group That Promotes ‘Stand Your Ground’ Laws Reportedly Funded by Microsoft, Amazon, Dell, AT&T, Dozens More
By Jon Ponder
Pensito Review
It has rightly become the subject of outrage nationwide that George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford, Fla., was not arrested last month after he allegedly stalked and killed a teenager, Trayvon Martin, whom Zimmerman apparently believed to be a neighborhood prowler.

Voter Registration Groups Halt Florida Efforts Due To Anti-Voter Election Law
By Zachary Bernstein
Think Progress
Voter registration tableLast May, Florida radically overhauled its election law. In the name of preventing voter fraud, the bill slashed the early voting period nearly in half, shifted many voters to provisional ballots which often are never counted, and invalidated absentee ballots if the voter’s signature did not match official records.

POLITICAL RACES

Outside political spending four times greater than in 2008
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
Super PACs and other outside groups are already spending four times as much money on this upcoming presidential than in 2008, the Sunlight Foundation reports.

New Birther lawsuit filed in Florida
By Virginia Chamlee
Florida Independent
A Broward County Democrat is asking state officials to remove Barack Obama’s name from the 2012 election ballot on the grounds that he has not documented that he is eligible for the office.

Rubio gives Romney a tea party boost
By William E. Gibson
Orlando Sentinel
So now that Sen. Marco Rubio has finally endorsed Mitt Romney, what does it mean for Florida, Hispanic voters, himself and Republican chances of beating President Barack Obama in November?

Romney Continues to Trip Over Blades of Grass as he Limps to the Finish Line
By Dennis Maley
Bradenton Times
A trouncing in Louisianna and his campaign's Etch-a-Sketch comment are only the most recent blunders by the still probable GOP presidential candidate.

Civil liberties advocate takes issue with some provisions of Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn's proposed rules for RNC protesters
By Sean Kinane
WMNF Tampa
Yesterday Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn announced a proposal for a temporary ordinance during the week of the Republican National Convention in August.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

In the Everglades, Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Industry's Mess
By Erika Eichelberger
Mother Jones
The fragile wetlands of the Everglades have long been choked by pollution, especially phosphorus from fertilizers used in industrial agriculture.

Mighty python: Local forest rangers catch 15-foot snake
By Eric Staats
Naples Daily News
Jean Bernard Tarrete had the python by the tail, walking in circles to keep a step ahead of the huge snake’s attacking head.

EDUCATION

Newspaper finds suspicious school tests scores nationwide
Staff Report
Florida Current
A newspaper analysis of school testing results for 69,000 public schools in 200 districts across the country has found high concentrations of suspect math or reading scores, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

New law allowing ‘inspirational messages' in school worries officials locally
By Jackie Alexander
Gainesville Sun
Alachua County Public Schools officials and religious leaders say they are wary of a new state law signed last week allowing “inspirational messages” in public schools, dubbing it a potential “Pandora’s box.”

Student Group Asks Gov. Rick Scott To Veto Tuition Bill
By John O'Connor
StateImpact
University of Florida senior Andrew Hecht understands the bind in which university president Bernie Machen finds himself.

UF trustees ponder how to survive budget cuts while students protest tuition hikes
By Nathan Crabbe
Gainesville Sun
As some University of Florida students protested rising tuition Thursday, university officials and trustees discussed the survival of public research universities at a time of dwindling state support.

College cuts imperil state
Editorial
Palm Beach Post
Florida legislators say they want a premier higher-education system whose graduates can fill high-paying jobs that will boost the state's economy, but their actions belie their words.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Is governor on track to add 700,000 jobs?
By Emily Roach
Palm Beach Post
Is Gov. Rick Scott ahead on his seven-year plan to create 700,000 jobs, or behind?

More changes to retirement plans of some state workers could be coming
By Steve Bousquet
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
On the last day of the 2012 session, state lawmakers voted to reduce contributions to the retirement accounts of 100,000 public employees, many of whom work in higher education or law enforcement.

Rick Scott makes pitch to 100 New York businesses
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Gov. Rick Scott is making a pitch for New York businesses to make the move to Florida.

Audit report cites DEP lack of financial controls, use of park funds to cover cafeteria losses
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
A state audit report on Thursday slammed the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for failing to conduct annual reviews of state park financial operations, for not documenting efforts to collect fines and for covering $327,496 in losses at its headquarters cafeteria with trust fund money designated for state parks.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

5 Supreme Court takeaways
By Josh Gerstein and Jennifer Haberkorn
Politico
The Obama administration rushed its landmark health law to the Supreme Court to get some clarity over its future.

