Daily Clips for March 28, 2011

PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS

Scott working hard to connect using social media
By Lloyd Dunkelberger
Gainesville Sun
Excerpt: Mark Ferrulo, head of Progress Florida, a liberal advocacy group, said the governor's use of social media to get his message out gives him more say-so over the format — as opposed to answering questions in a public forum. "You have much more control over the debate. You have much more control over the questions," Ferrulo said. "We saw at the Twitter town hall that he just completely dodged all the hard-hitting, sensitive questions."

FEATURED STORIES

Rick Scott's Medicaid Overhaul to Benefit…Rick Scott?
By Suzy Khimm
Mother Jones
Republican governor Rick Scott's push to privatize Medicaid in Florida is highly controversial—not least because the health care business Scott handed over to his wife when he took office could reap a major profit if the legislation becomes law.

Dorworth-backed measure would give Scott greater freedom to roll back regulation
By Travis Pillow
Florida Independent
A Florida House measure that would give the governor and members of the cabinet the authority to repeal rules using a speedier process during their first six months in office is intended to satisfy Tallahassee’s growing appetite for reducing regulations.

House votes to restrict union activity
By Jim Ash
Florida Capital News
The House voted 73-40 on Friday to pass a Republican proposal that clamps down on union political activity.

Bill will adversely affect environment, but will it create jobs?
By Craig Pittman
St. Petersburg Times
Builders of homes, offices, roads and other projects have been allowed to wipe out more wetlands in Florida than in any other state.

Report-card time for the state's insurers
By Paige St. John
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Related: Florida insurers report card
Excerpt: Former Insurance Consumer Advocate Sean Shaw, whose office was called upon to create the report card, said insurers threatened to sue if he published the grades. "They hated what we came up with," Shaw said of the insurance industry. "They fought it tooth and nail."

Case against Ray Sansom and Jay Odom is dropped
By Alex Leary
St. Petersburg Times
In a dramatic end to a trial nearly two years in the making, criminal charges against former House Speaker Ray Sansom were abruptly dropped Friday after prosecutors said a judge limited evidence of an alleged conspiracy to get $6 million in state funding for an airport building a developer wanted to use.

EDITORIAL CARTOON OF THE WEEK

By Doug MacGregor
Ft. Myers News-Press

FLORIDA POLITICS

Florida Legislature proves once and for all that it is for sale
By Howard Troxler
St. Petersburg Times
These are harsh words for a Sunday morning, but the occasion screams out for them.

The prince of darkness
By Tim Nickens
St. Petersburg Times
‘GIVE AN INCH…" That was the sarcastic tweet last weekend by Brian Burgess, the communications director for Gov. Rick Scott.

Panhandle crowd greets Gov. Scott with catcalls
By Steve Bousquet
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Gov. Rick Scott arrived in this Panhandle city Friday night to the catcalls of more than 150 teachers, union members and Democratic activists protesting his policies.

Outraged Workers and Students Rally at the Capitol
By Candace Sweat
WCTV CBS News Tallahassee
Members of the groups Awake the State and Fight Back Florida gathered on Florida's capitol to have their voices heard.

Gov. Rick Scott's drug testing policy stirs suspicion
By Stacey Singer
Palm Beach Post
One of the more popular services at Solantic, the urgent care chain co-founded by Florida Gov. Rick Scott, is drug testing, according to Solantic CEO Karen Bowling.

Drug testing of Florida employees may spark legal showdown
By Daniel Chang
Miami Herald
How much do Florida taxpayers have a right to know about public employees?

Early voting expansion hits partisan snag in Tallahassee
By Steve Bousquet
St. Petersburg Times
The Legislature is about to have its annual debate over the popularity and convenience of early voting.

Scott, GOP legislators lead state in wrong direction
By Ron Littlepage
Florida Times-Union
Three months into Rick Scott’s reign as governor and three weeks into the legislative session, the direction the Republicans in charge want to take Florida is becoming clear.

Will new 'leadership funds' make bad system any better?
By Aaron Deslatte
Orlando Sentinel
If the general public truly saw the outsized role that money plays in politics, the system might not withstand the hate mail.

Fair Districts only hope for more moderate Tallahassee
By Michael Mayo
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Every time I hear the latest news from Tallahassee, I wonder if it's time to have a pro-democracy uprising in Florida.

GOP could struggle in redistricting to save Palm Beach County precincts for Allen West, Tom Rooney
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
Does Democrat-dominated Palm Beach County still have enough red precincts to help two Republican congressmen?

Today in Tallahassee: Budget cuts, abortion, the courts, school vouchers
By Mary Ellen Klas
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Florida lawmakers will spend the week polishing up their proposed budgets as the Senate releases its draft spending plan on Monday and lawmakers start comparing it to the $66.5 billion proposal released by the House last week.

Even lobbyists worry about Legislature's rush to deregulate
Editorial
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
You know that the anti-government clamor in the Florida Legislature has reached a fever pitch when lobbyists are pleading to keep their industries regulated.

POLITICAL RACES

Democrats, GOP expect Florida to be a battleground again in 2012
By Adam C. Smith
St. Petersburg Times
Get ready for another huge presidential battle in Florida.

As Mack says no, GOP Senate field starts to take shape
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
Florida's 2012 Republican Senate primary is coming into clearer focus, with U.S. Rep. Connie Mack announcing Friday that he won't run and former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux saying he'll divulge his plans soon.

