Another House Democrat rebuffs GOP candy

Rep. Janet Long is not the only one the GOP is trying to flip.

Fellow Democratic Rep. Debbie Boyd of Newberry was approached several times in the past session with the promise of possibly gaining a committee chair, getting more bills passed and taking a breather from campaigning this summer. She will likely face Columbia County Commissioner Elizabeth Porter in November.

Courting is nothing new, but the effort speaks to the GOP effort to pad numbers as it has lost eight House seats in the past two years. "I told them it's not going to happen," Boyd said, declining to name who worked on her this session and last year. "I'm a Democrat and my district is a Democratic district."

Boyd is an ideal Republican target. A Realtor, she has a strong pro-business voting record. But she also voted with NRA-leaning Republicans in support of the guns-to-work bill. "My caucus knows I'm not a straight party line girl," Boyd said.

NRA muscles in on guns-to-work lawsuit

The NRA has hired Gov. Charlie Crist's former legal chief Chris Kise to go head-to-head with Barry Richard, who had been hired by the Florida Retail Federation and the Florida Chamber of Commerce to pursue the case.

The NRA has filed a pleading to get involved and work beside the Attorney General's office to defend against the lawsuit.

GOP tries to entice Rep. Janet Long to switch

The GOP wants to make a Republican out of Rep. Janet Long.

The Pinellas County lawmaker told the Buzz she had several conversations with "a good friend" in the majority party who asked her to give the idea some thought. "They said, 'You know in the majority you could be a chairperson, you could have a stronger voice.' "

Long, who would not identify her friend, said she has never tried to define herself by party, but "I decided not to do it." She added: "It seems a bit disingenuous to change my stripes in midstream. Do I realize maybe I might get a chair or it would be easier to pass bills? Maybe I do. But I don't think I would have as clear a voice in the majority as I do in the minority. I wouldn't take kindly to being told what to do."

Bruce Cotton v. Janet Long

Bruce Cotton has collected over 1,000 petitions to have his name placed on the ballot for state House District 51, held currently by Democrat Janet Long.

“Bruce’s efforts were remarkable,” said Doug McAlarney, Cotton’s campaign consultant and a former Deputy Director for the Republican Party of Florida House Campaigns.  “I’ve seen many hard-working candidates over the years, but Cotton is definitely playing for keeps.  Now is the time for the Republican Party to move forward, united for victory in November.”

CSX: Dead for now, but not forever

CSX Chairman Michael Ward sent a letter to Gov. Charlie Crist on Monday saying that CSX remains committed to working with government officials to bringing commuter rail to the Orlando area. He reminds the governor that the final drop-dead date for legislation is June 30, 2009.

In other words: CSX will be back.

2008 session: Green or greenwashed?

Trying to decipher whether the 2008 session was “green” or not takes a Pantone color chart. There are spots of leafy green, mottled with the gray-green of hard cash, bright acid envy, and the pallid sheen of greenwash.

With his customary good cheer, Gov. Charlie Crist declared Tuesday the 2008 session, "a banner year on the environment, I dare say."

To continue reading, go to our blog The Fueling Station.

-Asjylyn Loder and Craig Pittman, Times Staff Writers

Live web chat on the session

Times columnist Howard Troxler is hosting a live web chat with readers from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. today about the just-concluded annual session of the Legislature. Here's the link.

Sine Die: 6:02 p.m.

House Sergeant-at-Arms Earnie Sumner (left) and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Don Severance, drop their hankies in the fourth floor rotunda in the traditional Sine Die ceremony.  [Times photo | Scott Keeler]

After reluctantly passing the Senate's version of a bill to cover autism, the House has adjourned. The 2008 legislative session is over.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to serve with each of you," House Speaker Marco Rubio said, hoisting a cup of Cuban coffee.

Bullard shuts down Senate, could kill CSX

Sen. Larcenia Bullard, D-Miami, called for a "point of personal privilege," in which she smacked down the Senate President for repeatedly not calling on her six different times when she waved her microphone to speak.

During a session marked by mostly harmony on the Senate floor, it was quite a surprise to hear Bullard, wavering on tears, talk about being ignored, disrespected and used.

