PROGRESS
FLORIDA IN THE NEWS
Happytown: Gov. Scott's about face on voting fiasco
By Billy Manes
Orlando Weekly
Excerpt: Progress Florida piled on with its own statement: "This is the same governor that signed the legislation (HB 1355) into law that disenfranchised thousands of voters, caused Floridians to wait in line for hours to exercise their right to vote, and turned our state once again into a nationwide punch line. This is the same governor that flatly refused to add more early voting days during the long lines of the 2012 elections and stated 'We did the right thing.'” Also, he spent $500,000 of taxpayer money defending that "right thing."
FEATURED
STORIES
Guns and the governor
By Michael Putney
Miami Herald
After the horrific murders of 20 first graders and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary, Gov. Rick Scott said he wanted to have a conversation with Floridians about guns.
Rick Scott to seek pay raise for Florida teachers
By Steve Bousquet
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
With Florida expecting its first budget surplus in six years, Gov. Rick Scott wants to spend a chunk of it on higher pay for teachers — a proposal some see as more of Scott's newfound support for public schools.
Pink Slip Rick: Rick Scott's proposal only mandates 48 hours of early voting: Mostly True
By Katie Sanders
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald PolitiFact
Activists behind Pink Slip Rick are not impressed with Gov. Rick Scott’s attempts to distance himself from the voting reforms he signed into law in 2011.
Bill Banning Abortions Filed Same Day As 40th Anniversary Of Roe V. Wade
By Sascha Cordner
WFSU Tallahassee
A Florida lawmaker is working to overturn an historic U.S. Supreme decision from 40 years ago called Roe v. Wade.
New restrictions on Florida public officials passes first Senate committee hurdle
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
A wide-ranging ethics package, dubbed Florida’s biggest reform in almost 40 years to the laws governing the conduct of public officials, unanimously cleared its first hurdle Tuesday in a Senate committee.
FLORIDA
POLITICS
Lawyers ready for trial for ex-GOP leader Greer
By Mike Schneider
Associated Press
Prosecutors and defense attorneys said Tuesday they're ready for next month's trial of former Florida GOP leader Jim Greer, who is charged with funneling party money to his private company.
Florida GOP donor Jay Odom indicted on campaign finance fraud charges
By Lucy Morgan
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Panhandle developer Jay Odom, the man whose desire for a new airplane hangar led to the downfall of former House Speaker Ray Sansom, has been indicted on federal campaign finance violations.
Saving the RPOF From the GOP Governor
By Peter Schorsch
Florida Voices
Governor Rick Scott will not face a serious primary challenge when he runs for re-election.
The tweet that tweaked Pam Bondi
By Michael Van Sickler
Tampa Bay Times
Don't underestimate a tweet. They get read. And sometimes, they can annoy the powers that be.
ENVIRONMENT
AND ENERGY
Growers want state to give them 30-year no-bid access to Everglades land
By Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee bureau
Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet will be asked on Wednesday to agree to a no-bid contract to allow two major agriculture companies to farm on Everglades land for another 30 years, a deal that would include pouring tons of phosphorous-laden fertilizer onto the site the state is spending billions to clean-up.
Bill to encourage oil drilling filed again in House
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
A bill that would encourage oil drilling in Blackwater River State Forest has been filed in the House after a similar bill died amid opposition in 2012.
Florida water management districts seek $122 million for springs restoration
By Craig Pittman
Tampa Bay Times
Florida's springs are in trouble.
Florida Mounts a Hunt for Creatures That Maintain a Very Low Profile
By Lizette Alvarez
New York Times
For as long as anyone can remember, hunters here have wielded machetes, knives, rifles and crossbows as they swept past thickets of mosquitoes and saw grass in pursuit of alligators, feral hogs, bobcats and vermin of all sizes.
LGBT
Gay activists laud Obama speech, now want action
By David Crary
Associated Press
President Barack Obama's emphatic gay-rights advocacy in his inaugural address thrilled many activists.
EDUCATION
Florida still near bottom with readjusted graduation rate calculations
By Jeff Solochek
Tampa Bay Times
A new U.S. Department of Education report indicates that more high school students graduated on time in 2009-10 than ever before, the Huffington Post reports.
School safety bill filed in House
By Matt Dixon
Florida Times-Union
Tax collected on the sale of ammunition and guns would go into a "Safe Schools Trust Fund," to pay for additional guidance services and school safety measures under legislation filed in the House.
Should Florida postpone implementation of the Common Core?
By Jeff Solochek
Tampa Bay Times
Florida school district superintendents have begged for relief when it comes to implementing the Common Core State Standards, saying they don't have enough time to prepare in advance of the 2014-15 scheduled start date.
JOBS,
BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Gov. Scott's business tax break filed in House
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
One of Gov. Rick Scott’s top legislative priorities was filed as HB 401 Tuesday by freshman Rep. Ross Spano, R-Dover.
If Unemployment Bill Passes, Employers, Employees May Benefit
By Jessica Palombo
WFSU Tallahassee
Appealing for unemployment compensation could become more a more localized process, if a bill making its way through the Florida Senate becomes law.
Lawmakers seek to create IG for Citizens Insurance
Associated Press
Palm Beach Post
A state lawmaker has filed legislation to create an inspector general position to oversee the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
Pari-mutuels present case to Senate gaming panel
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
Representatives of Florida’s pari-mutuel industry touted their businesses as economic drivers that are part of the state’s history but acknowledged to a Senate panel Tuesday the long-term economic trends are not in their favor.
Florida home and condo sales, prices shoot up in December
Staff Report
Florida Current
Sales and prices for existing single-family homes and condominiums rose sharply in December, according to a report released by Florida Realtors on Tuesday.
HEALTH
AND SENIORS
Lawmakers consider to put in place health insurance exchanges under Obamacare
By Jim Saunders
News Service of Florida
Sen. Aaron Bean might have summed it up best Tuesday as he and other lawmakers listened to a discussion of the Affordable Care Act between an official of the libertarian Cato Institute and an architect of Massachusetts’ health-care overhaul.
Cracks Appearing In GOP Opposition To Health Law
By Phil Galewitz
Kaiser Health News
Gov. Phil Bryant and Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney have known each other for 30 years and call themselves friends.
South Florida hospitals face huge federal, state cuts
By John Dorschner
Miami Herald
With the federal government already slashing their funds in big and small ways, and major state cuts possible from the upcoming session of the Legislature, South Florida’s hospitals are concerned about looming financial problems.
Roe V. Wade 40 Years Later
By Mike Vasilinda
Capitol News Service
40 years ago today, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortions with its ruling in a case titled Roe V. Wade.
Neglecting elderly should never be an option
By Scott Maxwell
Orlando Sentinel
Imagine for a moment that your pet dog, Rufus, is sick.
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