FEATURED
STORIES
Gov. Rick Scott signs Internet cafe ban into law
By Mary Ellen Klas, Danielle Paquette and Jimmy Geurts
Tampa Bay Times
Related column: The real story behind the law banning Internet cafes
John Shaa sat in his office Wednesday, waiting for the call from his friend in Tallahassee.
Senate unanimously passes $74.3B state budget
By Kathleen McGrory, Tia Mitchell and Michael Van Sickler
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
The Senate unanimously approved a proposed $74.3 billion budget Wednesday that includes 3 percent pay raises for state employees, $70 million for Everglades restoration and $1.2 billion more in public school funding.
Senate wants 'comprehensive review' of Levy County nuclear project
By Ivan Penn
Tampa Bay Times
State senators passed a measure Wednesday that calls for a "comprehensive review" of whether the proposed Levy County nuclear plant is cost effective, prudent or even needed.
Thousands rally for immigration reform in D.C. as proposal details emerge
By Alex Leary
Tampa Bay Times
Lourdes Gallegos traveled in a van 18 hours from Florida to arrive here Wednesday, stand outside the U.S. Capitol and declare, "I love this country."
Senate should not let Rubio and others block vote on background check for firearms sales
Editorial
Palm Beach Post
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., regularly carps that Washington is so broken that it can’t things done. Yet he is intent on making sure that Washington stays broken.
FLORIDA
POLITICS
Poll: Voters back paid sick days, distrust lawmakers
By David Damron
Orlando Sentinel
Florida residents strongly back laws requiring paid sick time and "living wages" for workers, but they don't trust state lawmakers to handle such issues, a statewide poll released today finds.
A Proposed Higher Campaign Contribution Limit in Florida Might Not Get Far
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
During this legislative session, state lawmakers have been working to pass a bill that would end some of the unethical behavior propagated by the state’s lax campaign finance rules.
Rescue reform
Editorial
Orlando Sentinel
Late last year, Don Gaetz and Will Weatherford rose to Senate president and House speaker, respectively, vowing to rebuild public trust in government by strengthening weak ethics rules for elected officials.
Once-shunned anti-texting bill gains renewed momentum in Florida legislature
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
More than a decade after Florida lawmakers first proposed restricting cell phone use behind the wheel, the Legislature is poised to ban motorists from texting while driving.
Rubio headed to dinner with Obama
By Alex Leary
Tampa Bay Times
Sen. Marco Rubio is headed to dinner at the White House.
POLITICAL
RACES
Lawmakers pile up cash for 2014 races
News Service of Florida
Saint Petersblog
As the House and Senate consider changing Florida’s campaign-finance laws this spring, they are debating whether to increase a longstanding $500 cap on contributions to political candidates.
ENVIRONMENT
AND ENERGY
Obama seeks Everglades money to extend bridge, curb invaders
By William E. Gibson
Orlando Sentinel
The Obama administration asked Congress on Wednesday to pay for a longer bridge on Tamiami Trail and for research to control Burmese pythons and other invasive species — all part of $192.5 million of proposed spending on the Everglades.
Colorado State University hurricane forecast team predicts ‘above average’ season
By Eliot Kleinberg
Palm Beach Post
The 2013 hurricane season will be “above average,” the Colorado State University hurricane forecast team said Wednesday.
LGBT
'Til Death Do Us Part...
By Billy Manes
Orlando Weekly
The battle for a statewide domestic-partnership registry isn’t just a policy fight. It’s personal.
Republican Party battles over gay-rights messaging
Associated Press
Miami Herald
Using social media, Republican National Committee member Dave Agema of Michigan redistributed controversial writings that were harshly critical of gay Americans.
EDUCATION
The dark side of Parent Trigger
By Daniel Shoer Roth
Miami Herald
The crusade to privatize public education continues gaining ground in the Florida Legislature, where the controversial bill to have a traditional neighborhood school transformed into a charter school, among other options, sails at full speed under the premise of empowering parents to turn around a school that’s failing their children.
Senate must shoot down off-target parent trigger
Editorial
Orlando Sentinel
Last year, a plan purporting to give parents greater say in turning around failing public schools kicked up plenty of dust in the Florida Legislature.
Bills would reshape Florida high school and college offerings
News Service of Florida
Palm Beach Post
A pair of sweeping education measures that would reshape high schools and higher education in Florida were overwhelmingly approved by the Senate as budget conforming bills Wednesday, setting the stage for a wide-ranging debate on the future of education.
