FEATURED
STORIES
Bloomberg-backed group slams Rubio for Senate vote on guns
By Marc Caputo
Miami Herald
The name-calling of Sen. Marco Rubio by a gun-control group started by media mogul and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg intensified on Thursday after the Florida Republican helped defeat a congressional measure expanding background checks for nearly all firearm buyers.
Florida House passes raft of social-conservative bills
By Aaron Deslatte and Jennifer Curington
Orlando Sentinel
The Florida House capped two days of contentious debate Thursday by advancing a host of social-conservative causes, from a ban on the use of "foreign law" to more restrictions on abortion to final passage of a bill that will basically end permanent alimony.
Heading into budget talks, Weatherford and Gaetz all smiles
By Michael Van Sickler
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
The size of teacher and state worker raises, a possible 6 percent university tuition increase, and whether or not millions will be spent on affordable housing are just some of the issues to be determined as the House and Senate begin budget negotiations this week and next.
Lawmakers collect $662k in 'slush funds' they hope to outlaw
By Aaron Deslatte
Orlando Sentinel
In the two months leading up to a legislative session billed as an ethical house-cleaning, Florida legislators raised $662,000 from special interests through the funds they hope to outlaw over the next two weeks.
Don’t reject Medicaid funds
Editorial
Miami Herald
The Florida House’s refusal to accept federal funds to expand Medicaid stands as the most confounding action of the 2013 legislative session thus far, and probably the most irresponsible.
BEST
OF THE BLOGS
Marco Rubio To 91% Of Americans: Take Your Freedom Of Speech And Shove It
By Martha Jackovics
Beach Peanuts
After cowardly threatening to filibuster any debate on gun legislation and refusing to take calls from the daughter of a Newtown victim, Marco Rubio proudly put his vote where his mouth was to vote against a debate on guns laws in the presence of Newtown victim families on the Senate floor today.
Florida Republicans Push Legislation Targeting Non-English Speaking Voters
By Scott Keyes
Think Progress
Non-English speakers could soon find it more difficult to cast a ballot in Florida, despite federal protections for those citizens who speak another language.
Florida House health plan an anti-Obamacare Hail Mary
By Daniel Tilson
West Palm Beach Liberal Examiner
Anti-Obamacare political posturing trumped practical policy-making in Tallahassee Thursday, as conservative Republicans in control of the House of Representatives released an improbable "alternative" plan for insuring Florida's poorest citizens.
Florida Democrats Need To Retire “Swing Voter” Myth: No Diet Republicans Needed in 2014
By Kartik Krishnaiyer
The Florida Squeeze
With buzz around the state focusing on Governor Charlie Crist and his Gubernatorial prospects, we once again hear from different quarters that Crist needs to be nominated because “he can win,” and that the only current announced Democratic candidate Senator Nan Rich is “unelectable.”
FL GOP Want to End Local Control of Schools; Except When They Don’t to Get Parent Trigger Passed
By Bob Sikes
Scathing Purple Musings
So Republican Altamonte Springs senator David Simmons has crafted an amendment to Parent Trigger which he says was inspired by a letter from education commissioner Tony Bennett.
Notes from the vomitorium
By Gimleteye
Eye on Miami
Economists use "digestion" as a metaphor describing years of slack growth and difficulty of absorbing excess housing stock from the housing boom and bust.
FLORIDA
POLITICS
Florida House passes bill overhauling alimony, awaits Gov. Rick Scott’s signature
By Kathleen McGrory
Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau
Former spouses saddled with perpetual alimony payments, rejoice.
Legislature's ethics bills still have loopholes
Associated Press
Ocala Star-Banner
Kelli Stargel sometimes must evict tenants from the rental properties she and her husband own in Polk County, a process that can be cumbersome.
Sen. Simmons: unpopular anti-paid sick time bill ‘right thing’ to do
By David Damron
Orlando Sentinel
A key Florida Senate budget panel approved a bill today that would block passage of any paid sick time referendums, such as the one pending Orange County.
Lawmakers, parties took another $90k from Allied-affiliated companies
By Aaron Deslatte
Orlando Sentinel
In the weeks before Allied Veterans of the World was raided by federal authorities as part of a fraud investigation, the Internet “sweepstakes” cafe companies’ businesses steered another $90,000 to Florida lawmakers and political parties.
Even in Florida, no-duh laws can happen
By Sue Carlton
Tampa Bay Times
It's hard to shock anyone with true stories of Florida, since nothing is too weird to have happened here.
POLITICAL
RACES
Ehrlich announces she’ll try again v. Young
By William March
Tampa Tribune
Jessica Ehrlich, unsuccessful Democratic candidate against Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Young of Indian Shores in 2012, has announced she’ll run again in 2014.
ENVIRONMENT
AND ENERGY
3 years later: oil spill cleanup, study carries on
By Janet McConnaughey
Associated Press
At first glance, the marshy, muddy coastline of Bay Jimmy in southeast Louisiana appears healthy three years after the nation's worst offshore oil spill.
South Florida assessing impact of climate change on roads, bridges, railroads, airports
By Angel Streeter
South Florida Sun Sentinel
In late October, Hurricane Sandy washed out a portion of State Road A1A in Fort Lauderdale.
