Daily Clips for November 17, 2010

PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS Rep.-Elect West's Drilling Stance -- and Refusal to Back Down -- Will Be Closely Scrutinized in Fla. By Elana Schor New York Times Excerpt: "I don't think there's any place you could put an oil rig that he wouldn't think it was a great idea, whether in the middle of the Florida Keys or right off Fort Lauderdale Beach," said Progress Florida executive director Mark Ferrulo, whose liberal-leaning group works on matters beyond energy as well. "I know that's an issue that will put him at odds with a huge segment of his constituents." FEATURED STORIES Legislature's new leaders overrode vetoes, chastised Supreme Court, Congress By Mary Ellen Klas, Steve Bousquet and Michael C. Bender St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau The Florida Legislature christened a new era of conservative government Tuesday, flexing its newfound muscle by overriding eight vetoes in a half-day special session. Lawmakers vow new conservative era in Legislature By Aaron Deslatte Orlando Sentinel Christening an era of belt-tightening and perhaps more conservative governance, two Central Florida legislators formally took the reins of the Florida Legislature on Tuesday amid new Republican super-majorities voters delivered in this month's GOP election sweep. Rick Scott names more of his transition team News Service of Florida St. Petersburg Times Boosting his credentials as a tax-cutting, proponent of small government, Gov.-elect Rick Scott on Monday named a roster of supply side and libertarian economic advisors to advise him on tax and budget issues during the transition. Democrats unsure of their impact with emboldened GOP By Catherine Whittenburg Tampa Tribune Despite the flowers, the speeches and the ceremonies filling the halls of the Capitol, Tuesday's legislative session wasn't quite so festive for House and Senate Democrats. Follow the money: Pols try to undermine your vote By Scott Maxwell Orlando Sentinel My question seemed simple enough: Whose money was it? FLORIDA POLITICS GOP-led legislature repudiates out-going Crist with Florida's first veto overrides in 23 years By George Bennett and Dara Kam Palm Beach Post Related: New legislative leaders take shots at Florida Supreme Court Meeting for the first time since the elections that handed Republicans a supermajority in both the state House and Senate, lawmakers transformed a typically ceremonial organizational session into a repudiation of Gov. Charlie Crist by overriding eight of his vetoes. ‘We will spend less,’ says Senate President Mike Haridiopolos By Michael C. Bender and Lee Logan Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau Promising to slim government and spark the state economy, new leaders of the Florida House and Senate leaders were officially sworn in today. New Senate president ready to serve By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital News Senate President Mike Haridopolos made a personal commitment to fiscal conservatism when he saw how much state and federal governments took from his first paycheck. Dems name Sen. Nan Rich minority leader By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital News Florida legislators began their 2010-12 term today with a few formalities. Gov.-elect Scott looking for a few good outsiders ready to work By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital News WANTED: Highly motivated, conservative, business-oriented managers for somewhat hostile takeover of mammoth organization. Tea party activists warn they are watching GOP lawmakers By Catherine Whittenburg Tampa Tribune The wave of tea-party outrage that Republican lawmakers rode into veto-proof power this year could come back to haunt them, tea-party activists warned as lawmakers met at the Capitol on Tuesday. Gov. Charlie Crist will pursue pardon of Jim Morrison By Robert Farley St. Petersburg Times Gov. Charlie Crist says he has made up his mind and will pursue a posthumous pardon of rock icon Jim Morrison of the Doors, who was convicted of exposing himself during a Miami concert in 1969. LeMieux’s poll numbers undistinguished as he ends Senate term By Luke Johnson Florida Independent Public Policy Polling surveyed the popularity of appointed U.S. senators who didn’t run for reelection in 2010, and all of them except for Ted Kaufman — who turned into a popular progressive voice on financial regulation — weren’t favorable. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Experts: BP ignored warning signs on doomed well By Dina Capiello The Associated Press BP and its contractors missed and ignored warning signs prior to the massive oil well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, showing an "insufficient consideration of risk" and raising questions about the know-how of key personnel, a group of technical experts concluded. Lawmakers approve money for energy rebates By Julie Patel Orlando Sentinel Some consumers will now get help paying for the pricey energy-efficient systems they purchased expecting state rebates. Undoing new septic-tank law is stinky idea By Mike Thomas Orlando Sentinel There are certain things you do not do in a civilized society. One is digging a pit latrine in your yard. Florida's misplaced outrage towards clean-water rules Editorial Orlando Sentinel The alarmists were out in force this week, declaring that new federal clean-water rules to take effect in Florida in 15 months will drown the state. EDUCATION Money may mar Florida House representative's success By Brandon Larrabee Florida Times-Union When Rep. Bill Proctor, R-St. Augustine, was tapped this week to lead the main education policy committee for the Florida House, St. Johns County Superintendent Joseph Joyner quickly called to congratulate his local lawmaker. Lawmakers restore $9.7M in UF funding By Lloyd Dunkelberger Gainesville Sun State lawmakers on Tuesday succeeded in their promise to Shands at the University of Florida by reversing Gov. Charlie Crist’s veto of $9.7 million in funding that had been used to care for low-income patients. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Tomato growers, laborers strike deal in ‘watershed moment’ By Brett Ader Florida Independent The Florida Tomato Growers Exchange — a trade group representing 90 percent of the state’s tomato producers — has agreed to a penny-per-pound wage increase and new labor standards for workers throughout the state. Anti-tax group pledges $250,000 to fight regional rail agency By Ted Jackovics Tampa Tribune Ax the Tax, an Orlando-based conservative political group that opposed Hillsborough County's transit tax ballot measure, said Tuesday it would pledge $250,000 to fight any proposal to establish a regional transportation authority for the Tampa Bay area. HEALTH AND SENIORS Can FL really alter Medicaid? By Jim Saunders Health News Florida Florida Republican leaders made a clear statement during a special legislative session Tuesday: They want to overhaul the Medicaid program and don't want the federal government tying their hands. Blue Cross, United withdraw from Cover Florida By Christine Jordan Sexton Florida Tribune The future of Gov. Charlie Crist's health care experiment to provide affordable health insurance to uninsured residents is at risk after two of the largest insurance carriers announced they no longer will sell "Cover Florida" health plans. Hide the Matches, Toss the Lighters... By Gina Presson Public News Service Florida Maybe this is the week to quit smoking.

Daily Clips for November 16, 2010

FEATURED STORIES Fla. legislature set to override a governor's veto today for the first time in 23 years By Dara Kam Palm Beach Post A more Republican than ever legislature will meet today to swear in new lawmakers and hand over the gavels from House Speaker Larry Cretul to Dean Cannon and Senate President Jeff Atwater to Mike Haridopolos. Legislature will let two Crist vetoes stand to please Scott and doctors By Mary Ellen Klas St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau As Florida legislators meet today in a one-day special session to transform into law a handful of bills vetoed by Gov. Charlie Crist, they have agreed to remove two controversial items as a concession to both Gov.-elect Rick Scott and a bipartisan group of doctors and legislators. Scott names economic advisors By Tonya Alanez South Florida Sun-Sentinel Gov.-elect Rick Scott on Monday announced a group of ardently conservative and notably controversial economic thinkers who will advise him on his first budget proposal. EPA unveils new pollution standards for Florida waters, then delays them By Craig Pittman St. Petersburg Times For months, everyone from Florida's new Republican governor to its Democratic senator to its farmers, sewer plant operators and utilities has been trying to get the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to back off new water pollution standards for Florida. Attack on public safeguards Editorial Tampa Tribune The Florida Legislature will meet today in a special session where the newly elected veto-proof GOP majority plans to override nine bills Gov. Charlie Crist rejected earlier this year. FLORIDA POLITICS Rare veto overrides, and a glimpse of the new Tallahassee By Lloyd Dunkelberger Sarasota Herald-Tribune Underscoring their zeal for a conservative agenda, two Republican lawmakers who share political philosophies and hometowns in Central Florida begin their leadership of the Florida Legislature today with a series of dramatic veto override votes. Despite ethics complaints, Jim Norman snares chairmanship in state Senate By Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Senators from Tampa Bay were among the winners and losers Monday as the new Senate president completed his leadership team and found room for freshman Sen. Jim Norman of Tampa, a target of ethics complaints and an FBI probe over his financial dealings. Incoming senator chats with Bill Nelson By Bart Jansen Florida Today Sen.