The Supreme Court Arguments Are Over - What Happens Now?
Staff Report
Kaiser Health News
News outlets sum up the oral arguments and preview when to expect a decision, what impact the legal review might have on politics and what other ripple effects could occur.

Counties will have to pay millions in disputed Medicaid bills
By Kathleen Haughney
Orlando Sentinel
Gov. Rick Scott Thursday signed legislation that will force the state's 67 counties to fork over tens of millions of dollars to the state in disputed Medicaid payments, putting a strain on already overburdened local budgets.

The Financial State Of Florida’s Medicaid
By David Gulliver
HealthyState.org
Gov. Rick Scott and his key lieutenants have been saying for years that Medicaid will break Florida’s budget.

If law goes, opponents responsible for fixing health care
Editorial
Tampa Bay Times
Now that the five most conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court have signaled they are considering striking down part or all of the health reform law, the question falls to the law's opponents: How do you propose fixing America's broken health care system?

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

What does new video of George Zimmerman mean in debate over Trayvon Martin's death?
By Jeff Weiner
Orlando Sentinel
Related: Anonymous witness to Trayvon Martin shooting describes scene
Related: Residents march in Leesburg to protest shooting death of Trayvon Martin
A newly released six-minute video of George Zimmerman at Sanford police headquarters has reignited online debate about whether he was defending himself when he shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

Hammer Is the Woman Behind Stand Your Ground
By Michael Daly
The Daily Beast
The woman behind the Stand Your Ground Laws at the center of the Trayvon Martin shooting is unapologetic about her love of guns.

In Florida, 130 Self-Defense Claims Like George Zimmerman’s
Staff Report
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
The Tampa Bay Times has taken a fresher look at the impact of Stand Your Ground, and the newspaper finds the controversial redefinition of self-defense has been invoked at least 130 times in Florida since it became state law in 2005.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Gov. Scott signs Brody, 8 other claims bills
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
The family of Eric Brody will receive $10.75 million now that Gov. Rick Scott has signed his claims bill into law.

Appeals court quashes Kriseman subpoena, upholds legislative privilege
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
Rep. Rick Kriseman will not be compelled to testify in a pending case involving online travel companies, the 1st District Court of Appeal ruled Thursday.

In Sarasota, House Speaker Cannon defends failed court reforms
By Jeremy Wallace
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Florida House Speaker Dean Cannon knows he lost.

Daily Clips for March 29, 2012

FEATURED STORIES

Florida voting law's bad effects surface
Editorial
Tampa Bay Times
The defenders of a new state law that makes it harder to register to vote can no longer dismiss concerns that it will reduce turnout in the November elections.

Scott signs more tax breaks for businesses into law
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
Gov. Rick Scott today signed a bill enacting a slew of tax breaks and handouts for businesses in Florida as part of his plan to grow the state’s economy and create jobs.

Sen. Marco Rubio endorses Mitt Romney for president
By Alex Leary
Tampa Bay Times
Mitt Romney secured the backing of one of the last big prizes of the endorsement sweepstakes late Wednesday: U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio.

Supreme Court justices hint at saving part of health care law
By Laura Green
Palm Beach Post
A day after a divided court dimmed the prospects for the Obama administration's mandate that every American buy insurance, justices left open the possibility that other parts of the sweeping health care law may survive.

The Money Trail Behind Florida's Notorious Gun Law
By Andy Kroll
Mother Jones
On April 26, 2005, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush signed into law SB 436, better known as the "Stand Your Ground" law, which gave Floridians the right to use deadly force to defend themselves in public without first trying to flee from a threat.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Fla. Gov. Rick Scott's poll numbers slip again
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
A new poll shows Gov. Rick Scott's standing with Florida voters is slipping again.

A Dream Act Without the Dream
Editorial
New York Times
Republican politicians have overwhelmingly embraced an approach to immigration reform that offers only misery, arrest and punishment to the undocumented.

Social issues low on list of Florida voters’ priorities
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
A new poll released by Quinnipiac University today shows that social issues are low on the list of priorities for Florida voters for the upcoming presidential election, even though issues like reproductive rights have been a big focus in campaigns.

Could any of these bills get vetoed by Gov. Rick Scott?
By Gary Fineout
The Fine Print
Rick scott state of the state webGov. Rick Scott on Wednesday will sign several bills that consist of the "jobs agenda" that he outlined last fall.