"This day is a painful day to me on the Senate floor. I believe I've served in these 14 years to the best of my ability I have never disregarded or disrespected anybody in this process," Bullard said. (See parts of speech below.) She also lamented that her bill to commission a study of traffic flow around I-95 is about to be loaded up as the vehicle for proposals to bring commuter rail to Orlando and to provide a gas tax holiday.

Senate President Ken Pruitt apologized and called a brief recess. "If you feel that I have disrespected you in any way, I apologize."

Did Posey break the rules?

Sen. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, sat at his desk and did not push his vote button to vote on a controversial amendment (Barcode 674746) that would have created an exemption to the DRI growth management process for rural counties on growth management bill, SB 474. The Sen. Evelyn Lynn amendment failed 18-20. It's against Senate rules to fail to vote when on the floor.

The amendment was so controversial that Sen. Ronda Storms suggested an absence of a quorum before the vote. That signaled a quorum call, which Posey voted on, marking his attendance.

Through the Senate President's office, Posey said his failure to vote was an oversight, because he was reading at his desk.

Posey is running for the Congressional seat held by outgoing U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Indialantic.

Time to Sine Die?

Buzz just gets 'em and publishes 'em. We don't make 'em up.

TOP TEN SIGNS IT’S TIME TO SINE DIE

10. New State Song – Genesis’ Land of Confusion
Late Filed Amendment: State Anthem: “Oh Canada”
9. Energy bill includes tax rebates for abortion clinics with solar powered ultrasound machines
8. Watching Florida Legislature makes everyone question if we’ve evolved
7. Amid confusion, Byrd Center turned over to Tim Tebow
6. Fox & Friends not returning Charlie Crist’s messages

A happy house - minus one

Over the past few weeks, outgoing members of the Florida House have given farewell speeches. There have been tears and jokes and copious applause. But when Sine Die falls today, one man will stand silent: Rep. Don Brown, R-DeFuniak Springs.

Brown, 56, has refused to share his final thoughts. The sometimes pugnacious, sometimes charming, always interesting Brown has run afoul of his party over the years and hard feelings remain.

In January 2007, Brown and Rep. Dennis Ross were the only two Republicans to vote against a sweeping property insurance legislation (turns out most everyone else came to see the bill as junk) and were forced from committee chairman spots by House Speaker Marco Rubio. Brown also was one of the first Republicans to criticize some of the moves of Gov. Charlie Crist.

Frank Attkisson's greatest hit

Rep. Frank Attkisson blew a gasket on the House floor saying he could not believe the state song was being debated while a bill loaded with property tax measures was swiftly defeated on a procedural vote.

"We have shown (the public) that we do not care about the taxes they are paying, and we think a song ... is more important," the Kissimmee Republican said. "I refuse to go along any further. I'm going to stay on the side of the taxpayer's wallet."

The bill contained language related to value adjustment boards and the widely loathed assessment practice known as highest and best, Attkisson told the chamber.

But Attkisson -- and the House Majority Office, which blasted Democrats for blocking tax relief -- glossed over a controversial part of the bill, one shielding online travel agencies, such as Expedia, from higher taxes.

State song compromise heads to Crist

The House followed the Senate's lead Thursday night and voted 83-31 to remove racially offensive lyrics from the state's current song, "Swanee (Old Folks at Home)" and to create a state anthem called "Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky," chosen from a yearlong statewide contest.

Sponsor Ed Homan, R-Temple Terrace, played a video of children singing the song, written by Jan Hinton, a music teacher at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale who watched from the visitors' gallery (picture at right). House leaders earlier hadn't been eager to take up the proposal, saying the state has more pressing matters. After the vote, a tearful Hinton expressed joy and relief, despite the criticism by some lawmakers of her song.

"The reason this is worth taking our time is because a state anthem gives us a sense of pride and belonging," said Rep. Kevin Ambler, R-Tampa.

"To replace this, to have to have a second song, I think is unfair," said Rep. Will Kendrick, R-Carrabelle. "I would love to change history, but we can't do it. ...It's just the wrong way to do things."

House passes baggy pants, sans baggy pants

The House just took up Sen. Gary Siplin's droopy drawers bill banning students from wearing "below-waist" underwear, but they amended the bill (SB302) to take out all of Siplin's language and just require that school district committees simply establish uniform school dress codes.

