Daily News Clips for May 13, 2013

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?

Daily News Clips for May 10, 2013

PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS

The BluVu: Week of May 10, 2013
By Gayle Andrews
The BluVu
All the Republican bragging about the success of the 2013 legislative session is premature. We have the scoop on the millions of Floridians left without healthcare that has been paid for in advance, and Damien Filer has the inside story on what really happened this session as political reality comes your way!

FEATURED STORIES

Groups tell Florida high court that GOP skewed district lines for political edge
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
A lawsuit looking to throw out redrawn Senate districts because Republican leaders shared data and maps with political consultants should be allowed to continue, a lawyer for voters’ groups Thursday told the Florida Supreme Court.

Clock ticking for Fla. Gov. to act on budget
Associated Press
Miami Herald
Scott has until May 24 to act on a proposed $74.5 billion state budget. The Republican-led Legislature on Thursday officially put the budget on Scott's desk.

Gov. Scott's underwhelming leadership during legislative session
Editorial
South Florida Sun Sentinel
With the legislative session over and the dust of lawmakers departing Tallahassee barely settled, Gov. Rick Scott this week took to the campaign trail for a victory lap that was more a display of uninspired leadership than a cause for celebration.

David Rivera caught on tape, but what did he say?
By Marc Caputo
Miami Herald
A friend of former U.S. Rep. David Rivera who’s implicated in a federal corruption investigation made a recording of the Republican last year — and now prosecutors have the evidence, The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald have learned.

New poll: Floridians support pathway to citizenship in immigration reform
By Scott Powers
Orlando Sentinel
Two out of three Floridians support or strongly support the idea that immigration reform should include a pathway to citizenship for some undocumented residents, according to a new poll.

Rupert Murdoch: Journalism's Jack the Ripper
By Eric Alterman
The Nation
Related: Four Reasons to Worry About the Potential Koch Takeover of Tribune Co. Newspapers
Media observers horrified at the thought of a Koch takeover of the Tribune Company are more sanguine about Murdoch. What are they thinking?

BEST OF THE BLOGS

Governor Rick Scott should veto HB 655
By Kartik Krishnaiyer
The Political Squeeze
Governor Scott made an effort publicly to expand Medicaid coverage in Florida but as we learned recently he made little effort to push the House to his position on this issue.

Florida Legislature Refuses To Extend Medicaid Coverage To One Million Low-Income People
By Tara Culp-Ressler
Think Progress
Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R), an ardent Obamacare opponent, surprised health care reform advocates earlier this year when he endorsed expanding his state’s Medicaid program.

Florida's Lawmakers Test the Null Hypothesis on Medicaid Expansion
By Gary Stein
Huffington Post
In science and statistical analysis it is called "Testing the Null Hypothesis."

Florida Legislature "Lets Liberty Ring" With More Gunshots
By Martha Jackovics
Beach Peanuts
The 2013 session of the Florida legislature dealt with 15 gun bills.

Florida Springs; Alexander and Silver Glen
By Dell-Roy
Phillip's Natural World 2.0
Separated by less than 20 miles along Highway 19 in Florida's Ocala National Forest are two of Florida's first magnitude (more than 100 cubic feet per second flow) springs.

FLORIDA POLITICS

‘Veto gun bill’ please dominate Governor Scott’s inbox
By Jim Turner
News Service of Florida
When it comes to bills that have Floridians up in arms after the legislative session, nothing tops the responses being volleyed at a measure that halts gun sales to some mentally ill people who voluntarily commit themselves.

Two contrasting views of Florida's election law changes
By Steve Bousquet
Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
State Rep. Katie Edwards, D-Plantation, issued a news release Thursday calling on legislative leaders to quickly send the new elections law to Gov. Rick Scott so he can sign it.

POLITICAL RACES

Florida Republicans Seek the Next Marco Rubio Farm Team
By Abby Livingston      
Roll Call
The Florida Republican Party is flourishing, with a deep bench available for the next competitive or open-seat race.  

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Reckless measure
Editorial
Gainesville Sun
The Florida Legislature has sent anti-environmental legislation to Gov. Rick Scott that would not only harm our woods and water, but also would have negative long-term economic impact on the state.

Florida Supreme Court declines to hear case involving sanctions against environmental groups
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
A case that a dissenting appeals court judge says could have a "chilling effect" on citizen participation in land-use disputes was dismissed Thursday by the Florida Supreme Court without a ruling on the merits of the case.

Sea turtle sickness may be caused by cold weather
Associated Press
Gainesville Sun
Staff members at Volusia County's Marine Science Center have treated almost as many sick sea turtles this year as they did all of last year.

LGBT

Charlie Crist listened to Miami activist Joseph Falk, returned to Tampa and posted gay marriage support
By Steve Rothaus
Miami Herald
Charlie Crist, rumored to be running as a Democrat for Florida governor, has come out in favor of gay marriage.