Scott taps DCF chief for new cost-cutting role
Staff Report
Florida Current
Gov. Rick Scott announced Wednesday that he is tapping current Department of Children and Families Secretary David Wilkins for a new role focused on streamlining state government and cutting costs.

Lottery Balls and Last-Minute Deals, How The Senate Redistricts
By Paula Dockery
Florida Voices
Nearly midnight on the last day of the legislative session, Florida senators were told we would begin an extraordinary session the following week for a second attempt at drawing new political districts.

POLITICAL RACES

Don't do it Marco Rubio! Why would you want to be vice president?
By John Romano
Tampa Bay Times
The senator is young. Charismatic. Telegenic.

Poll: Nelson opens 44-36 lead over Mack in Senate race
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who was in a virtual tie with Republican Connie Mack in a January poll, has moved to a 44-to-36 percent lead over the GOP frontrunner now, a new Quinnipiac University poll says.

Connie Mack slams Bill Nelson over Keystone pipeline
By William March
Tampa Tribune
U.S. Rep. Connie Mack made his first Tampa-area public campaign appearance Wednesday, holding a news conference at a downtown gas station to criticize Sen. Bill Nelson over the Keystone oil pipeline.

Stearns' health care record questioned
By Bill Thompson
Gainesville Sun
It's a fierce criticism of the federal government's health care plan.

For RNC, Tampa plans to limit weapons in 'clean zone'
By Kevin Wiatrowski
Tampa Tribune
Mayor Bob Buckhorn spelled out the city's approach to protesters when the Republican National Convention hits town this summer.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Gov. Rick Scott's reversal on Gulf fisheries council nomination raises concerns
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
When he nominated chairman Robert P. Gill to another term on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, Gov. Rick Scott wrote in a March 15 letter that Gill's reputation for being "impartial and open-minded" made him an ideal candidate.

Everglades needs "polluter pays"
Editorial
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Speak up if you're aware Florida has a constitutional amendment protecting the Everglades from pollution.

LGBT

Is the conservative consensus crumbling over gay marriage?
By Chris Kromm
Facing South
This week, newly-unearthed internal memos revealed that a leading group fighting gay marriage, the National Organization for Marriage, sought to drive "a wedge between gays and blacks," among other divide-and-conquer tactics, to stop same-sex unions.

EDUCATION

Leon School board anticipates lower grades next year
By Lynn Hatter
WFSU Tallahassee
Leon County School District officials say they expect lower scores next year for the county’s elementary schools.

Ignore school-prayer baiting
Editorial
Palm Beach Post
Think of the Legislature as the kid at recess trying to get two other kids to fight each other.

University Funding Cut: Legislature Lets Down Students
Editorial
Lakeland Ledger
For the past five years, the Florida Legislature has been steadily cutting state funding for universities, while jacking up student fees and tuitions.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Scott signs Workforce, other pro-business laws
By Dan Tracy
Orlando Sentinel
Gov. Rick Scott signed four bills into law Wednesday aimed at improving the state's business climate, including one giving him the ability to fire directors and top executives of the state's regional jobs boards.

1% restaurant tax could be one way to help Orlando's homeless, former Sen. Mel Martinez says
By Kate Santich and David Damron
Orlando Sentinel
If you run up a $100 tab for food and drinks at a Miami restaurant, one dollar of the bill goes to help the homeless and victims of domestic violence.

Florida's building codes rated best in hurricane protection
By Eliot Kleinberg
Palm Beach Post
Florida ranks highest among 18 hurricane-region states for building codes and their enforcement, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety says.

Florida's lifeline assistance program to undergo revamp
By Susan Salisbury
Palm Beach Post
Florida's Lifeline Assistance telephone discount program for low-income consumers is being revamped to strengthen protections against waste, fraud and abuse.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Health care law battered in three days of Supreme Court arguments
By Alex Leary
Tampa Bay Times
Related: Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi front and center in fight against health care law
It would have been impossible for even the most faithful believer in the health care law to feel good descending the steps of the Supreme Court on Wednesday afternoon.

Even Without The Individual Mandate, Health Law Would Still Affect Millions
By Julie Appleby
Kaiser Health News
If the Supreme Court strikes down the requirement that most Americans carry health insurance – along with related provisions that insurers must sell to people with pre-existing conditions and not charge the sick more – what’s left in the law?

Florida must pay for autism therapy for poor kids, judge says
By Carol Marbin Miller
Miami Herald
Florida health care regulators have left autistic children from impoverished families at risk of "irreversible" harm by refusing to pay for a critical therapy that can help them lead more normal lives, a Miami federal judge has ruled.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Questions in teen's shooting need to go deeper
By Howard Simon
Tampa Bay Times
By now nearly everyone has heard about the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.