The vote was 96-19. The Senate will have to agree for the measure to pass and be sent to the governor.

Deal near on helping Florida's uninsured

On the next-to-last day of the session, the House and Gov. Charlie Crist resolved weeks-long differences on how to approach the problem of offering coverage to 3.8-million uninsured in Florida. The bill (SB 2534) will be taken up in the Senate Friday in a bill that will contain Crist's "Cover Florida" plan and the House's employer-based "Florida Health Choices" approach. Crist's goal is to create a new market for policies for as little as $150 a month that will cover doctor visits and screenings to people who currently only see a doctor when they visit a hospital emergency room.

"It's resolved," said Sen. Durell Peaden, R-Crestview, sponsor of the Senate bill. Peaden said a major sticking point was Crist's demand that a new 15-member corporation being created under the House "marketplace" proposal be subject to ethics and open-government laws and a ban on health-care industry insiders from serving on the board.

Florida Senate passes insurance package

With little debate, the Florida Senate passed a property insurance package by a 33-to-5 vote on Thursday that freezes insurance rates in the state-run insurer another year.

The bill, a product of negotiations between the House and Senate, includes some new consumer protections when it comes to how insurers set rates, but it also includes a number of perks for the industry.

"The reason we found some comfort in it, is that we are eliminating the arbitration  process," said Sen. Jeff Atwater (left) who has championed much in the bill. "So much of what we were really driving through remains in the bill....it's a very strong, consumer-driven bill."

Traviesa steps into education role

As the Rubio era transitions to the Sansom reign, there is growing speculation over who will land leadership positions. Two are pretty clear:

Rep. Adam Hasner of Delray Beach will remain as Majority Leader. And Rep. Trey Traviesa of Tampa will take over as education chief. Traviesa was at Rep. Joe Pickens' side this week as Pickens struggled to explain the House education budget was not a property tax increase, rather a "fund shift." Traviesa, 38, got an undergraduate degree from FSU and an MBA from the University of Texas. Sansom is also toying with the idea of splitting policy and budget, going back to the old system.

Emotional farewell, and P.E. bill, for Don Davis

Members of the Davis family along with members of the House. Scott Keeler | Times

Lawmakers and relatives celebrated the life and political career of Rep. Don Davis, R-Jacksonville, who passed away earlier this session at age 76. Davis was ill for more than a year, and had brain surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in 2007.

"He made me smile, he made me laugh," said Rep. Dick Kravitz, his voice cracking with emotion as Davis' family looked on and a montage of family photos played behind him. "He was my older brother, and I loved him so much."

To honor Davis, they will pass a physical education bill, to be named the Don Davis Physical Education Act, that extends the elementary school P.E. requirement passed into law last year to middle schoolers.

Florida House passes insurance package

The Florida House unanimously passed a property insurance package by 117-0 that freezes rates in the state-run insurer another year.

The package is the result of weeks of negotiations between Sen. Jeff Atwater, R- North Palm Beach and Rep. Dennis Ross of Lakeland. The bill includes some new consumer protections, such as requiring big insurers to notify state regulators when they intend to drop more than 10,000 policies. It also borrows money from Citizens to fund a low-interest loan program for young start-up insurers, a measure that has drawn the ire of the governor.

Ross: Citizens is an addict

Republican Rep. Dennis Ross was trying to explain the logic to Democratic Rep. Priscilla Taylor as to why it's a good idea to allow Citizens Property Insurance Corp. to insure homes worth as much as $2 million, up from $1 million.

Ross: "This is akin to somebody who has been addicted to drugs and now must go through a methadone program."

"Is this the best thing to do in a vacuum? No...but in order to maintain a market, we’ve got to do this incrementally.”

Attack of the double dipping bill --- It's alive!!!

Remember the "double dipping" bill, aimed at stopping retirees from collecting pensions and salaries at the same time?

For those keeping track: First the Senate killed it on the floor. Then revived it. Then sent it to a committee. Where it died. Now, the House has revived it. But there are Senate opponents looking to kill it again.

The Florida House voted 89-28 on Wednesday to attach an amendment to a retirement bill (SB 2848) that would expand the amount of time a retired employee must wait before going back to work for the state from one to 12 months. The amendment also prevents employees from accruing a second state pension. It also requires employee supervisors to file reports with the governor, the house speaker and senate president to justify hiring a retiree.