Election of Mayor Bob Buckhorn a boost for Florida Democrats
By Adam C. Smith
St. Petersburg Times
Bob Buckhorn, a perennial also-ran in Hillsborough County, was elected mayor of Tampa last week, and that's a very big deal for Democrats in Florida.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Developers would determine "need" under growth bill rewrite
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
During a recent Cabinet meeting, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater summed up an important debate over growth management policy by relating it to the rapidly expanding Five Guys hamburger chain.

Florida's beauty at risk
By Jack E. Davis
St. Petersburg Times
Margaret Ross Tolbert had an idea to do something with a snorkel.

Pythons are making a resurgence in the Everglades
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
Neither record cold temperatures nor water shortages have stopped the Everglades python menace, say water managers bracing for the springtime peak of python mating season.

Bid crawls along to get loggerhead turtles on endangered species list
By Eric Staats
Naples Daily News
A year after proposing to list loggerhead sea turtles as endangered, federal reviewers say they need another six months to take a closer look at the data.

A blowout preventer it wasn't
Editorial
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
In the deepwater oil drilling industry, much faith is placed — or perhaps misplaced — on a large device called the blowout preventer.

EDUCATION

Bills aim to increase number of students eligible for vouchers
By Elaine Silvestrini
Tampa Tribune
Although Gov. Rick Scott proclaimed bold goals in expanding school vouchers, the first voucher bills making their way through legislative committees seek to increase access to a relatively tiny program.

Negron's school voucher bill raises lots of questions
By Eve Samples
TC Palm
Should taxpayer money be funneled to private schools?

A world without high school sports might be closer than you think
By John C. Cotey
St. Petersburg Times
When the school board started talking about eliminating extracurricular activities — including all sports — Tom Willison never believed it would really happen.

Punish Attacks on Fla. Prepaid College
By Glenn Marston
Lakeland Ledger
Misstatements and inappropriate proposals by a state Senate committee chairwoman to close the Florida Prepaid College Plan to new enrollees call into question her leadership.

For-profit colleges leave many with debt but no jobs
By Lindsay Peterson
Tampa Tribune
Westwood College representatives questioned Becky Loring about her hopes for the future. And when she wavered — worried about whether she could afford the $45,000 program — the recruiter used Loring's own words to seal the deal.

School leader's quiet exit speaks loudly
Editorial
St. Petersburg Times
Florida Education Commissioner Eric Smith has been around long enough to sense when he's not wanted.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Rick Scott: Public housing, governor’s mansion, then…nothing?
By Mark Woods
Florida Times-Union
Gov. Rick Scott has proposed eliminating homeless funding from the state budget.

Why Florida's unemployment rate is so much higher than national average
By Jeff Harrington
St. Petersburg Times
Mild euphoria over a substantial drop in Florida's unemployment rate last week may have overshadowed a harsh reality.

Florida jobless rate drops to 11.5%; Metro Orlando down to 10.8%
By Jim Stratton
Orlando Sentinel
Florida's unemployment rate fell to 11.5 percent in February and Metro Orlando's dropped a full point on some of the strongest job growth in almost four years, officials reported Friday.

Florida settles with Fort Lauderdale firm over foreclosures
By Christine Stapleton
Palm Beach Post
In its first action against a foreclosure law firm, the Florida Attorney General's office has reached a $2 million settlement with Fort Lauderdale based firm Marshall C. Watson – one of eight so-called foreclosure mills under investigation for handling of home reposessions.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Hospital district fights bills that would add oversight of privatization
By Anthony Man
South Florida Sun Sentinel
As the Florida Legislature's annual session was about to begin, the big public hospital system Broward Health saw a problem: proposed laws to make it difficult — perhaps even impossible — for its plan to transfer its hospitals to a new, nongovernment entity.

Legislature wants to clamp down on lawsuits, entice doctors in bid to rein in Medicaid
By Aaron Deslatte
Orlando Sentinel
Republican lawmakers struggling to contain Florida's $20 billion-and-growing Medicaid program are taking an unconventional approach: They're going after trial lawyers and the rights of injured patients to sue.

Medicaid med-mal limits OK’d
By Jim Saunders
Health News Florida
Florida lawmakers moved Thursday toward placing new limits on medical-malpractice lawsuits involving Medicaid patients, arguing the move could help draw more doctors into the program.

Change is coming to hospital taxing districts
By Lauren Ritchie
Orlando Sentinel
Stand by for a political war, the likes of which could permanently rearrange the power structure of Lake County.

Williams, Baxley bridge gap to work for blind services
By Jim Ash
Florida Capital News
With the exuberance of a typical 9-year-old, Alan Williams ignored the rules and ran full speed through the house — only to slam face-first into an open closet door.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Florida City immigrant workers denounce racial profiling and deportation
By Marcos Restrepo
Florida Independent
Approximately 200 farm workers, students, religious leaders, immigrant advocates and elected officials used a community forum in Florida City Thursday evening to say once again that they wholly reject the current immigration-enforcement bills proposed by Florida legislators.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Ed Buss wastes little time changing Florida's Department of Corrections
By Steve Bousquet
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Ed Buss doesn't look like a revolutionary.

Mob snitch, Florida legislators agree on changes in disciplining judges
By Jane Musgrave
Palm Beach Post
While living in suburban Boca Raton waiting to testify against fellow mobsters, Lewis Kasman fell into an unexpected hobby - going after judges and lawyers he believes are corrupting the justice system.

