Daily News Clips for February 21, 2013

FEATURED STORIES

Gov. Rick Scott's 'new perspective': expand Medicaid after all
By Tia Mitchell
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Related: What people are saying about Gov. Rick Scott's Medicaid expansion announcement
Related: Report: Florida Medicaid expansion could create 71,300 jobs
Related: Florida receives go-ahead to privatize Medicaid
Gov. Rick Scott said Wednesday he supports expanding Medicaid and funneling billions of federal dollars to Florida, a significant policy reversal that could bring health care coverage to 1 million additional Floridians.

Legislature should follow governor and expand Florida’s Medicaid program
Editorial
Palm Beach Post
Gov. Rick Scott is finally paying more than lip service to “putting Florida families first” with his announcement Wednesday that he supports expanding the state’s Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act for three years.

Documents spark questions about Crist choice
By Gary Fineout
Associated Press
George LeMieux somehow convinced Gov. Charlie Crist's chief of staff during a late-night meeting that he deserved an interview to be considered for the U.S. Senate post to which he was ultimately appointed, according to newly unearthed documents.

In speech, Crist says he's the same guy — with a new political party
By Adam C. Smith
Tampa Bay Times
Charlie Crist, the former "Ronald Reagan Republican" who now looks like the Democratic frontrunner for governor in 2014, says he's pretty much the same guy he always was.

Precourt pushes bill to eliminate 'living wage' laws, snaring South Florida
By Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald
Miami Dade and Broward counties would have their decades-old living wage ordinances repealed and local governments would be banned from enacting similar employment benefits under a bill passed Wednesday by a House committee.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Rep. Darryl Rouson wins caucus vote to be next House Democratic leader
By Steve Bousquet
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
In dramatic fashion, Rep. Darryl Rouson of St. Petersburg narrowly won a caucus vote Wednesday night to be leader of House Democrats in 2014.

Who Is Allen Cox and What Can We Learn From Him?
By Paula Dockery
Florida Voices
On Feb. 11, with the utterance of three words, “Guilty, Your Honor,” Jim Greer prematurely ended an ugly and convoluted chapter in the Republican Party of Florida’s history.

Sen. Thrasher files Internet sweepstakes café moratorium bill
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
Efforts to ban or regulate Internet sweepstakes cafés in Florida have failed to get through the Legislature in recent years, but now Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, is taking a different approach to the storefront shops offering slot-like video games.

Legislature invites firms to conduct gambling study
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
The Florida Legislature released the parameters for the study of the state’s gambling economy and laws Wednesday and invited firms to conduct the analysis.

Ethics and exemptions
Editorial
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
A Florida Senate committee approved sweeping ethics reforms Tuesday, but -- as the Legislature is inclined to do -- the senators carved out an exemption for themselves. 

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Land-preservation push is worth a shot in amendment-weary Florida
By Eve Samples
TC Palm
If you’re a Floridian who voted in the November election, it’s understandable if you never want to see another constitutional amendment again.

Florida legislators hope to fix nuclear advance fee law
By Ivan Penn
Tampa Bay Times
Five years ago, Peter Bradford warned that a Florida law allowing utilities to charge customers in advance for nuclear power projects could have "ruinous economic impacts.'' It did.

Water quality crucial to Floridians, UF survey finds
By Kristine Crane
Gainesville Sun
Floridians prioritize water quality over quantity, even though they have taken some steps to limit their water consumption to ensure water conservation, according to a recent University of Florida survey.

In not recommending energy legislation this year, Putnam cites near-veto of energy bill last year
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said in 2012 it was important to show that Florida could pass an energy bill -- even if it was only modest one.

Bill that would allow oil drilling in state forest is withdrawn
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
Rep. Doug Broxson on Wednesday withdrew HB 431, which would have encouraged companies to explore for oil and gas in Blackwater River State Forest in northwest Florida.

LGBT

Bayli Silberstein, Bisexual Eighth-Grader, Speaks Out As Florida School Board Tries To Block GSA (VIDEO)
By Meredith Bennett-Smith
Huffington Post
A bisexual middle school student has become something of an LGBT celebrity in Florida this week, after her attempt to start a Gay-Straight Alliance club at her school became a countywide controversy.

EDUCATION

House panel considers class size penalty, virtual school bills
By Tia Mitchell
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
The House's Choice and Innovation Subcommittee exhibited widespread support for CIS3, a proposed committee bill that would increase virtual education.

Florida is again among leaders in Advanced Placement scores
By Cara Fitzpatrick
Tampa Bay Times
Florida continues to rank among the top states in the nation for student performance on Advanced Placement exams, jumping to fourth from sixth in 2012, according to results released by the College Board Wednesday.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Gov. Rick Scott outraged over salary increases at Citizens
By Toluse Olorunnipa
Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau
Gov. Rick Scott blasted top executives at Citizens Property Insurance Corp. for “foolish” behavior Wednesday, calling on them to give back large pay raises they received last year.

Budget Should Give Every Floridian a Fair Opportunity
By Rep. Joe Gibbons
Florida Voices
I believe Florida’s budget for 2013-2014 should be guided by one simple premise: that every Floridian deserves a fair opportunity to achieve the American dream.

Pelosi, in Palm Beach County, urges long-awaited passage of Paycheck Fairness Act
By Christine Stapleton
Palm Beach Post
Guns, climate change and voting reform upstaged equal pay for women during President Obama’s state of the union address Feb. 12, but Nancy Pelosi made it the top priority in her comments to a women’s organization on Wednesday.

Military cuts would force thousands of furloughs in state
By Ledyard King
Pensacola News Journal
Thousands of civilians who work at military installations across Florida will face temporary pay cuts of up to 20 percent unless Congress acts to stop automatic budget cuts set to take effect March 1, the Pentagon announced Wednesday.

Seven Tax Loopholes the GOP Loves to Love
The Progress Report
Think Progress
In less than two weeks the very damaging across the board “sequester” cuts will kick in unless Republicans agree to a replacement that is a balanced compromise including both new revenues from closing tax loopholes and smarter, more targeted spending cuts.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Scott Shocker: Let's Expand Medicaid!
By Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
Related: Medicaid Expansion Critics Were Wrong
Gov. Rick Scott had hinted that if he got what he wanted from the Obama administration, he'd give the President's appointees what they want.

In reversal, Scott approves Medicaid expansion but faces state lawmakers leery of Obama plan
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
Rick Scott said Wednesday he wants to expand Florida’s Medicaid program to add 1 million lower-income patients to the rolls, endorsing a key provision of President Obama’s federal health care overhaul that the Republican governor fought for years.

Senior Citizen Advocates Urge Lawmakers Not To Repeal Protections Against Life Insurance
By Sascha Cordner      
WFSU Tallahassee
A Florida lawmaker is hoping to persuade others in the Florida Legislature to reject any attempts to bolster a market that targets life insurance policies for older Floridians.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Yes, Rubio and Obama Mostly Agree on Immigration. No, That Doesn’t Mean Reform Is Inevitable.
By Michael Grunwald
Time Magazine
It’s true that Senator Marco Rubio’s stated principles for comprehensive immigration reform are quite similar to President Obama’s.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Florida prison deficit balloons
By Michael Peltier
News Service of Florida
The cost of downsizing Florida’s prison system cost at least $15 million more than expected this year and the Department of Corrections continues to operate in the red, the state’s prisons secretary told lawmakers Wednesday.

U.S. Supreme Court ruling affects many immigrant convicts in South Florida
By David Ovalle
Miami Herald
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling Wednesday shuts the door on appeals for hundreds of Floridians convicted in the past of crimes for which they could be deported.