Ed reform looking shaky between chambers

Efforts to reform education with higher and more in-depth standards for teachers, charter schools, high school grades - plus a push to expand corporate income tax scholarships - suddenly don't look like smooth sailing.

The House passed the "Educator Ethics in Education Act" (SB 1712) pushed by outgoing Sen. Lisa Carlton today, but now Sen. Don Gaetz wants to tack that legislation onto an "omnibus education reform" bill that would also deal with charter school finances, the scholarships and the way high schools are graded.

Gaetz' train bill also would allow for end-of-course exams, and would establish the new curriculum standards championed by House Speaker Marco Rubio.

Long night ahead in the House

The Florida House just finally released their 120-page strike-all amendment on insurance. Check out the summary here, provided by the House. The Buzz is it's going to be a very long night at the Florida House. Buzz did a pretty good job of hashing out some of the highlights of the deal earlier today.

An intern with a controversial past

State Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, has endured his share of controversy. But these days, he is seen by many as a symbol of redemption. So Rouson says he has no right casting aspersions on his new legislative intern -- Barry S. Edwards.

Edwards emerged as a news story during the Giuliani campaign in Florida last year when he resigned after reports surfaced about him allegedly pressuring a student of his at FSU to cruise for prostitutes, watch porn and masturbate. Edwards said the claims were lies but was fired as an adjunct political science professor.

He was also arrested on charges of stealing least $10,000 worth of computer equipment from legislative offices.

Senate says, bullies be good

The Senate just made it tougher for school-yard bullies. Voting 40-0, senators approved the House bill (669) that bans any harassment of a K thru 12 student at a public school activity, on a bus or even via computer. And part of a district's funding will be tied to adopting a policy to meet the standard.

Educator ethics law passes

The House just passed the law, already Ok'd by the Senate, aimed at preventing misbehaving teachers from getting away with it and moving quietly from one district to another.

The Educator Ethics in Education Act (SB1718) establishes a list of offenses that make someone ineligible for teacher certification, and it prohibits the state from giving retirement benefits to teachers who committed designated felony offenses against a minor.

Also, administrators who knowingly hide teachers' offenses could be punished. Sen. Don Gaetz, former Okaloosa schools superintendent, sponsored the Senate version.

Final Week Florida Legislature

As Florida lawmakers were debating bills on the floor of the House and Senate during the last week of the 2008 Legislative session, worker John Kelley, 57, of "A Monumental Task, Inc., Ft. Pierce, engraves one of 23 names into granite at the Florida Fraternal Order of Police Law Enforcement Memorial, outside of Florida's Old Capitol building, Wednesday. Sixteen of the names were of fallen officers from around the State who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2007. Seven of the names were from previous years. Kelly has been engraving the names each year for the past five years. "These are the soldiers of our civil world who gave their lives for us and our laws," said Kelley. "It's sad to add so many names each year. Kelley spent about two hours finishing the job. Scott Keeler | Times

Frustrated humor from Majority office

Someone forwarded us this witty spoof penned by a House majority office staffer late last night: "BudLight Presents: Real Men of Genius

Today we salute you, Mr. Democratic Unnecessary Debater of Legislation.

[Mr. Democratic Unnecessary Debater of Legislation!]

Getting elected may have made you famous in your tiny district, but speaking on the House floor for hours upon hours in opposition to a bill to let kids play ball will make you infamous.

You, bastion of the filibuster, take to the floor, yelling into that microphone like a Red Sox fan at Fenway in the bottom of the ninth, projecting to everyone in attendance that you're fully prepared to waste their time and shatter their eardrums....

Powerful State rep. sidesteps fundraising ban

Like his colleagues, Rep. Stan Mayfield is not allowed to raise campaign money when the Florida Legislature is in session, because of the perception that lawmakers would be trading votes for donations.

But that has not stopped lobbyists and corporations with business before the Vero Beach Republican from giving him $96,000 since the session began in March.