Cash is poor incentive for justice
By Fred Grimm
Miami Herald
Assembly-line justice was such an obvious progression. Yet judges and lawyers feign shock and surprise?

Daily Clips for March 25, 2011

FEATURED STORIES Gov. Scott signs first bill: Sweeping teacher pay, tenure, evaluation overhaul By Ron Matus and Jeffrey S. Solochek St. Petersburg Times Related: Hasty reform of education needs fixes Florida launched into a historic, high-stakes venture Thursday to see if radical changes to the teaching profession can boost student success. Florida lawmakers revive powerful fundraising accounts By Mary Ellen Klas St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau The Florida Legislature reversed one of the most powerful vetoes of former Gov. Charlie Crist on Thursday, passing into law a bill that allows legislative leaders to raise unlimited special interest money and funnel it to the campaigns of their hand-picked candidates. Another Gulf oil spill shows need for better oversight By Sue Sturgis Facing South There's growing frustration along the Louisiana coast over the lack of answers about the origin of a new oil spill in the Gulf. Scott coddles BP Editorial Tampa Tribune While Gov. Rick Scott never fails to mention Florida beaches when extolling the state's virtues to business interests, it appears he is reluctant to challenge polluters who foul our shores and hurt our economy. Gov. Scott needs to check his facts; do you? By Carol Gentry Health News Florida Gov. Rick Scott's ideology sometimes gets in the way of facts on health-care issues. BEST OF THE BLOGS How Bob Buckhorn’s win on Tuesday could lead to a Democratic resurgence in Florida By Peter Schorsch St. Petersblog 2.0 With Bob Buckhorn’s win on Tuesday with over sixty percent of the vote, it will represent the best political news Florida’s Democrats have had since Barack Obama won the presidency in 2008. Four Nuclear Power Plant Near-Misses Involved Progress Energy Plants, Including One In Florida By Inkberries Beach Peanuts The Union Of Concerned Scientists, a science-based environmental watchdog non-profit, has just come out with a report which is the first in a series on the safety related performance of the owners of U.S. nuclear power plants and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission which regulates the plants. Schizophrenic Health Reform Anniversary For FL By Daniel Tilson The Examiner Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the federal health reform legislation that introduced groundbreaking new rules of fair play into a profoundly corrupted and costly private health insurance system. Rick Scott Facebook Townhall: “Sorry for the technical difficulties” By Leaflet Florida Progressive Coalition Florida Governor Rick Scott held a Facebook Townhall accepting questions from 7:15pm until 7:45pm, closing out a final message at 8:06pm, answering a total of 13 questions. Florida Power and Light Nuclear at Turkey Point: where promises turn to salt By Gimleteye Eye on Miami The nuclear disaster in Japan is unfolding according to events inside the crippled reactors that could never be imagined by people who live within its poisoned radius. FLORIDA POLITICS Florida House Expected to Pass Bill Against Union Deductions By Merissa Green Lakeland Ledger The state House is poised to approve a bill today that would prohibit the deduction of union dues from the paychecks of teachers, police officers and other public employees. Prosecution closing in on its case in Ray Sansom trial By Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times Closing in on the end of its case, the prosecution in the Ray Sansom trial Thursday called on a string of witnesses in an attempt to prove to jurors that the former lawmaker disguised funding for an aircraft hangar as an educational facility. So what does the leadership funds bill really do? By Gary Fineout The Fine Print Florida lawmakers are expected today to take up and override the veto of HB 1207. Massive bill deregulating professions is scaled back By Janet Zink St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau A massive bill deregulating everything from auto repair shops to hair braiders has been scaled back in response to complaints from consumer advocates. Tempers flaring in Florida House By Kim MacQueen and Brent Henzi Florida Tribune It's just the third week of the 2011 session but tempers are beginning to flare up in the Florida House. Protesters awaiting Scott visit By Jamie Page Pensacola News Journal When Gov. Rick Scott visits Pensacola today to speak at a sold-out Republican dinner event, he may meet some folks who aren't so pleased to see him. Campaign to 'boo' Rick Scott at Trop By Anthony Miller Fox 13 News Tampa Bay Some say it doesn't get any more American than baseball and political protest, and on April 1st, Rays fans will get a bit of both. Former Gov. Charlie Crist faces dismantling of his legacy with a smile By Becky Bowers St. Petersburg Times As lawmakers and a new governor rapidly dismantle Gov. Charlie Crist's legacy — overriding his vetoes, rejecting high-speed rail, pushing to split the Supreme Court — he's determinedly, unflappably Gov. Sunshine. J.D. Alexander: Florida Budget Guru By Bill Rufty Lakeland Ledger Some 13 years ago, a reticent, almost shy J.D. Alexander appeared before The Ledger's editorial board when he was running for the Florida House. POLITICAL RACES Fla. Rep. Mack to make announcement on Senate run Associated Press Palm Beach Post Republican Congressman Connie Mack IV will announce Friday whether he plans to seek the seat his father held before retiring in 2001. Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson won the seat and is seeking a third term. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Rep. Coley files bill to repeal another portion of last year's big water quality bill By Bruce Ritchie Florida Tribune A House bill has been filed to repeal another section of SB 550, the water quality bill in 2010 that became more controversial after it passed the Legislature. Senate proposal would require legislative approval of water management district budgets By Bruce Ritchie Florida Tribune The Legislature would approve the budgets of the state's five water management districts under a draft proposal being considered in the Senate. Red Tide study shows toxins, potential benefits By Craig Pittman St. Petersburg Times It has killed millions of fish and hundreds of dolphins and manatees. EDUCATION Senate schools budget has $678 million less for teachers By Aaron Deslatte Orlando Sentinel The Florida Legislature's 2011-2012 budget is taking shape, and the push to make cuts largely on the backs of the poor, sick and public employees is going to take some rhetorical massaging by lawmakers. Gov. Rick Scott urges lawmakers to expand charter schools By Tom Marshall St. Petersburg Times With his signature barely dry on landmark legislation overhauling Florida teachers' pay and performance, Gov. Rick Scott moved Thursday to the next item on his to-do list: charter schools. Gov. Scott's push-out of education commissioner angers longtime Jeb Bush ally By Ron Matus St. Petersburg Times Gov. Rick Scott called members of the state Board of Education this week to smooth feathers ruffled after Education Commissioner Eric Smith suddenly announced his resignation on Monday. Students in Tallahassee to protest education cuts By Patricia Mazzei St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau As lawmakers hash out how steep the cuts to the state's education budget will be next year, hundreds of students descended on the Capitol on Thursday to have their say. Money problems dominate Board of Governors' meeting By Kim MacQueen Florida Tribune Gov. Rick Scott greeted members of the state university system's Board of Governors bright and early Thursday, kicking off a day of visits and candid talk about the lack of funding from dignitaries that also included Senate President Mike Haridopolos and House Speaker Dean Cannon. Community and state colleges could face 8% tuition hike Staff Report Orlando Sentinel Senate budget writers on Thursday presented a new spending plan for higher education and, this time, they're proposing an 8 percent tuition increase for state colleges and community colleges. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY 'Staggering' number of Americans turn to food banks By Kate Santich Orlando Sentinel In the land of plenty, a "staggering" number of Americans are turning to food banks to help feed themselves and their families, including a growing sector of the middle class seeking aid for the first time. Corporate tags just another license to shill By Frank Cerabino Palm Beach Post In the continuing effort to turn Florida into a giant outdoor phallus of corporate opportunity run amok, state lawmakers are looking into allowing company ads on license plates. Number of Florida lawyers under investigation for foreclosure-related wrongdoing grows By Kimberly Miller Palm Beach Post Florida Bar President Mayanne Downs predicts some Florida attorneys will pay the ultimate professional price for foreclosure-related wrongdoing — disbarment — as investigations mount statewide. HEALTH AND SENIORS Lawsuit shield added to House Medicaid plan By John Kennedy Palm Beach Post A rewrite of the state’s $22 billion Medicaid program cleared the House budget committee Thursday in a party-line vote, after ruling Republicans tucked in a provision making it tougher for patients to sue doctors. Could employees buy state hospital? By Jim Saunders Health News Florida In rural Baker County, the Northeast Florida State Hospital is big business. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES Right-wing campaign to battle Sharia cites Tampa judge’s ruling By Marcos Restrepo Florida Independent In an effort to support state Sen. Alan Hays’ and Rep. Larry Metz’s “Application of Foreign Law” bill, conservative commentators have recently been claiming that a Florida judge has subjected one of the parties involved in a civil law suit against the Islamic Education Center of Tampa to Sharia, Islamic law. JUSTICE AND THE COURTS Florida Senate passes bill to help felons get jobs By Bill Kaczor Associated Press Legislation designed to help ex-convicts get licenses and other government permits they need to hold down jobs won unanimous approval Thursday from the Florida Senate.