Equality Fla doesn't begrudge Charlie Crist over gay rights shift
By Adam C. Smith
Tampa Bay Times
Florida's leading gay rights group, Equality Florida, sounds pretty comfortable with potential gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist's evolution on the issue of gay marriage.

Minnesota House approves gay marriage; would be 12th state, plus Washington, D.C., to legalize nuptials
By Patrick Condon and Brian Bakst
Associated Press
A pivotal vote Thursday in the Minnesota House positioned that state to become the 12th in the country to allow gay marriages and the first in the Midwest to pass such a law out of its Legislature.

EDUCATION

University leaders expect Gov. Rick Scott to veto tuition increase
By Tia Mitchell
Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Lawmakers included a 3 percent tuition increase in next year's budget, but state universities say they aren't counting on the extra money.

After six months, Rick Scott's office not done with FSCJ investigation
By Kate Howard Perry
Florida Times-Union
It has been six months since Florida State College at Jacksonville’s president announced his resignation and the governor ordered an investigation into its foundation’s spending, but the report has not yet been issued and nobody is speaking publicly about where it stands.

School safety funding left largely unchanged
By Lloyd Dunkelberger
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Despite the talk of increasing school safety after the Connecticut elementary school shooting last December, Florida lawmakers left safety funding largely unchanged when they finished their annual session last week.

Delay Florida’s teacher evaluation system until federal judge rules on union lawsuit
Editorial
Palm Beach Post
A Leon County Circuit Court judge has ruled that the teacher evaluations ordered up in 2011 by Gov. Rick Scott and the Legislature do not violate the Florida Constitution. So now they’re legal, but they’re still absurd.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Citrus Disease With No Cure Is Ravaging Florida Groves
By Lizette Alvarez
New York Times
Florida’s citrus industry is grappling with the most serious threat in its history: a bacterial disease with no cure that has infected all 32 of the state’s citrus-growing counties.

2013 Session Summary: Economic Development
Lobby Tools
Florida Current
Gov. Rick Scott received his top priority of a manufacturing tax cut, legislative leaders have pork projects to take home and Major League Baseball teams can qualify for more tax breaks for spring training facilities.

2013 Session Summary: State and Local Administration
Lobby Tools
Florida Current
Legislators always tinker with the inner workings of state government, and pass things down to the city and county levels, but the 2013 session will probably be best remembered by government workers as the year that the six-year pay-raise drought finally broke.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Finding Fun Facts in Data Deluge
By Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
It isn't exactly news that hospital bills bear no relation to what products and services actually cost, or the amount that is paid.

What's Next for FL Uninsured? (Audio)
By Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
The Florida Legislature ended its 2013 session without making a move on expanding health care in the state.

Almost 200 ALFs accused of cheating on property taxes
By Carol Marbin Miller
Miami Herald
Already the focus of intense scrutiny by lawmakers and elder advocates, Florida’s troubled assisted-living industry has taken another hit: Miami-Dade’s new property appraiser has accused scores of the homes’ owners of gaining improper homestead exemptions that could cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

Detert testifies in Washington on foster care
By Jeremy Wallace
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Efforts to protect children in foster care from abuse have resulted in too many rules for foster families, Florida officials testified at a congressional hearing on Thursday.

IMMIGRATION, CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Many amendments, few changes to immigration overhaul
By McClatchy Tribune
Tampa Bay Times
Related editorial: House needs a primer on immigration bill
After eight hours of debate, the bipartisan Senate immigration bill emerged mostly intact Thursday, despite Republican-led efforts to make substantial alterations in the first of what is certain to be many long committee meetings to work through the 844-page proposal.

At Least 71 Kids Have Been Killed by Guns Since Newtown
By Mark Follman
Mother Jones
In the last five months there have been at least 71 of them. None older than 12, several as young as five or six months, all of their lives ended by a bullet.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Speeding Up Execution Bill Gets Calls for Veto
By Mike Vasilinda
Capitol News Service
Florida has averaged three point two executions a year since the death penalty was reinstated in 1979.

Daily News Clips for May 9, 2013

FEATURED STORIES

State budget packs millions in legislative leaders’ districts
By Jim Turner
News Service of Florida
When asked about a $14 million line item for a college building in his home district that started out at $300,000, Senate President Don Gaetz, responded “I would expect it doesn’t hurt that the senator from Northwest Florida is also the president of the Senate.”

Florida Senate president’s former company sued for Medicare fraud
By Mary Ellen Klas
Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau
The U.S. Department of Justice has sued the hospice company founded by Florida Senate President Don Gaetz, accusing the company of engaging in Medicare fraud for more than 11 years, including during the time Gaetz was vice chairman.

Democrats Call for Special Session to Expand Medicaid
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
Florida’s 2013 legislative session ended last week without state lawmakers agreeing on a plan to accept federal money for expanding Medicaid in the state.