Mayfield, a powerful committee chairman who wants to be Florida's next agriculture commissioner, legally sidesteps the fundraising ban by steering those unrestricted donations to a political committee known as a 527, a reference to the section of the IRS code that regulates such committees. (story here)

St. Pete pork in the budget

Magically, the Legislature found $2.5 million to complete the total $7.5 million in full funding to create the C.W. Bill Young Government Institute at St. Petersburg College.

The college got the first $5  million for its funding last year and the earmark was among projects spared when Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed a half a million in member projects last year. Young, himself, had lobbied for this institute, which the Times wrote about last year.

The issue appears to have surfaced during conference negotiations, as there's no record of the project going into budget negotiations.

House bumps autism bill

The Florida House unanimously passed an autism bill by 117-0 that differs from the Senate's bill (SB 2654), which mandates insurers cover medical treatment for autism.

The House version is far more complicated but gives companies a year to figure out and negotiate what kind of coverage they'd provide, waiting before any mandates go into effect. It also opens up Healthy Kids insurance to treat autism and other disabilities.

Legislature sends energy bill to gov

The Florida Senate voted 39-1 to send the energy bill (HB 7135) to the governor, including some controversial last-minute amendments added by the House on Tuesday.

Only Sen. Steve Oelrich, R-Gainesville, voted against the legislation, which the House passed unanimously yesterday.

The bill generally writes into law many of the executive orders that Gov. Charlie Crist signed last summer, when it comes to lowering greenhouse gas emissions. It also creates a greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program, which would come back for legislative approval.

The bill also includes lots of give-aways to utility companies, making it easier for them to speed eminent domain and run transmission lines through state land. It also eases regulatory oversight of power plant siting.

Breaking down insurance

Buzz is there's going to be a deal on property insurance legislation, although Buzz has yet to see new House amendments this morning. But here's a report on some of the more pressing negotiations completed late last night or in recent days.

Sen. Jeff Atwater R-North Palm Beach and Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, have been talking in quiet negotiations for two weeks on a package that Atwater championed in the Senate as a continued crack-down on insurers that began last year. The House finally showed their hand in strike-all amendments filed Tuesday.

UPDATES BELOW

Legislature extends Florida Forever

The Florida House unanimously passed and sent to the governor on Wednesday morning a bill that breathes new life into the state's land-buying program for conservation.

Florida Forever (SB 542) had been slated to expire in 2010, but now it's extended to 2020, with $5.3 billion in bonding authority over that ten year period. In this year's budget, the Florida Forever program has $300 million to spend on land acquisition.

Property insurance up in the morning

It was on. Then off. Then on. Then off.

The Buzz is now property insurance is off for tonight. It's slated to come up in the morning, with an all-new and improved strike-all amendment. Stay tuned.

As midnight approaches, House gets cranky

The House has been in session since 9:30 a.m. We could end there. You get the picture.

But the tableau a few minutes ago:

Rep. Susan Bucher was doing her thing, hammering away at a bill allowing private school kids to play sports at public schools. In an apparent sign of disrespect (or simply disgust) Rep. Aaron Bean kept his back turned to Bucher as he answered her questions. Bucher, D-West Palm Beach, kept going.

Finally, House Speaker Marco Rubio cut her off. Bucher stormed to the front of the chamber and stood at the left side of the rostrum, calling for Rubio. He ignored her for a few moments before exchanging words. Off went Bucher, and she eventually resumed the inquisition.

Earlier tonight, came the explosive scene of Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, the majority whip, angrily denouncing and pointing fingers at a fellow Republican, Juan Zapata of Miami. The beef: a failed amendment on a bill dealing with dental implants.

Property insurance & CFO's cat fund bill linked

Sen. Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, revealed on Tuesday that the property insurance bill he's been pushing (SB 2860) to crack down on insurers is linked inextricably with CFO Alex Sink's bill (SB 2156), which would reduce risk in the catastrophe fund.

Wrongful incarceration headed to governor

Following the Senate, the House just voted 116-0 for a bill to pay prisoners $50,000 for each year of wrongful incarceration, but only if they do not have prior felony convictions.

There was no debate, and the bill was taken up on second and third reading. The bill (SB 756) and its controversial "clean hands" provision now heads to Gov. Charlie Crist.

The governor recently told the Times that he did not support barriers to compensation. "I believe in forgiveness," he said. But given the three-year struggle to get something passed and the bi-partisan support for the compromise, a veto seems unlikely.