A Hoodie, Not a Hoodlum
By Nicole Pasulka
Mother Jones
On March 23rd, Geraldo Rivera went on Fox News to discuss Trayvon Martin's death on Fox News, saying, "I am urging the parents of black and Latino youngsters, particularly, to not let their children go out wearing hoodies. I think the hoodie is as much responsible for Trayvon Martin's death as George Zimmerman was."

FAMU faculty members witnessed hazing but took no action
Associated Press
Florida Times-Union
Witnesses told police that two Florida A&M University faculty members were present as band fraternity pledges were hazed at the home of one of the professors in early 2010, according to an investigative report released Wednesday.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Fla. justices agree to hear state's pension appeal
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
The Florida Supreme Court will hear the state's appeal of a judge's ruling that struck down a requirement for public employees to contribute to their pensions.

Daily Clips for March 28, 2012

FEATURED STORIES

Florida House OKs redraw of Senate district lines, but misgivings persist
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
A sharply divided Florida House approved the Senate's second attempt at redrawing its political boundaries Tuesday -- sending the proposal to the state Supreme Court for a final review.

As Supreme Court takes up individual mandate, conservative justices have hard questions
By Alex Leary
Tampa Bay Times
Related: What they're saying about the Supreme Court arguments
Related: For Chief Justice Roberts, a decision of supreme heft
The Supreme Court's most conservative justices and its crucial swing voter sharply questioned the government's right to force people to buy health insurance on Tuesday, leaving the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's signature achievement in doubt.

Dems want special session, faster action on Stand Your Ground law
By William March
Tampa Tribune
Several black state legislators are calling for faster action on the Trayvon Martin shooting than sought in Gov. Rick Scott’s order, including a special session of the Legislature to reconsider the “Stand Your Ground” law.

Florida’s New Election Law Blunts Voter Drives
By Michael Cooper and Jo Craven McGinty
New York Times
Florida, which is expected to be a vital swing state once again in this year’s presidential election, is enrolling fewer new voters than it did four years ago as prominent civic organizations have suspended registration drives because of what they describe as onerous restrictions imposed last year by Republican state officials.

Republicans seeking out Hispanics
By Alexander Bolton
The Hill
Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), the only Senate Republican of Hispanic heritage and a possible vice presidential pick, is working on an alternative version of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, which would grant legal status to illegal immigrants who came to the country at a young age and serve in the military or attend college.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Legislature ends redistricting session, new Senate map approved
By Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau
The Florida Legislature ended its two-week legislative session on redistricting Tuesday, sending a redrawn map of new Senate districts to the Florida Supreme Court for one last review.

State Department claims elections law not to blame for drop in Florida voter registration
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
The New York Times reports today that Florida’s controversial new voting law has caused numerous third-party voter registration groups to completely suspend their efforts due to onerous new restrictions the law imposes on them.

Ham-fisted voter ID laws
Editorial
Gainesville Sun
It is reasonable to require voters to show identification before casting ballots, one of democracy's most important activities.

Two Rubio books to hit shelves June 19
By Darius Dixon
Politico
The Marco Rubio book race moved into a dead heat as the publishers of a more critical take on the Florida Republican’s life announced that it would bump up its publication date to match the release of the senator’s memoir.

POLITICAL RACES

Women, improving economy give Obama 7 point lead over Romney in Florida, poll shows
By Alex Leary
Tampa Bay Times
President Obama leads Mitt Romney 49 to 42 in Florida, a new Quinnipiac poll shows. The president bests Rick Santorum 50 to 37.

Downtown Tampa companies leaning toward business as usual during RNC
By Jeff Harrington and Stephanie Wang
Tampa Bay Times
What happens when downtown Tampa's 50,000 workers collide with up to 50,000 Republican National Convention visitors in August?

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

FPL gets go-ahead for Port Everglades plant
By Jim Saunders
News Service of Florida
State regulators on Tuesday unanimously approved Florida Power & Light’s proposal to build a nearly $1.2 billion power plant in Broward County, saying it is the best way to meet the utility’s future needs.

Groups calling for veto of energy bill for different reasons
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
Two groups on opposite ends of the political spectrum are calling for a veto of the HB 7117 energy bill for different reasons.

The spill's mounting toll
Editorial
Pensacola News Journal
The report that the 2010 BP oil spill has been identified as being responsible for the death of one of the relatively rare coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico only confirms fears about the potential environmental impact of the spill.