Amid huge profits, activists slam Disney fight against paid sick time
By David Damron
Orlando Sentinel
The Walt Disney Co. announced impressive quarterly profit results Tuesday, but it was bitter news for the activists at odds with the company over its opposition to a mandatory paid sick time referendum in Orange County.

Florida delegation proves real immigration fight looms in House
By Alex Leary
Tampa Bay Times
The Senate immigration bill will be fed through the grinder today when scores of amendments, from adding rights for gay couples to even more border security, are considered.

FLORIDA POLITICS

State high court to hear redistricting arguments
By Aaron Deslatte
Orlando Sentinel
For more than a year, a quietly simmering legal battle over the partisan intentions of Florida's Legislature and Fair Districts backers has been playing out in court filings and evidence-gathering.

Rubio says super PACs helped drive his push for moving Florida primary
By Alex Leary
Tampa Bay Times
Sen. Marco Rubio helped persuade Florida lawmakers to move back the state's presidential primary in 2016, drawing speculation about his motives.

Rubio says he'll 'strongly oppose' Obama's labor secretary nominee Perez
By Alex Leary
Tampa Bay Times
Sen. Marco Rubio said today he'll "strongly oppose" the confirmation of Thomas Perez as labor secretary.

Fla. Hispanics voted at a high rate
By Mike Schneider
Associated Press
Hispanics in Florida voted at a much higher rate than those nationwide in last year's presidential election, and they also voted at a rate that exceeded other states with large Latino populations, according to figures released Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.  

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Environmental representatives lament budget for land-buying, question outcome of land sales
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
Some environmental group representatives on Wednesday cast doubt on whether the state could sell $50 million worth of land to buy more conservation land as provided in the 2013-14 state budget approved by the Legislature.

Fishermen want looser limits as red snapper makes comeback
By William E. Gibson
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Over 18 years of running Old Dixie Seafood in Boca Raton, Larry Siemsen has seen supplies of locally caught red snapper dwindle and prices double, thanks to decades of over-fishing and recent federal restrictions to help the popular fish recover.

LGBT

Charlie Crist: I support gay marriage
By Adam C. Smith
Tampa Bay Times
Potential/likely Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist is taking some heat for having backed a Florida gay marriage ban during his 2006 Republican primary for governor.

David Richardson, Florida's first openly gay legislator, to be honored Friday by SAVE Dade
By Steve Rothaus
Miami Herald
Forensic accountant David Richardson, Florida’s first openly gay state lawmaker, planned to take things slowly when he got to Tallahassee this year for his legislative debut.

EDUCATION

Dept. of Education will look into Brevard school-bias claims
By Mackenzie Ryan
Florida Today
Investigators from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights will examine allegations of race-based discrimination in Brevard Public Schools.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Low-wage jobs bulk of gains, report says
By Marcia Heroux Pounds
South Florida Sun Sentinel
The Sunshine State is growing faster than the nation but is gaining mostly lower-wage jobs such as restaurant servers, according to an economic report released Wednesday by Wells Fargo.

Manufacturers welcome sales tax elimination, if it sticks
By Marcia Heroux Pounds
South Florida Sun Sentinel
South Florida manufacturers say they're thrilled that the Legislature passed a bill that would eliminate the sales tax on machinery and equipment, which would help them make capital investments and add business and jobs.

Politics of ‘sequestration’ has Gov. Scott worried about hurricane preparedness
By Eliot Kleinberg
Palm Beach Post
In the case of an emergency, any furloughs for groups such as the Florida National Guard that were prompted by the federal budget “sequestration” situation might be called off so those groups can respond.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Hospitals Bill 3-to-5 Times Medicare Rate
Staff Report
Health News Florida
Data being released by Medicare for the first time allow the public to see just how absurdly inflated most hospital bills have become -- bearing little relationship to what Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers actually pay.

Experts recommend overhaul to state trauma system
News Service of Florida
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
When a team of experts came to Florida early this year, they found a trauma-care system that needed change.

IMMIGRATION, CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Immigration reforms supporters, foes demonstrate near Rubio’s Palm Beach Gardens office
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
Supporters and opponents of the bipartisan immigration reform bill championed by Republican Sen. Marco Rubio took to the streets near Rubio’s Palm Beach Gardens office today.

Rubio gets good news on immigration: Overall effect 'positive,' feds say
By Alex Leary
Tampa Bay Times
A Senate bill that would overhaul U.S. immigration laws would help ease financial strains in the Social Security retirement program, government actuaries said on Wednesday in an estimate that marked the latest salvo in a debate over the legislation's impact.

11 Awful GOP Amendments to the Immigration Bill
The Progress Report
Think Progress
Tomorrow, the Senate Judiciary Committee officially kicks of the process of amending and working through what could be an historic reform of our broken immigration system.