-- Alex Leary

House approves CSX bill

The Florida House approved a bill that would bring commuter rail to central Florida by a vote of 77-39.

"If commuter rail is good enough for South Florida, than it's good enough for Central Florida," said Rep. Dean Cannon.

The CSX bill sets up a no-fault liability deal for commuter rail in Orlando. While the House has steadily moved the proposal ahead, the Senate has held off approval over objections the liability deal is a bad thing for taxpayers. The state would buy the rail line and improve freight railroad for a total of nearly $650-million.

Last minute energy amendment draws ire

The Florida House attached an amendment to their House energy bill that forbids DEP from adopting "California motor vehicle emission standards," unless ratified by the Legislature. The change is a substantial difference between the Senate and House energy bills.

DEP was already in the midst of adopting such a standard but now would have to face the Legislature to implement it, said DEP spokeswoman Sarah Williams.

Buzz hears that the governor, in particular, is none too happy with the amendment. DEP released the following statement:

House passes energy bill

The Florida House unanimously 108-0 passed its energy bill, sending it to the Senate, which is expected to take up the bill on Wednesday.

Rubio's new book: '60 days'

It's like high school again this afternoon in the Florida House.

Speaker Marco Rubio has presented members with a yearbook of sorts, a hardcover photo book called 60 days. "This isn't about ideas," Rubio said, alluding to his 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future. "It's not about me necessarily."

As clerks distributed the books, Rep. Baxter Troutman, R-Winter Haven, went up to Rubio and asked him to sign his copy. Other reps passed theirs around.

Two hundred copies were published for $4,000. 100ideas.org, the foundation established to further Rubio's concept, picked up the bill. The book features photos by House photogs Mark Foley and Meredith Hill. Every representative appears at least twice, Rubio said. (see jump for an example)

Rubio throws down the gauntlet

Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio meets with Representatives on the floor of the House. Scott Keeler | Times

House Speaker Marco Rubio didn't sound like he was in a compromising mood Tuesday on two major unresolved health care issues: providing coverage to the uninsured and helping families with autistic children.

Faced with a Senate and governor that agree on a different plan for the uninsured and on a bill that would mandate autism coverage in health care plans, Rubio said the House approach on both issues is superior, and he said he would work "as long and hard as it takes" to see the House vision prevail.

Gov not so veto-happy this year?

When asked Tuesday morning if he would be as aggressive with his veto pen this year as he was last year, when he vetoed $450 million in member projects last year, Gov. Charlie Crist offered this:

"I have no inclination to want to veto anything that they have done, because of the great work they have done."

Finally, a House property insurance bill

While the Senate had put the finishing touches on their property insurance bill far earlier in the session, the Florida House is expected to finally release their property insurance language on Tuesday morning, confirmed Rep. Dennis Ross on Monday evening.

No word yet on what the bill will look like. Updates to come.

Expect debate on Gov's gas tax cut soon

Update: The gas tax bill is not coming up today in Senate.

Sen. Mike Fasano confirmed today that he plans to offer an amendment to SB 1838 (a Department of Revenue bill) for a gas tax holiday from July 1 to 14th, which would cost $50 million from general revenue.

"The governor called me personally and asked if I would do this," said Sen. Fasano, R-New Port Richey. "Although it's small, it's some relief for a couple of weeks."

-- David DeCamp, Times Staff Writer

House: Prop insurance 'close'; Geller disagrees

UPDATE!! Sen. Steve Geller, who is now also in on property insurance negotiations, says that the two chambers are not close on a deal on property insurance. "We have three house members and two senators, and right now we’re very far from any agreement.” Geller said he doesn't expect to see a House bill.

Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, one of three House members involved in negotiations with Sen. Jeff Atwater, says the two chambers are "getting close" on a negotiated property insurance bill and that "bigger issues" are mostly resolved.

But she couldn't say when, exactly, the House would produce a companion property insurance bill, and when asked about the ticking clock, she assured:  "A lot can happen in four days."

Evolution bill passes House, returns to Senate

The bill requiring that teachers present a "scientific critical analysis" of the theory of evolution just passed the Florida House on a 71-43 vote, despite concerns from opponents who say it isn't necessary and will allow the teaching of religious theories like creationism and intelligent design in public schools.