Early Learning Overhaul Gets Unanimous Approval From Key House Education Committee
By Lynn Hatter
WFSU Tallahassee
A plan overhauling Florida’s early learning system has cleared its first committee with unanimous support from Republicans, Democrats, and providers.
FAMU halt of presidential search under fire
Associated Press
Miami Herald
The chairman of the Florida A&M University board is being asked to explain his decision to suspend a search for a new president.
JOBS,
BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Property insurance rates could go through roof under Senate bill
By Toluse Olorunnipa
Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau
As a complex property insurance bill has cruised through the Florida Senate, lawmakers have heard several frightening figures detailing what would happen to the state after a massive hurricane: More than $9 billion in “hurricane taxes,” $100 billion in damages and untold wreckage on family budgets across the state.
Rising tide of revenues floats many raises in Florida Senate proposed budget
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
The Florida Senate approved a $74.3 billion state budget proposal Wednesday, while putting in play additional raises for prison guards, many of whose jobs looked threatened by privatization only a year ago.
Labor activists want local control over wage theft ordinances, ask state to stay out of it
By Janelle Irwin
WMNF Tampa
Labor activists are protesting two bills working their way through Tallahassee they fear would hurt workers.
In week 6, Scott's manufacturing tax break begins to move in House
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
With 23 days left in the regular legislative session, one of Gov. Rick Scott’s legislative priorities is now moving in the House.
Cat Fund bill moves in House, but stalled in Senate
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
Legislation to reduce the total coverage of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, or Cat Fund, by $3 billion over three years cleared the House Government Operations Appropriations Subcommittee on Wednesday.
Florida bumped to No. 2 in foreclosures
By Kimberly Miller
Palm Beach Post
After six consecutive months of ranking first in the nation for foreclosure activity, Florida was bumped to runner-up in March by Nevada, according to a RealtyTrac report released Wednesday.
HEALTH
AND SENIORS
House Democrats plan protest vote on health care
By James Call
Florida Current
House Democrats say they will stand together in opposition to the House’s budget proposal to make a statement about Medicaid expansion.
A peek at CorcoranCare, the FL House's Rubio-flavored alternative to Obamacare's Medicaid expansion
By Marc Caputo
Miami Herald
As many as 150,000 low-income Floridians could get state subsidies to afford private insurance under a new plan Florida House Republicans plan to unveil Thursday as an alternative to expanding Medicaid under Obamacare.
Senators agree to change hospital Medicaid formula
By Tia Mitchell
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
For the past week, safety net hospitals have blasted the Senate's formulas for reimbursing hospitals under a new Medicaid payment system.
ALF bill is one stop from House floor
By James Call
Florida Current
A House panel Wednesday passed a measure increasing regulation of assisted living facilities after supporters and the sponsor conceded that it is a “work in progress.”
South Florida Democrats oppose Obama plan to slow Social Security increases
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
President Barack Obama’s proposal to slightly slow down future Social Security benefit increases drew rare praise from Republicans Wednesday and criticism from some Democrats, particularly in senior-heavy Florida.
IMMIGRATION,
CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Gun control triggers leadership divide between Rubio, Nelson
By William March
Tampa Tribune
Florida’s two senators are breaking sharply over a compromise gun control bill announced Wednesday, with Democrat Bill Nelson speaking in favor of it on the Senate floor and Republican Marco Rubio joining senators threatening a filibuster.
Senators compromise on background checks
Associated Press
Tampa Bay Times
Related editorial: Common ground on gun safety
Conservative senators from both parties announced their support for expanding background checks for gun buyers Wednesday, giving a burst of momentum to advocates of stronger restrictions.
Senate Extremists Try to Block Gun Violence Prevention Bill
The Progress Report
Think Progress
In the fight against gun violence, there’s good news this week and some bad news this week.
Nelson throws support behind gun background checks
By Mark Matthews
Orlando Sentinel
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida is backing efforts to strengthen background checks for gun purchases, telling colleagues in a floor speech that he supports a new compromise that would add another layer of scrutiny to the firearms industry.
Drone ban bill buzzes to House after Senate's unanimous OK
By Bill Cotterell
Florida Current
Without debate or dissent, the Florida Senate unanimously approved a bill Wednesday forbidding law enforcement to use drone aircraft for surveillance without a search warrant.
JUSTICE
AND THE COURTS
Florida man executed in girl's 1980 slaying
By Brendan Farrington
Associated Press
Florida executed one of the longest-serving inmates on its death row Wednesday evening, 32 years after he kidnapped and murdered a 10-year-old girl who was riding her bike to school after a dentist put on her braces.
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