Renewable energy bill passes House, heads to Senate's rocky ground
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
A bill exempting renewable energy improvements from property tax assessments passed the House Wednesday, but the bigger hurdle may be in passing the Senate.
Desperate officials launch program to save Florida grasshopper sparrow
By Craig Pittman
Tampa Bay Times
In a desperate bid to save a nearly extinct species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Thursday that it is launching a captive breeding program for Florida's grasshopper sparrow.
State wildlife commission OKs guidelines to help gopher tortoises, avoid federal action
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Thursday approved revised guidelines for moving gopher tortoises that are in the way of construction.
LGBT
UF survey: Wide support for legislation barring sexual discrimination
By Jeff Schweers
Gainesville Sun
Three out of four Floridians say they support legislation that protects people from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, a new UF poll shows.
U.S. Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Jared Polis introduce anti-bullying act to protect LGBT students
By Steve Rothaus
Miami Herald
Becky Collins says that just after her 15-year-old gay son, Zach, was badly beaten inside a Ohio high-school classroom, the principal asked what could be done to change him.
EDUCATION
Parent-trigger bill has obscure item that diminishes choice
By Joe Saunders
Orlando Sentinel
Since my first reading of House Bill 867, the Parent Empowerment in Education, or parent-trigger, bill, I've done my best to send up warning flares.
The irony: Bills trying to make transferring easier has made it tougher
By Matt Baker
Tampa Bay Times
When Kelli Stargel and other state legislators passed the controversial House Bill 1403 last year, one goal was to make it easier for high school students to transfer without losing athletic eligibility.
Florida Polytechnic Board Members 'In Limbo'
By Mary Toothman
Lakeland Ledger
The chair of Florida Polytechnic University said Thursday he wants clear answers on the status of board members if they are not confirmed by the Legislature this session.
JOBS,
BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Weatherford's stalled pension overhaul could be holding up other bills
By Michael Van Sickler
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Sen. Jeremy Ring, D-Margate, thought he was sponsoring one of the most important bills this session, one that would address what he called a crisis with municipal and county pensions.
House approves welfare card restrictions
Associated Press
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
The Florida House has banned the use of welfare recipients’ EBT cards at “adult entertainment establishments” like strip joints, casinos and bottle clubs.
Senate leaders advance insurance tax break repeal, vehicle fee reduction swap
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
A Senate panel Thursday passed a measure backed by Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, that would eliminate a $220 million annual tax credit for the insurance industry as a way to reduce vehicle registration fees that were increased in 2009.
Farm Workers Want Extra Penny from Publix
By Cary McMullen
Florida Voices
It’s a pleasant Sunday in Lakeland, not too hot and not too cool.
Call for fairness
Editorial
Gainesville Sun
The Legislature is inching closer to bringing Florida's tax policy into the 21st century by finally requiring out-of-state, Internet retailers to collect the state's sales tax.
HEALTH
AND SENIORS
Medicaid Question: Where's the Compassion?
By Rhonda Swan
Florida Voices
Paulette Wilson paid for her own health insurance policy before the economy tanked and she had to let it go.
Anti-abortion advocates rally in the Capitol during emotion House debate
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
The Florida House passed two measures backed by anti-abortion advocates the same day the activists set up shop in the Capitol to garner support for a “personhood” ballot measure.
Americans United for Life says 1,270 babies died after attempted abortions in 2010: False
By Katie Sanders
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald PolitiFact
A bill requiring physicians to treat infants who survive abortion attempts is moving through the Legislature without the usual partisan fight, though some lawmakers have questioned whether it addresses an ongoing problem.
Safety Questions Arise on Pharmacy Staffing Bill
By Bob LaMendola and Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
The Florida House has passed a bill that makes a lot of pharmacists nervous. Patients might be, too, if they were aware of it.
IMMIGRATION,
CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Unveiling Immigration Measure, Senators Seek Distance From Effort on Guns
By Ashley Parker
New York Times
It was drafted by a bipartisan Senate coalition, has the strong backing of the White House and activist groups, and draws on deep public support from those who see it as helping to solve one of the nation’s most difficult problems.
On gun vote, Marco Rubio and others were profiles in cowardice
Editorial
Palm Beach Post
In Sandy Hook Elementary School, teachers died trying to protect children. In the U.S. Senate, politicians including Florida’s Marco Rubio found self-serving excuses not to put themselves between guns and future victims of gun violence.
How soon they forget
Editorial
Tampa Bay Times
On another Friday morning just four months ago, these 20 first-graders were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.
Crushing vote on gun control
Editorial
Miami Herald
As we warned in an editorial on Monday, gun control measures faced a perilous road in Congress.
Gun-Related Measures Pass The Florida House; Dems Declare One As 'Moot'
By Sascha Cordner
WFSU Tallahassee
The Florida House is hoping to send a message to those in Washington D.C. that they don’t want the government infringing on citizens’ gun rights.
JUSTICE
AND THE COURTS
Politics, judicial appointments raise questions
By Scott Maxwell
Orlando Sentinel
Four years ago, Mike Rudisill was among the least-qualified applicants for a judicial post in Seminole County.
Ban on machines at senior arcades challenged
By Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau
The owners of two senior arcades in Broward County filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging Florida’s new law that prohibits them from operating slot-like games.
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