"A true scientist is searching for the truth, and that's what this is encouraging," said bill sponsor Alan Hays (left), R-Umatilla.

"This bill is basically playing meatball surgery with our science curriculum," said Minority leader Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach. "We should get on to more pressing issues in our state."

But the version that passed the House is markedly different from the Evolution Academic Freedom Act (SB2692) that narrowly passed the Senate last week, leaving its fate in doubt.

Final week of the 2008 Legislative session

Florida House Speaker pro tempore, Marty Bowen, R-Haines City, bangs the House gavel to begin the Monday's House session and the final week of the 2008 Florida Legislative session. [Scott Keeler, Times]

Dean: Blame the FL pols, not me

DNC Chairman Howard Dean on Meet the Press sounded to us more sympathetic to Barack Obama's position - no way can Hillary Clinton net a bunch of delegates out of Fl's officially meaningless primary - than Clinton's count all the votes stance. Dean: "First, you've got to respect the voters. The voters of Michigan and Florida were not the people that screwed this all up. It was politicians. Secondly, you have to respect the candidates. They went in on a set of rules that everybody voted for, including Michigan and Florida, before they changed their mind, but -- and so you can't really change the rules and alter the course of the race. And thirdly, you got to respect the 48 states that did respect the rules."

Dean said he expects Michigan will have some say in the nomination ultimately, but there's no indication he has any more sway with members of the rules and bylaws committee taking up challenges from the states than he did with the Democrats who set primaries in FL and MI. He also brushed off criticism of his handling of MI and FL.

State budget agreement reached

Rep. Ray Sansom, R-Destin, left, and Sen. Lisa Carlton, R-Osprey [Steve Bousquet,  Times]

Two key lawmakers quietly and efficiently settled a series of unresolved budget issues Sunday afternoon to keep the scheduled adjournment of the 2008 session on track for next Friday.

Among the issues resolved by Rep. Ray Sansom and Sen. Lisa Carlton were a 5-percent pay raise for state troopers in an effort to stem the high rate of turnover in the FHP; a 5-percent pay cut for members of the Legislature; an additional $55-million in Lawton Chiles health-care endowment money for health clinics and senior centers; a reduction of 199 probation officers in the prison system; a $164-million rate reduction to nursing homes; and a last-minute $7.5-million cost-of-living boost to the school system in one county, Miami-Dade, home of House Speaker Marco Rubio.

The budget that awaits floor votes includes no raise for state workers; no new money for Everglades restoration; a 6-percent tuition increase for community college and university students and an estimated $110-million in new fees, most of them in the court system, but no new taxes.

Troxler: Blame Pruitt for lousy session

Howard Troxler's column today: Let's see now. Soon we will be able to drive our guns to work in Florida no matter what our bosses say, and we might be able to do it with a state-created Christian license tag on the car. On the other hand, it might soon become illegal to decorate your car's rear bumper with fake, you know, anatomical parts....

Florida Senate makes NPR quiz show

The NPR show "Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me" poked fun at the Florida Senate this week, for legislation banning Truck Nutz. Click on this link here to listen. (It's about 2 minutes and 15 seconds in.)

Senate, House far apart on budget issues

Senate budget chair Sen. Lisa Carlton just met with House counterpart Rep. Ray Sansom and their respective staffs in a mostly-for-show conference on differences between the two chambers' budgets. But the real work will get done this weekend, and the more controversial items are likely to get worked out between the Speaker and Senate President.

Paper or plastic? House says plastic

In the major energy bill, the House just added in a voice vote a pre-emption of any bans on plastic shopping bags from grocery stores and other retailers (and newspapers). The provisions, unveiled hastily this week, will mean no city or county can enforce a ban -- as San Franciso enacted -- until after the Legislature acts on a report due in 2010.

Sink: CSX commuter train is off track

Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink today urged House Speaker Marco Rubio and Senate President Ken Pruitt to change the liability protections for CSX that part of the $650-million "no-fault" deal to run commuter trains in the Orlando area. House and Senate votes are due next week.

"While the expansion of commuter rail is a laudable and important component of wise transportation planning, Florida's taxpayers should not assume an undue amount of liability," Sink wrote in a letter  (Download csx_letter_to_pruitt_rubio.doc) that attacks deal negotiations that happened "under the clover of darkness."

