FEATURED
STORIES
Levy nuclear plant more costly than a natural gas facility
By Ivan Penn
Tampa Bay Times
Related editorial: The high price of nuclear fantasies
Lawmakers have cast aside their worship of the free market — which long ago lost trust in building nuclear plants — and skewed state law to favor construction of new reactors.
Dems say Scott's vulnerable, but who'll face him?
By Brendan Farrington
Associated Press
Democrats consider Gov. Rick Scott to be one of the most vulnerable Republican incumbent governors facing re-election next year, which gives them hope that they can put one of their own in the governor's office for the first time since January 1999.
Will Scott’s teacher raises win him votes?
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
At five schools in as many Florida counties, Gov. Rick Scott stumped the state last week praising teachers and the $2,500 raises he pushed lawmakers to include for them in the $74.5 billion budget.
The case for Rick Scott to call a special session on health care
By Scott Maxwell
Orlando Sentinel
Right now, much of the talk in Tallahassee is focused on whether Gov. Rick Scott should call a special session to ask the Legislature to reconsider the $51 billion worth of federal funding for health care.
Lawmakers' pet projects leave no paper trail to Florida budget
By Michael Van Sickler
Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Turn to any page of Florida's 450-page budget and what's most striking is the missing detail.
EDITORIAL
CARTOON OF THE WEEK
By Chan Lowe
South Florida Sun Sentinel
FLORIDA
POLITICS
Organize Now sends Scott a Mother's Day gift wish
By David Damron
Orlando Sentinel
Organize Now, the group leading a push for mandatory paid sick time in Orange County, continues to urge Gov. Rick Scott to veto a bill that would block local governments from enacting such local measures, and now they are enlisting moms to convinve him to kill it.
Donor 'transparency' doesn't apply to state political parties
By Aaron Deslatte
Orlando Sentinel
With the 60-day lawmaking session complete, Florida legislators are wasting no time getting back to what they do the other 10 months of the year: raising copious amounts of cash from wealthy donors and companies.
Hialeah ballot broker’s notes list candidates’ names, payments
By Melissa Sanchez and Enrique Flor
El Nuevo Herald
Alleged Hialeah ballot broker, or boletera, Deisy Cabrera kept notes on what appear to be payments totaling $10,140 from seven Miami-Dade judgeship candidates who were on the ballot in 2008.
As Hispanic voters' numbers increase, politicians come calling
By Anthony Man
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Democrats and Republicans who disagree on just about everything are in sync on one subject: If they want to win Florida's governorship next year or the presidential election in 2016, they can't afford to ignore or alienate Hispanic voters.
Florida's delegation one of most well-traveled
By Jeremy Wallace
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
More than half of Florida's delegation to the House of Representatives flew overseas in 2012 at taxpayers' expense, making it one of the most well-traveled contingents in Congress.
Packed house for annual dinner as Scott, Atwater address GOP
Staff Report
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Local Republicans packed an Ocala Hilton ballroom Saturday night to see two of the state's brightest GOP stars: Gov. Rick Scott and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater.
POLITICAL
RACES
Rick Scott's campaign machine is ready, and waiting
By Adam C. Smith
Tampa Bay Times
It's way too early to count out Rick Scott for a second term.
Charlie Crist touts big-tent appeal of Democratic Party
By Adam C. Smith
Tampa Bay Times
Charlie Crist, the lifelong Republican who could be the Democrats' best hope at taking back the Governor's Mansion in 2014, told activists in Tampa Saturday night that his old party has changed to the point that he's far more comfortable as a big-tent Democrat.
A 'very frustrated' Bill Nelson leaves crack open to run for governor
By Alex Leary
Tampa Bay Times
I caught up with Sen. Bill Nelson, talking to him about President Obama's call to close Guantanamo (he agrees), his letter to Gov. Rick Scott urging a special session on Medicaid (no response) and Marco Rubio's role in immigration ("I'm very proud of him").
Nan Rich, long shot for governor, says she's undeterred
By Scott Powers
Orlando Sentinel
In her dark-horse campaign to become Florida's next governor, former state Sen. Nan Rich likes to recall the stories of Democratic political legends Reubin Askew, Lawton Chiles and Bob Graham.
Florida Democrats' gubernatorial hopefuls old and obvious
By John Romano
Tampa Bay Times
Start with the statistics. Democrats in Florida have an undeniable advantage. They currently outnumber registered Republicans by more than a half-million voters.
Group plans to review St. Lucie County ballots, records from Murphy-West cliffhanger
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
A conservative group plans to examine more than 118,000 ballots and sift through voter registration records in St. Lucie County, which was the site of tabulating problems and litigation in Democrat Patrick Murphy‘s narrow congressional victory over Republican Allen West in November.
Murphy challengers need to raise millions, GOP candidate recruiter says
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
Any Republican who’s serious about challenging freshman Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Jupiter, next year should put a campaign organization together before October and be prepared to raise $3 million to $5 million, the GOP’s top House candidate recruiter says.
ENVIRONMENT
AND ENERGY
Former PSC Commissioner Nancy Argenziano Criticizes Legislature for Not Repealing Nuclear Cost Recovery
By Robert Lorei
WMNF Tampa
Coming up we’ll talk with former Public Service Commissioner Nancy Argenziano. She’s one of the most outspoken people who ever served in state government.
