PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS
Jeb Bush foundation using ‘parent trigger’ to trigger donations
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
Excerpt: Patricia Levesque, executive director of Bush’s Foundation, sent out a blast e-mail asking supporters to contact their senators to urge them to vote for the bill…Levesque sent out the missive in response to a blast message from left-leaning Progress Florida condemning the bill.
AWAKE THE STATE IN THE NEWS
Awake Pinellas campaigns against budget cuts
By Keeley Sheehan
The Crow’s Nest
Members of Awake Pinellas captured the voices of students angered with recent plans calling for substantial state cuts to the USF budget, as well as most other Florida public universities, setting up a small video camera by the Harborwalk fountain.
FEATURED STORIES
Judge rules Florida pension changes unconstitutional
By Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau
Related: State prepared to spend $800,000 to defend itself in pension appeal
Related: Scott blasts court ruling, promises ‘swift appeal’
In a dramatic defeat for the governor and the Florida Legislature, a Leon County court judge on Tuesday ruled that the decision last year to cut public employee salaries was an unconstitutional breach of the state's contract and ordered the money returned with interest.
Legislature's reckless, pork-barrel budget
Editorial
Tampa Bay Times
Forget the high-minded promises at the onset of the Great Recession, when Florida legislators pledged they would be prudent in setting priorities for state spending.
$70 billion budget will spend a little more than this year
By Aaron Deslatte
Orlando Sentinel
A final $70 billion budget deal landed on the desks of Florida lawmakers at 4:22 p.m. Tuesday – starting the 72-hour "cooling off" period before a final vote and clearing the way for the Legislature to finish its work on time Friday.
Florida Higher Education May Face Big Budget Cuts
By Lizette Alvarez
New York Times
With three days remaining until the end of the legislative session, Florida lawmakers are moving forward with a $70 billion budget that would create the state’s 12th university and cut hefty amounts of money from higher education.
Romney, Santorum share Super Tuesday momentum
By Laurie Kellman
Associated Press
Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are trying to make the most of a mixed Super Tuesday, each claiming a measure of victory but unable to settle the most tumultuous race for the GOP presidential nomination in decades.
FLORIDA POLITICS
Session likely to end on a sour note – again
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
A testy Senate Special Order Committee meeting over a controversial “parent trigger” measure late Tuesday night set the stage for what will likely be an ugly end to the legislative session for the second year in a row.
Nelson, Durbin applaud Justice Department’s push for trial in Florida voting law challenge
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., released statements yesterday applauding the U.S. Department of Justice for filing papers in court last week challenging Florida’s controversial new voting law.
Marco Rubio’s Bad Week
By Mary Jo Melone
Florida Voices
The shimmering dreams of U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio have taken a few hits in the last week.
POLITICAL RACES
Mitt Romney wins tight Ohio duel
By Alex Leary
Tampa Bay Times
Related: Up next in the Republican presidential primary
Mitt Romney scored a cliff-hanger win in Ohio's presidential primary, taking the marquee match-up in Super Tuesday elections across 10 states but missing a knockout as his top rival had a strong night, too.
Allen West: ‘Willing and ready’ to be vice president
By Mackenzie Weinger
Politico
Rep. Allen West said Tuesday he is “always willing and ready to serve my country” when asked about a potential vice presidential bid — a job Sarah Palin recently said he should be considered for.
ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
Study of EPA water pollution standards finds problem, costs exceed early estimates
By Craig Pittman
Tampa Bay Times
New Florida water pollution rules from the Environmental Protection Agency will cost more than what the EPA estimated, according to a newly released analysis of the controversial rules.
Oil spill? What oil spill?
Editorial
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Saturday headline in the Herald-Tribune: "BP and plaintiffs reach settlement in Gulf oil spill."
Hands off our water
Editorial
Miami Herald
Florida may be the Sunshine State but it’s the drinking water in our underground aquifers and wetlands as big as the Everglades — serving as bird and wildlife habitat and helping cleanse rainwater back into aquifers, rivers and lakes — that has enabled millions of people to move to this paradise we call home.
