FEATURED
STORIES
Scott names lawyer to head state jobless agency
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Gov. Rick Scott today turned to his top lawyer to take over the state's jobs agency after the executive director abruptly resigned amid questions about jobless benefits he received before he was hired.
U.S. Sen. Boxer files ‘LINE’ Act to cap voting waits at one hour
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
A four hour wait to vote may be OK for Florida Gov. Rick Scott, but it’s unacceptable to U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat who introduced legislation targeting long lines in Florida, Virginia and Ohio.
Rubio PAC Spends Big on Consultants, Not Candidates
By Beth Reinhard and Scott Bland
National Journal
Like most ambitious members of Congress, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida controls what’s called a leadership PAC separate from his reelection campaign.
Senate panel vows strict oversight of business incentives
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
Members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development pledged a thorough review of Florida’s economic incentives: taxpayer funds for businesses that move or expand in the state.
Casino company backs off efforts to put gambling on 2014 Florida ballot
By Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau
In a major shift in strategy, the Genting Group, the Malaysian-based casino giant, told legislative leaders this week that it will stop a petition drive to get a casino amendment on the 2014 ballot, leaving it to lawmakers to decide the future of gambling in Florida.
BEST
OF THE BLOGS
A ‘value-added’ travesty for an award-winning teacher
By Valerie Strauss
The Answer Sheet
Here’s the crazy story of Kim Cook, a teacher at Irby Elementary, a K-2 school which feeds into Alachua Elementary, for grades 3-5, just down the road in Alachua, Fla.
Defying Rick Scott, Florida Legislators Introduce Bill To Restore Early Voting Days
By Scott Keyes
Think Progress
Last year, the Republican-led Florida legislature slashed the state’s early voting period in half and cut out voting on the final Sunday before the election — a day when many African American churches turned out parishioners in high numbers.
Assisted Living neglect, abuse, death is no problem, says panel
By Bruce Seaman
Daily Marion
Gov. Rick Scott has now had another panel investigating a lethal scandal conclude its work and determine that nothing really needs to be done.
Um, Yeah... It's Racist
By Benjamin J. Kirby
The Spencerian
First of all, the news from the Palm Beach Post today on how Florida Republicans engineered voter supression is neither surprising nor is it anything any person who follows politics even a little bit didn't already really know.
Snapshot: Florida Politics in 1979
By Kartik Krishnaiyer
The Political Hurricane
I am an avid collector or Michael Barone’s Almanac of American Politics series, going back to the 1970s.
FLORIDA
POLITICS
Hays says committees will identify laws and regulations that are business impediments
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
Sen. Alan Hays on Thursday distributed a 21-question form to members of his Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government as part of what he said is an exercise by Senate committees to modify or repeal laws, rules, regulations or policies that are impediments to business.
Activists light up rush hour with protest messages in Tampa area
Staff Report
Tampa Tribune
Protesters used lighted letter panels to spell out political messages for Tampa Bay area drivers during rush hour Wednesday evening.
Third Dem enters House leadership race
News Service of Florida
Florida Times-Union
State Rep. Alan Williams, D-Tallahassee, announced Thursday he will seek to become House Democratic leader in 2014, setting up a three-way race against Reps. Mia Jones, D-Jacksonville, and Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg.
Allen West spent $18 million in losing effort
By Tarini Parti
Politico
Rep. Allen West spent nearly the same amount in the final days before the election as his opponent spent during the entire election – and still lost.
The travels of Marco Rubio
Editorial
Northwest Florida Daily News
Back in October 2009, when he was seeking the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, Marco Rubio ventured out of South Florida into distant, exotic territory — the Emerald Coast.
ENVIRONMENT
AND ENERGY
Fla. looking at new imperiled species approach
Associated Press
Palm Beach Post
Florida is considering a new approach for protecting 60 imperiled wildlife species including manatees, black bears, bald eagles and gopher tortoises.
South Florida steps up efforts to brace for climate change
By Andy Reid
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Raising low-lying roads. Building higher seawalls. Strapping on more solar panels.
A slithery threat to the Everglades
Editorial
Miami Herald
There is a whiff of desperation about the state’s latest plan to eradicate the Burmese pythons proliferating in and around Everglades National Park.
EDUCATION
Controversial new system for rating Florida teachers says 96.5 percent are effective or better
By Curtis Krueger and Tia Mitchell
Tampa Bay Times
Despite a controversial new grading system, 96.5 percent of Florida's teachers were rated effective or better in reports that state officials rolled out Thursday for nearly 130,000 educators.
Fla. education chief defends teacher evaluations
By Bill Kaczor
Associated Press
Florida's interim education commissioner told worried lawmakers on Thursday that glitches in the first release of scores under the state's new teacher evaluation system were being fixed and that there's no reason to delay its implementation.
Brogan spells out performance-based plan to Senate panel
By James Call
Florida Current
Chancellor Frank Brogan went before a Senate appropriations subcommittee Thursday and explained the university system’s plan to freeze tuition if lawmakers give schools more money.
State universities starved for investment
Editorial
Tampa Bay Times
Florida's state funding of higher education and its university tuition rates are both far below the national average.
JOBS,
BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Regulators say Citizens study underway as Rep. Artiles calls for Tower Hill review
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
Responding to a request last week from Rep. Frank Artiles, R-Miami, to conduct a “market conduct examination” of Citizens Property Insurance Corp., insurance regulators said Thursday a similar study is already in progress.
HEALTH
AND SENIORS
DCF to recruit more medical foster homes
By Kelli Kennedy
Associated Press
State child welfare officials are trying to recruit more medical foster homes and are increasing oversight to prevent disabled foster children from having to live in nursing homes.
Outbreak shows gaps in regulation
By Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
When the nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak exploded into headlines two months ago, Florida health officials responded quickly, tracking the contaminated drug lots and finding potential victims.
JUSTICE
AND THE COURTS
Florida Dept Of Corrections Unveils Top Budget Requests
By Sascha Cordner
WFSU Tallahassee
The Florida Department of Corrections is asking state lawmakers for about $20-million to fund what it says are three of its top priorities for the upcoming Legislative Session.
State Attorneys, Public Defenders: 'We're Losing Good Lawyers Due To Low Pay'
By Sascha Cordner
WFSU Tallahassee
The Offices of the State Attorney and Public Defenders are asking Florida lawmakers to give them funding to increase the salaries of the state’s lawyers.
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