Legislature allocates $10 million for springs; DEP scrambling over how to spend
By Craig Pittman
Tampa Bay Times
In the waning days of the legislative session, Florida lawmakers approved putting an extra $10 million in the $74.5 billion state budget for "the restoration, protection, and preservation of Florida's springs."
Bill would tighten tax incentives on pollution
By Sandra Pedicini
Orlando Sentinel
Businesses would no longer receive state tax breaks simply because of perceived pollution on their properties if Gov. Rick Scott signs a bill approved by the Florida Legislature earlier this month.
2013 Session Summary: Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture
Lobby Tools
Florida Current
Environmentalists seem a bit conflicted over how the 2013 legislative session went.
Everglades on the line
Editorial
Miami Herald
Here’s a riddle: What’s vital to the future of Florida, involves numerous interest groups around the country and is coming up for a crucial vote in the U.S. Senate?
LGBT
Crist support for gay marriage part of long trend
By William March
Tampa Tribune
Former Gov. Charlie Crist announced this week that he supports allowing same-sex marriage in Florida, the latest in a trend toward pro-gay-rights stances by Crist during his political career.
EDUCATION
Internal Recording Reveals K12 Inc. Struggled to Comply With Florida Law
By Trevor Aaronson and John O’Connor
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting/StateImpact Florida
The Florida Center for Investigative Reporting and StateImpact Florida have obtained internal emails and a recording of a company meeting that provide new insight into allegations that K12 Inc., the nation’s largest online education company, uses teachers in Florida who do not have all of the required state certifications.
Will Scott veto Florida tuition increases?
By Lloyd Dunkelberger
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Gov. Rick Scott has his dislike of tuition hikes clear, likening them to tax increases.
Lawmakers battle behind the scenes for tutoring money
By Michael LaForgia and Kathleen McGrory
Times/Herald staff writers
As the legislative session neared an end this month, state Rep. Erik Fresen found himself in an awkward position.
For paltry pay, teaching assistants are unsung heroes in state's push toward excellence
By Erica Rodriguez
Orlando Sentinel
In a room dubbed Confidence City, a burly Baptist minister-turned-educator calls out writing instructions to a row of special-needs teenagers hunched over their work sheets.
JOBS,
BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
State, Local Governments Shell Out $19 Million for Hertz Relocation
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
Hertz, one of the nation’s largest rental car companies, announced this week that it is moving its headquarters from New Jersey to Southwest Florida.
2013 Session Summary: Budget & Taxes
Lobby Tools
Florida Current
More money, less problems was the theme of the 2013 legislative session. Aided by the first projected surplus in three years, lawmakers presided over a relatively smooth session.
Group Threatens Legal Fight If Scott Signs Bill Speeding Up Home Foreclosures
By Jessica Palombo
WFSU Tallahassee
Florida Gov. Rick Scott is considering whether to sign a bill meant to speed up the home foreclosure process.
Jobless deserve better from state
Editorial
Tampa Bay Times
If Florida's unemployment compensation system were a private business that depended on customer satisfaction, it would have been shuttered long ago.
HEALTH
AND SENIORS
Despite Snub, FL Gets Jobs, Cash From 'Obamacare'
By Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
Even though Florida officials tried to block the implementation of the Affordable Care Act at every turn over the past three years, the state will gain millions in grants and hundreds of new jobs this year from its implementation.
Florida prepares for massive insurance signup
By William E. Gibson
Orlando Sentinel
Facing the next big health-care challenge in Florida, Uncle Sam plans to enlist hundreds of consumer "navigators" over the next several months to help enroll up to 3.5 million uninsured state residents by January, when everyone is required to have health insurance.
Medicare Drug Program Fails to Monitor Prescribers, Putting Seniors and Disabled at Risk
By Tracy Weber, Charles Ornstein and Jennifer LaFleur
ProPublica
Ten years ago, a sharply divided Congress decided to pour billions of dollars into subsidizing the purchase of drugs by elderly and disabled Americans.
2013 Session Summary: Health Care
Lobby Tools
Florida Current
At session’s end, when faced with either accepting or rejecting the act’s chief provision, extending Medicaid coverage to all Florida residents living on up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, lawmakers said they needed more time.
Medicaid sidestep
Editorial
Ocala Star-Banner
Despite all the hugs, high-fives and thumbs-up that Florida legislators displayed last week to hail the end of their two-month session, they failed miserably at one of their most important tasks.
Generic drug manufacturers win legislative fight
By Lloyd Dunkelberger
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
The generic drug manufacturers won the big pharmaceutical fight in the 2013 Legislature.
IMMIGRATION,
CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Rubio’s high-stakes push for immigration reform
By Dan Balz
Washington Post
Two realities shape the debate over immigration reform: No bill is likely to pass without the expressed support of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), but even Rubio’s endorsement may not be enough to assure passage.
Heritage Foundation’s immigration report a case study in gaffes
By Marc Caputo
Miami Herald
The biggest mistakes in politics are often unforced errors that reinforce an opponent’s stereotypes.
Gun rights groups fight NRA-backed bill
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
A National Rifle Association-backed bill to keep guns out of the hands of mentally ill Floridians has sparked a showdown between Second Amendment groups.
JUSTICE
AND THE COURTS
Florida legislation extends time for appealing red light tickets
By Will Hobson
Tampa Bay Times
Did you get a ticket from a red light camera you don't think you deserve?
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