Daily Clips for March 24, 2011

FEATURED STORIES Charlie Crist's testimony pans Ray Sansom's college deal By Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times On the day former Gov. Charlie Crist took the stand as a star witness, prosecutors on Wednesday advanced the heart of their grand theft case against former House Speaker Ray Sansom, but the defense continued to land blows of its own. Florida could become first state in nation to let residents buy out of state health insurance policies By Gary Fineout Florida Tribune Republicans across the country have contended that one alternative to the controversial federal health care reform plan is to let Americans buy health insurance across state lines. Public hospital costs get scrutiny By Carol Gentry Health News Florida Saying he wants taxpayers to get their money’s worth in health care, Gov. Rick Scott issued an executive order late Wednesday appointing a commission to scrutinize the performance and costs of hospitals operated by local governments. Gov. Scott to sign bill overhauling teacher pay, tenure, evaluations By Ron Matus St. Petersburg Times Related: Busy morning for Florida education Gov. Rick Scott was scheduled to sign a bill into law early Thursday that will dramatically change how Florida teachers are hired, fired, paid and evaluated. Sen. Mike Haridopolos' bill would require review of ethics forms By Marc Caputo St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Related editorial: Haridopolos' ethics shuffle Senate President Mike Haridopolos plans to push a new law that would require the state's ethics commission to review each legislator's financial disclosure forms to spot troubles. Vice President Joe Biden chastises Gov. Rick Scott for rejecting high-speed rail By Adam C. Smith St. Petersburg Times Vice President Joe Biden chastised Gov. Rick Scott in Tampa on Wednesday, saying he cost Florida thousands of jobs and cutting-edge infrastructure improvements by rejecting $2.4 billion in federal funding for high-speed rail. FLORIDA POLITICS Today in Tallahassee: Erasing more of Charlie Crist's vetoes By Marc Caputo St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Former Gov. Charlie Crist's legacy will get tattered a little more in the Legislature today when the Senate joins the House in overriding two of his vetoes. Rick Scott: A governor and his boots By Janet Zink St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Cabinet meeting or church. Blue suit or black. There's one thing you can always count on from Gov. Rick Scott. Should it be easier to give money to Florida politicians? By Howard Troxler St. Petersburg Times If you're like me, you've been thinking: "What this state really needs is an easier way to give money to politicians." Haridopolos Stalls Ethics Legislation Editorial Florida Today A Statewide Grand Jury charged with investigating public corruption in Florida released a report of their findings on December 29, 2010. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Measure designed to streamline state permitting keeps getting larger By Bruce Ritchie Florida Tribune An evolving bill to streamline state permitting cleared another committee on Wednesday as environmental groups and state agencies continued to raise concerns. Fertilizer bill narrowly advances in Florida House By Janet Zink St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau A controversial bill that would ban cities and counties from regulating fertilizer use and sales faced surprising resistance from House Republicans on Wednesday. Report: Flaw led to preventer failure; BP not all to blame By Harry R. Weber and Michael Kunzelman Associated Press The blowout preventer that should have stopped the BP oil spill cold failed because of faulty design and a bent piece of pipe, a testing firm hired by the government said Wednesday in a report that appears to shift some blame for the disaster away from the oil giant and toward those who built and maintained the 300-ton safety device. EDUCATION Florida bill would expand school vouchers program By Patricia Mazzei St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau A school vouchers program created by former Gov. Jeb Bush is set to grow under a bill making its way through the state Legislature. Public schools facing the largest budget cuts in years By Lynn Hatter WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee Proposals to fund the state's public schools and universities are surfacing in the legislature this week. State Board of Education chairman quits over Scott’s handling of commissioner’s resignation By Dara Kam Palm Beach Post T. Willard Fair, chairman of the state Board of Education, has resigned over Gov. Rick Scott’s handling of the resignation of education commissioner Eric Smith, who announced he was stepping down on Monday. Florida lawmakers consider allowing advertising on school buses By Elaine Silvestrini Tampa Tribune Financially strapped school districts may soon have another source of revenue – advertising on school buses. Star students caught up in budget mess By Chris Umpierre Ft. Myers News-Press Knowing his family needed help to pay for his college education, Fort Myers High senior Griffin Plattner studied hard and excelled on standardized tests to qualify for a state scholarship program that would cover all of his college tuition costs. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Union Worker "Gag Bill" Could Come to House Floor By Eric Mack Public News Service Florida State legislation that would restrict how unions collect dues and spend money on political activities could reach the House floor today, but opponents say the bill looks a lot like a Wisconsin-style attack on workers' rights. SunRail costs up by almost $5 million because of Scott's delay By Aaron Deslatte, David Damron and Dan Tracy Orlando Sentinel The cost to build the SunRail commuter train in Central Florida could go up by at least $4.8 million because Gov. Rick Scott has frozen work on the project until the summer, state documents show. Community Action Agencies Look to Tallahassee for Backup By Eric Mack Public News Service Florida The agencies around the state that work to help Floridians climb out of poverty have taken a hit in the federal budget battle, so today they're heading to Tallahassee to ask state lawmakers to take up their cause. British ambassador visiting lawmakers, governor in Fla. By Jim Ash Florida Capital News Strengthening already significant ties with an old friend and trading partner could help Florida pick up the pace of a painfully slow economic recovery, British Ambassador Sir Nigel Sheinwald told the Florida Senate on Wednesday. Lawmakers overreach on deregulation Editorial South Florida Sun-Sentinel Florida's Realtors don't want it. Neither do the representatives of auto mechanics, geologists, mobile home owners, travel agents and scores of other professional groups. HEALTH AND SENIORS Feds may act if Florida stalls on health-reform law By William E. Gibson Orlando Sentinel If Florida leaders refuse to carry out the new national health-care law, Uncle Sam is prepared to take charge on behalf of the state's consumers. Health Reform's One-Year Anniversary The Progress Report Think Progress Today is the one-year anniversary of President Obama signing the Affordable Care Act into law, which when fully implemented, will cover 32 million Americans and begin to lower the rate of growth in health care spending. DCF head calls agency's abuse hot line 'low-cost call center'; wants overhaul By Dara Kam Palm Beach Post The Florida Department of Children and Families operates its abuse hot line like a "low-cost call center," which contributed to the death of 10-year-old Nubia Barahona, the agency's new secretary said Wednesday. Bill would help establish rules for sex in group homes By Justin George St. Petersburg Times State senators proposed reforms Wednesday to how developmentally disabled sex offenders are housed and want a task force of experts to recommend new guidelines for sex in group homes. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES Drug-testing for welfare recipients advances despite program’s past failure By Travis Pillow Florida Independent Related: Welfare drug tests: Not just for prior convicts anymore On Wednesday, a Florida House panel cleared a modified version of a bill that would require the Department of Children and Families to drug-test people seeking cash assistance, despite staff research that shows a similar program tested between 1999 and 2001 was a failure. Immigration Policy Center: Unauthorized immigrant population remains stable By Marcos Restrepo Florida Independent As Republicans in the Florida legislature move forward with immigration-enforcement bills, new data shows that the number of unauthorized immigrants in the United States has remained stable. JUSTICE AND THE COURTS Sen. J.D. Alexander suggests paying Florida judges bonuses to hear more cases By Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau As Florida courts groan under the weight of heavy case backlogs, a powerful senator is suggesting a highly controversial remedy: paying judges more money to hear more cases. Dean Cannon’s judicial activism unpopular with his legal peers By Scott Maxwell Orlando Sentinel If House Speaker Dean Cannonis looking for support for his radical plans to change the way courts work in Florida, he’s not finding it among his own brethren (and sistren) in the Orange County Bar Association.

