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.