'Drill, baby, drill' isn't the answer
Editorial
Tampa Bay Times
As Americans face sticker shock at the gas pump with prices near $4 per gallon and climbing, Republican presidential candidates see a political opportunity.

LGBT

REVEALED: The Hateful Strategy of Marriage Equality Opponents
The Progress Report
Think Progress
Secret memos exclusively released last night by the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) outline the National Organization for Marriage’s (NOM) shocking and hateful strategy for fighting marriage equality in states across the country.

EDUCATION

Florida Board of Education reviews new proposals for school grading formula
By Laura Isensee
Miami Herald
Florida’s new grade formula would not lower a school’s rank more than one letter grade under a set of recommendations presented to the state Board of Education on Tuesday in Miami.

School districts warned not to adopt prayer policies
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, along with other groups, sent letters to school boards this week, warning them not to adopt policies recently allowed by the state that the civil liberties groups says will surely land them in court.

Charter Plan Change Sparks Tension
By Merissa Green
Lakeland Ledger
The Harrison arts school and Lakeland High School are in a complicated, controversial charter debate that has the schools in a tug-of-war for control.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Farm Workers Get Beat Up in Florida Fields and the US Senate
By Tom Philpott
Mother Jones
In the heart of Florida's industrial-scale fruit and vegetable fields, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers has achieved the most tangible gains for US farm workers since the glory days of the California-based United Farm Workers in the 1970s.

Rick Scott to sign tax cut and jobs bills
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Florida Gov. Rick Scott is signing a handful of bills that were part of his "jobs agenda" for this year.

Miami judge rules in favor of county’s anti-wage theft program
By Marcos Restrepo
Florida Independent
A Miami court today announced its decision to dismiss the constitutional challenge brought by the Florida Retail Federation against Miami-Dade County’s anti-wage theft program.

Disasters in other states boost Florida insurance premiums
By Eliot Kleinberg
Palm Beach Post
For decades, people nationwide paid higher insurance rates for catastrophic and costly hurricanes in places such as Florida.

Consumer confidence steady nationally, down a bit in Florida
Staff report
Gainesville Sun
Call it bedrock American optimism, but consumer confidence in the U.S. economy remained steady in March amid a mixed bag of economic news.

Tech firm to bring 400 jobs to Gainesville
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
The India-based IT firm MindTree Limited will open up operations in Gainesville this year, creating 400 jobs over five years, Gov. Rick Scott’s office announced Tuesday.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Day 2: Justices Grill Obama Administration On Health Law
By Stuart Taylor, Jr.
Kaiser Health News
Related: Transcript: Highlights Of The Lively Arguments At The Supreme Court, Day 2
KHN contributor Stuart Taylor, Jr., tells Jackie Judd the conservative justices were especially skeptical today, asking sometimes-hostile questions of Solicitor General Donald Verrilli.

Judge orders Medicaid to cover autism therapy
By Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
In a case that could jolt Medicaid programs across the country, a federal judge in Miami has ordered Florida officials to cover behavioral therapy for autistic children.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Sanford cops wanted to charge Zimmerman in Trayvon Martin case
By Frances Robles
Miami Herald
Related: Tough-minded prosecutor in spotlight on Trayvon Martin case
Despite public claims that there wasn’t enough probable cause to make a criminal case in the Trayvon Martin killing, early in the investigation the Sanford Police Department requested an arrest warrant from the Seminole County State Attorney’s office, the special prosecutor in the case told The Miami Herald on Tuesday.

Congressional Democrats' hate crime forum dominated by Trayvon Martin case
By Mark K. Matthews
Orlando Sentinel
With the parents of Trayvon Martin looking on, congressional Democrats met Tuesday on Capitol Hill to explore ways they could use federal law to prevent a repeat of the Feb. 26 shooting in Sanford that claimed the life of the Miami Gardens teenager.

Repeal the 'Stand Your Ground' Laws
By Eugene Robinson
Real Clear Politics
The "Stand Your Ground" laws in Florida and other states should all be repealed. At best, they are redundant.

Florida speeding up concealed weapon permit renewals
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Florida is speeding up the process for renewing concealed weapons permits to meet a growing demand from gun owners.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

A Kid, A Gun, A Murder -- What Do We Do?
By Mary Jo Melone
Florida Voices
It was tragic enough that the man killed with five shots of a .380 caliber handgun was a police officer, St. Petersburg’s David S. Crawford.