Daily Clips for March 23, 2011

FEATURED STORIES House subcommittee passes bill to require an ultrasound before abortion By Jim Ash Florida Capital News Conservative Republicans, bolstered by veto-proof majorities, continued Tuesday to advance a series of proposals to restrict abortion. Scott will drug-test state employees By William March Tampa Tribune Gov. Rick Scott has announced a new policy of administering drug tests to all applicants for employment in state agencies controlled by the governor's office, and random drug testing of current employees. GOP targets public employee unions By Kathleen Haughney South Florida Sun-Sentinel Public employee unions are one of the last bastions of Democratic money — and power — in a state tightly controlled by Republicans. Lawmakers paying little attention to Scott’s ‘jobs budget’ By Aaron Deslatte Orlando Sentinel Gov. Rick Scott has pitched his “jobs budget” to lawmakers as an infusion of business savvy into the inefficient world of government spending. Why did Senate President Mike Haridopolos’ office stall ethics legislation? By Marc Caputo Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau The office of Senate President Mike Haridopolos has put the kibosh on a fellow Republican’s ethics bill — the same bill Haridopolos himself had co-sponsored last year. Testimony in Ray Sansom trial focuses on airport project funding By Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times The top emergency management official in Okaloosa County testified at the Ray Sansom trial Tuesday that he told a developer he did not think state funding would be awarded for a building at Destin Airport because of its location. FLORIDA POLITICS Scott gets tough questions in Facebook town hall By William March Tampa Tribune Gov. Rick Scott held a Facebook town hall forum tonight, the latest of several forays by the governor into meeting and communicating with the public through social media. Today in Tallahassee: Outlawing sex with animals? By Marc Caputo St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau The Florida Senate is ready to take a stand: Having sex with animals is wrong. Does wife's stake in Solantic pose conflict of interest to Rick Scott? By Jeremy Cox Florida Times-Union Gov. Rick Scott has worked hard to disabuse critics of his potential conflict of interest with Solantic, the Jacksonville-based clinic chain he co-founded. What does it cost governments for automatic payroll deductions? By Aaron Sharockman St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald PolitiFact Some Republicans in the Florida Legislature are squaring off against unions over a measure that would prohibit public employers from collecting union dues through automatic payroll deductions. Judge weighs defense objections to Crist's testimony By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital News Attorneys for former House Speaker Ray Sansom and Panhandle developer Jay Odom want a preview of ex-Gov. Charlie Crist's testimony today regarding the $6-million airport project that landed both men in court on felony charges of grand theft and conspiracy. POLITICAL RACES Buckhorn wins Tampa mayor election By Christian M. Wade Tampa Tribune Bob Buckhorn sailed to victory Tuesday night to become the next mayor of Tampa, overcoming partisan politics and negative campaigning. Mike Hogan, Alvin Brown in runoff for Jacksonville mayor By Charlie Patton Florida Times-Union It was a good night to be Mike Hogan. Vice President Biden to visit Winter Park to raise money for Sen. Bill Nelson By Mark K. Matthews Orlando Sentinel Even though the 2012 election is more than a year away, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson already is calling in the big guns for fundraising support — with Vice President Joe Biden headlining two events on Wednesday for the Florida Democrat in his home state. In Palm Beach, Giuliani talks about 2012, Obama, Palin, Romney, tea parties By George Bennett Palm Beach Post Former New York Mayor and 2008 Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani left the door open for a 2012 run tonight, saying he’d think about launching another White House bid if it looks the GOP might otherwise pick a nominee who is “too right-wing.” ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Shell awarded gulf drilling contract as oil washes onto Louisiana shores (Updated) By Kyle Daly Florida Independent The Obama Administration has approved the first Gulf of Mexico deepwater drilling plan since BP’s Deepwater Horizon spill, Reuters reports. Shell Offshore intends to drill for oil and natural gas at a site 130 miles from the Louisiana coast. Water managers impose more stringent irrigation restrictions in South Florida By Alexandra Seltzer Palm Beach Post Tuesday was the kind of day that most South Floridians desire. It was hot, sunny and a little breezy. Market-dominant Scotts to take phosphorus out of fertilizer By Craig Pittman St. Petersburg Times One of the world's biggest lawn care companies is announcing today that it will stop making fertilizer with phosphorus, one of two ingredients blamed for pollution problems in Florida's waterways. Some biomass energy project stall as others remain viable By Bruce Ritchie FloridaEnvironments.com Officials in the biomass energy industry say regulatory uncertainties continue to affect the development of new projects in Florida. EDUCATION Education funding cuts are grim, schools remain hopeful By Lilly Rockwell St. Augustine Record A glimpse at education budget proposals surfacing in the Florida Legislature this week show school districts are facing the largest spending cuts in recent memory. Tight Florida budget strands university projects awaiting matching grants By Jodie Tillman St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau University of South Florida's future polytechnic campus. University of Florida's graduate business studies building. Florida State University's Center for Asian Art. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Fasano, Kriseman outraged over bills that deregulate Florida insurance industry By Katie Sanders and Janet Zink St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Several bills that empower the insurance industry this session pose a significant threat to consumers, with little opposition from the Legislature in sight, lawmakers and consumer advocates warned Tuesday. Smart cap would not need voters' approval of new taxes By Aaron Sharockman St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald PolitiFact Florida's fiscally conservative Senate wants to leave its mark in the Constitution by more tightly capping the amount of taxes the state could collect in any given year. Proposal would allow corporate advertising on Fla. license plates By Jeff Burlew Florida Capital News It might be a while before the Golden Arches or other corporate logos start showing up on Florida license plates statewide. "Smart cap" a cap with no smarts Editorial Orlando Sentinel Senate President Mike Haridopolos would have Floridians believe that state government is wallowing in bathtubs filled with cash. HEALTH AND SENIORS Nixing health reform rule could cost state consumers $60 million, Citibank analysts say By Stacey Singer Palm Beach Post Florida consumers would lose cash or insurance benefits worth about $60 million if Florida is allowed to opt out of a key element of health reform this year, says Citibank managed care industry analyst Carl McDonald. Concentrated effort to tighten abortion laws advances in Florida Legislature By Janet Zink St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Between a conservative Legislature and a more conservative governor, there's a concentrated effort this year to tighten Florida's abortion laws. Cancer center, hospitals cut By Jim Saunders Health News Florida When Florida lawmakers passed a $1-a-pack cigarette tax increase in 2009, they made another decision: Part of the money should go to biomedical research to combat cancer and tobacco-related illnesses. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES Fla. deportations misguided? Critics want focus on criminals; most deportees aren't By John Lantigua Palm Beach Post Undocumented immigrants in Florida who have no criminal record are more likely to be deported than such individuals in other parts of the country. JUSTICE AND THE COURTS Gov. Rick Scott approves $14 million transfer to help courts, but not loan request By Lucy Morgan and Katie Sanders St. Petersburg Times Gov. Rick Scott has refused to approve a loan Florida courts need to keep operating through the end of June.