EDUCATION
Opponents say ‘Parent Trigger bill’ driven by the private sector
By Marcos Restrepo
Florida Independent
In a press conference held Monday, state lawmakers representing both parties, along with members of Florida’s Parent Teacher Association, spoke out against the controversial K-12 education “Parent Trigger bill” currently moving through the state legislature.
Lynn and Thrasher quibble over parent trigger bill
By Kathleen McGrory
Miami Herald
The hotly debated parent trigger bill will make it to the Senate Floor after all.
Florida universities face $300 million budget cut
By Denise-Marie Balona
Orlando Sentinel
Florida's public universities would lose $300 million under a budget proposal agreed upon by House and Senate negotiators — a plan that likely will spur further tuition increases.
Judy Genshaft declares success despite USF-Poly split moving forward
By Kim Wilmath
Tampa Bay Times
A day after returning from Tallahassee, where Florida lawmakers hammered out their budget for the year, University of South Florida president Judy Genshaft was declaring success.
New civil rights education data show disparity in minority student discipline, education
By Erica Rodriguez
Orlando Sentinel
New information released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights shows that minority students across the country face harsher discipline, are taught by lower-paid teachers and have less access to a challenging high school curriculum.
JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Florida farmworkers and supporters refuse food for six days in hopes of better wages
By Janelle Irwin
WMNF Radio Tampa
Today farm workers and their supporters are in the second day of a six-day hunger strike in front of Publix corporate headquarters in Lakeland.
Bill slashing tipped minimum wage dies in Senate
By Sandra Pedicini
Orlando Sentinel
A bill that would have cut the hourly pay of restaurant servers and other tipped employees by more than half has died in the Florida Senate — a development that drew cheers from hourly workers.
Miami-Dade county Community Relations Board urges Senate to support existing wage theft program
By Marcos Restrepo
Florida Independent
Dr. Walter T. Richardson, Chairman of the Miami-Dade County Community Relations Board, has joined Miami-Dade labor and social justice advocates, business leaders and members of the clergy in their support of the county’s existing wage theft program.
Auto-accident fraud bill bogs down Senate
By Tia Mitchell
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
The debate got prickly, lawmakers got confused by conflicting amendments and top Senate Republicans were dealt another embarrassing loss.
Senate PIP reform proposal attacks the problem of fraud, not consumer choice
By Bill Newton
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Florida's PIP system is broken and must be reformed.
HEALTH AND SENIORS
How long can states block Obamacare?
By Sarah Kliff
Washington Post
In the event that the Supreme Court rules that the health reform law is constitutional, state officials are split on whether to proceed with implementation.
Budget spends $3.1 million on minority health, Mia Jones' top priority
By Matt Dixon
Florida Times-Union
The state's proposed $70 million spending plan includes $3.1 million for minority health programs, a top priority for state Rep. Mia Jones, D - Jacksonville.
Survey: Access to contraception important to Latina population
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
A new survey published in Politics and Gender shows that “the vast majority of Latinos and and Latinas strongly agree women should…have easy access to contraception.”
CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Florida's inspirational messages bill sure to spur lawsuits
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
"Pray for Our Schools," many fading yard signs scattered throughout Santa Rosa County say, remnants of a bitter court battle over school prayer between conservative Christian groups and the American Civil Liberties Union.
Deeds Speak Louder Than Public Prayers
By Susan Clary
Florida Voices
Florida lawmakers just sent Gov. Rick Scott a bill that would allow school prayer at public school dances, assemblies, football games, even classrooms.
JUSTICE AND THE COURTS
DCF oversight would make camps safer, audit findsBy Michael LaForgia
Palm Beach Post
Related: State needs $1 million per year to license camps, estimates show
Florida’s child-care regulators can’t adequately police camps, meaning there’s no guarantee that pedophiles and other dangerous criminals aren’t working in summer programs across the state.
Anti-shackling bill set for final vote in Florida House
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
The Florida House is set to cast its final vote on a bill that would set uniform and humane rules for the shackling and restraint of pregnant women who are incarcerated, after a failed attempt to pass a similar bill last year.
Scott's Top Lawyer Resigning Friday
Staff Report
Lakeland Ledger
Gov. Rick Scott's top lawyer is joining a growing list of top officials departing from his administration.
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