-elect Marco Rubio met Monday with Sen. Bill Nelson to learn about the Senate and discuss working together for Florida despite partisan differences. Amid fanfare, Marco Rubio goes for low-key introduction to Washington By Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times Marco Rubio stepped out of a meeting in the Capitol on Monday and an army of reporters rushed him, thrusting recorders in his face. West blames Kaufman stepping down on sexism, racism By Luke Johnson Florida Independent Rep.-elect Allen West, R-Fort Lauderdale, is in Washington this week for new member orientation. POLITICAL RACES Hispanic community goes Republican in latest election By Beth Reinhard Miami Herald Related Politifact article: Jeb Bush says Rick Scott won Florida Hispanic vote Overlooked amid all the good news for the Republican Party on Nov. 2: After losing the Hispanic vote in 2008 and 2006 in Florida, the GOP got it back in 2010. BALLOT INITIATIVES Cannon appoints ‘Fair Districts’ foe as chair of state House redistricting committee By Cooper Levey-Baker Florida Independent The two legislators most responsible for making sure that the legislature follows the redistricting rules laid out in Amendments 5 and 6 were both members of a group explicitly created to defeat those rules. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Environmental groups tout now-finalized water quality rules, question high cost estimates By Virginia Chamlee Florida Independent Related: Scott, GOP leaders join chorus of voices opposed to new EPA water quality rules In a Monday morning Tallahassee press conference, several environmental groups responded to the EPA’s first round of finalized numeric nutrient criteria. Federal official defends water quality rules By Jim Ash Florida Capital News A top federal regulator on Monday defended tough new water quality standards for Florida, warning that critics are using scare tactics to inflate the cost. Legislature comes out for dirty water Editorial St. Petersburg Times Today in Tallahassee, the new Florida Legislature looks poised to ensure that future generations inherit a more polluted state. LGBT Repeal DADT This Year The Progress Report Think Progress Last week, the Washington Post reported that a Pentagon study group concluded that "the military can lift the ban on gays serving openly in uniform with only minimal and isolated incidents of risk to the current war efforts." EDUCATION Scott plan calls for continued public spending on private education By Marcos Restrepo Florida Independent Gov.-elect Rick Scott will continue to push public funds to private schools through vouchers, charter schools and the Voluntary Pre-K Program. Florida universities get $10 million for engineering, health and science By Richard Danielson St. Petersburg Times Florida's university system awarded $10 million in grants Monday to boost research and innovation, with nearly a quarter of the money going to the University of Florida. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Questions could slow foreclosures in Florida By Anthony Colarossi Orlando Sentinel By the end of June, a towering backlog of foreclosure filings piled up on the court system in Orange and Osceola counties — the legal paperwork equivalent of a tidal wave. Tampa mayor says hopes for high-speed rail still high after sales tax defeat By Robert Napper Florida Independent Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio urged a panel of state transportation officials Monday not to interpret the failure of a penny sales tax referendum for light rail in Hillsborough County as a lack of interest in high-speed rail in the area. HEALTH AND SENIORS Leaders ax drug-dispensing By Jim Saunders Health News Florida Trying to avoid "food fights" during a special legislative session, House and Senate leaders Monday backed away from overriding Gov. Charlie Crist's veto of a politically charged bill that dealt with doctors who dispense drugs. Senate starts Medicaid reform talks By Dara Kam Palm Beach Post Leaders in the Florida Senate will begin Medicaid reform meetings tomorrow while in town for the organizational session/special session to override a smorgasbord of Gov. Charlie Crist’s vetoes. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES Snyder's Ariz.-style immigration bill progresses despite backlash By Jim Turner TC Palm Some of the things people are writing about state Rep. William Snyder on blogs and in e-mails to his office are so bad staff members can't tell him word for word what he is being called. Proponent of Arizona-style immigration law to chair Judiciary Committee By Marcos Restrepo Florida Independent Incoming state House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, announced today the chairs of the Florida House’s key committees for the 2011 legislative session.