Daily Clips for March 22, 2011

FEATURED STORIES Poorest, sickest, oldest poised for brunt of Florida Senate budget cut proposals By John Kennedy Palm Beach Post A budget hobbled by recession-era red ink began taking shape Monday in the state Senate, including proposed cuts to schools, Medicaid and programs used by some of the poorest and sickest Floridians. Senate schools budget would call for cuts after all By Gary Fineout Florida Tribune A Senate budget panel on Monday rolled a new school funding proposal that was nowhere near as generous as one that was unveiled last week. Florida education secretary said he’ll step down this year By Kathleen McGrory Miami Herald State Education Commissioner Eric Smith will resign at the end of the school year, he announced Monday. State courts declare financial emergency, seek help By Lucy Morgan St. Petersburg Times A dramatic drop in mortgage foreclosures being filed in Florida has plunged the state's courts into a financial emergency that could jeopardize operations in every courtroom. As Ray Sansom case opens, defense vigorously denies charges By Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times With his one-time colleagues working in the Capitol across the street, former House Speaker Ray Sansom went on trial Monday for his role in an alleged scheme to build an airplane hangar for a developer, a charge his attorney vehemently denied. FLORIDA POLITICS Today in Tallahassee: Packed agenda in House, Senate By Marc Caputo St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Abortion. Guns. Drugs. Vouchers. Supreme Court justices. Gambling. State Senate, House differ on budget cuts By Jerome R. Stockfisch Tampa Tribune Early legislative budget proposals confirm one thing lawmakers have been warning about – cuts virtually across the board -- and portend showdowns between the two chambers over high-profile priorities such as health care and state worker pay. Union dues bill on the move By Kathleen Haughney Orlando Sentinel The House Appropriations Committee gave the OK to a bill by Rep. Chris Dorworth, R-Lake Mary, that could potentially limit unions’ political potency moving forward. Bill would raise limits on fundraising By Brandon Larrabee News Service of Florida Bills dealing with political fundraising and state constitutional amendments passed a Senate panel Monday despite critics' complaints that they would give more power to wealthy donors and the Legislature. House committee votes to put property tax cut on Florida ballot By Mary Ellen Klas St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau A move to give all Florida property owners a deeper property tax cut continued to gather steam in the Florida House on Monday as a committee voted to put the measure on the ballot as early as 2012. Florida lawmakers aim to slash local regulations on businesses, too By Jason Garcia Orlando Sentinel Florida's Republican-controlled Legislature, on a mission this spring to make the state easier on businesses, isn't just targeting regulations in Tallahassee. In rush to deregulate, Senate tackles basic phone service By Mary Ellen Klas St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau With only one in five Floridians still tethered to a traditional telephone, a Senate committee gave fast-track approval Monday to legislation that would completely deregulate land lines against the wishes of AARP and consumer advocates. Sen. Jim Norman scales back bill that inadvertently criminalized farm photography By Katie Sanders St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau One of the first bills Jim Norman proposed as a state senator targets animal-rights activists who sneak onto farms to capture footage of agricultural practices they consider cruel. Defense, prosecution heard in Sansom trial By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital News Defense attorneys told jurors Monday that former House Speaker Ray Sansom not only didn't steal taxpayer money to build a $6-million airplane hangar for Destin developer Jay Odom, the men couldn't have illegally hidden the item in a state budget if they had tried. POLITICAL RACES Lois Frankel launches bid for Allen West’s congressional seat By George Bennett Palm Beach Post Term-limited West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel announced today that she’s running for the congressional seat of freshman U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, setting up what could be yet another expensive, nationally watched race in Palm Beach-Broward District 22. Polls open for Tampa mayor, city council runoffs By Christian M. Wade Tampa Tribune By the end of today, Tampa will know who its next leader will be. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Initial Senate draft budget includes money for beaches, petroleum tanks By Bruce Ritchie Florida Tribune Beach restoration and petroleum contamination cleanup programs will receive close to the same amount in a Senate subcommittee's draft version of the 2011-12 budget as those programs received this past year. Walton County bill raises statewide concerns for sea turtles By Bruce Ritchie FloridaEnvironments.com Some environmentalists are asking the Legislature to take a closer look at a local bill for Walton County that could allow sea walls to remain in place without state permits. EDUCATION Florida Education Commissioner Eric Smith resigns By Ron Matus and Jeffrey S. Solochek St. Petersburg Times Florida Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith, who has continued pushing far-reaching school changes while the state is earning national kudos for progress, announced Monday he intends to resign June 10. Principals leery of provisions in teacher bill that would affect them, too By Jeffrey S. Solochek St. Petersburg Times After Cooper Dawson turned around one struggling St. Petersburg school, she was asked to do it again. Late end-of-course algebra test results could cause late report cards By Jason Schultz Palm Beach Post The results of the first round in a statewide experiment in computerized end-of-course tests will not be released by the state until after the end of Palm Beach County's school year. Senator downplays proposed suspension of Florida Prepaid program By Jodie Tillman St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Sen. Evelyn Lynn said Monday she only wanted to give the state some "breathing room" when she pitched a controversial proposal last week to close the Florida Prepaid College program to new participants. Pre-K gets results, despite budget woes By Leslie Postal Orlando Sentinel Florida youngsters who took part in the state's pre-K program were more prepared for kindergarten when school started in August than children who did not, recent state figures show. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY House and Senate far apart in how to handle $3.75 billion budget gap By Gary Fineout Florida Tribune Related: Senate draft budget includes money for Miami port but not other items sought by Scott It may not be easy for state legislators to reach a deal anytime soon on how to fill the state’s $3.75 billion budget gap. Homeless advocates against Scott's budget cuts By Matt Dixon Florida Times-Union When Gov. Rick Scott unveiled his budget in February, one thing in particular got Cindy Funkhouser's attention. Public workers not better off, study contends By Mary Wozniak Ft. Myers News-Press Public-sector workers have become targets in Florida for critics who say they get too much money, too many benefits and are largely to blame for a nearly $3.8 billion state deficit. Alabama judge suspends union-deduction ban similar to Florida proposal By Travis Pillow Florida Independent In a preview of the legal battles to come if a similar law is passed in Florida, Lynwood Smith, a federal judge in Alabama, has suspended a law banning automatic payroll deductions for members state employee unions, according to the Huntsville Times. Florida's home vacancy rates, No. 1 in nation, are drag on recovery By Robert Trigaux St. Petersburg Times Florida has roughly half the population of California, but more vacant houses. In fact, Florida, has more vacant houses — 1,567,778, more than one out of every six — than any state in the country. HEALTH AND SENIORS Abortion bill tightens parental notification requirements By Kathleen Haughney South Florida Sun-Sentinel A panel of House members Monday approved a bill that attempts to limit a minor's ability to get an abortion by strengthening parental-notification requirements. $1B in cuts in Senate HHS budget By Jim Saunders Health News Florida When Sen. Joe Negron released a proposal Monday to cut at least $1 billion from health- and human-services programs, it was a first step in what likely will be a contentious budget process. Gov. Scott names Ormond Beach doctor as Florida surgeon general Associated Press Palm Beach Post Gov. Rick Scott has named a former Florida Medical Association president and retired military doctor as the state's surgeon general. Liz Dudek to stay at AHCA; Dr. Frank Farmer to lead DOH By Carol Gentry Health News Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s appointees to lead the state’s two health agencies came as a delightful surprise to some people who know them because they aren’t Scott's political cronies and both have solid records of achievement. After its first year, health law's future is still in question By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar Associated Press One year after President Barack Obama signed his historic health care overhaul, the law is taking root in the land. Whether it bears lasting fruit is still in question. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES Business backlash against immigration crackdowns By Travis Pillow Florida Independent Senate President Mike Haridopolos has opposed efforts by business groups to soften some of the enforcement provisions in one of the Senate’s immigration bills. JUSTICE AND THE COURTS Battle over wrongful convictions pits GOP legislators versus law-enforcement By Kim MacQueen Florida Tribune At their meeting in Tallahassee Monday, the Florida Innocence Commission ultimately voted to support a measure that would update and revamp the way law enforcement agencies conduct eyewitness identifications. But the move took the commission most of the day, and was a bumpy ride for all concerned. Divided commission endorses bill on police lineups By Jim Ash Florida Capital News A divided Florida Innocence Commission voted Monday to endorse a controversial bill that would set minimum standards for police lineups.