Bid to stop CSX fails -- but not by much

UPDATE: A revote  over stopping the CSX project fails, 64-54, after some members complained of voting irregularities (in Florida?!) in the first 59-56 vote against it. At quorum call, 111 were present but 115 voted.

"There were member who were not present in the chamber when the buttons were pushed," said Rep. Don Brown, who voted to stop the project. Rep. Ellen Bogdanoff the called for another vote.

"They need to come back, or we're not going to have votes," Rep. Will Weatherford is overheard saying.

House: No bans on plastic grocery bags

A rewrite this evening of a presumed-dead recycling bill would pre-empt cities and counties from banning the use of plastic bags as San Francisco did, at least until a state study is done by February 2010. That means no stopping the use of plastic grocery bags, newspaper bags, even drycleaning bags -- giving a nod to the interests pushing the protection: Publix and other supermarkets, retailers and Associated Industries.

Handicapping insurance talks

As happens most years, property insurance legislation is now being negotiated in closed-door, back-room talks, mostly between Sen. Jeff Atwater and Rep. Dennis Ross, with insurance lobbyists running all-over the capitol.

But Rep. Ron Reagan, R-Bradenton, who heads the House council that decides insurance policy, offered a sneak peak at what issues are in play and what issues are probably still non-starters in the House. The House has yet to produce a property insurance bill.

UPDATE! Reagan now says there's no way the House will have a property insurance bill before next week.

From Rubio, signs of frustration

As Marco Rubio's time as House speaker dwindles, he finds himself double-teamed by the Senate and Gov. Charlie Crist. Last weekend, he decided to vent.

After the House devolved into partisan chaos over a decision by Rubio's team to block Democratic debate on an education bill, Rubio dashed off a series of e-mails to reporters. He offered opinions on the Senate, Crist and issues such as a proposed gas tax cut. But the speaker sent the message from his personal account and insisted the information was off the record, meaning the contents could not be quoted.

Then he agreed to sit down with two St. Petersburg Times reporters to discuss the e-mails. Story here. (Times photo | Scott Keeler)

Senate requires autism insurance coverage

With Senate President Ken Pruitt calling it "one of the most important pieces of legislation we'll pass this year," the Florida Senate unanimously passed a bill to require that insurers provide health care coverage for autism treatment. They sent the bill over to the House, where it faces a more uncertain fate.

Will lawmakers create a baseball czar?

Move over Bud Selig, the Florida House is considering whether to create a baseball commissioner. In HB 7111, which is nearing passage, a state baseball commissioner would protect Florida's spring training sites for the ol' ball game. It's part of an economic development package.

Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, said the $100,000-a-year baseball commissioner would be hired to keep and recruit teams to Florida. The Cincinnatti Red and Cleveland Indians plan to relocate to Arizona, and the Baltimore Orioles are weighing whether to stay in Fort Lauderdale.

"if you're going to leave one city in Florida, then we'd rather you went to another city in Florida than another state or country," said Cannon, who spearheaded the bill after discussions with other lawmakers and state economic development officials.

One problem: the Senate passed its version (SB 2778) without playing ball. Sen. Mike Fasano, chairman of economic development appropriations, told Cannon this week that he's willing to consider working in the commissioner job. But he's got questions as session nears its May 2 end. (more)

Senate passes Florida Forever, honors Mayfield

The Florida Senate passed, by 38-0 vote, a bill that breathes new life into the Florida Forever program, which had been set to expire in 2010. Now the program expires in 2020 and has a few new twists, like money to buy conservation easements on agricultural land.

The Senate also renamed a part of the Florida Forever program after Rep. Stan Mayfield. The "Stan Mayfield Working Waterfronts" program allocates 2.5 percent of funding (or $7.5 million of the $300 million this year) to a program that purchases and preserves some waterfront property, like historic fishing docks to help stymie over-development.

The Buzz is. . .

Sansom, Carlton have lots to negotiate

Sen. Lisa Carlton and Rep. Ray Sansom, budget chairs in their respective chambers, will have to work out several controversial issues in the days to come.

Lawmakers serving on budget conference committees, unable to reach agreement during recent meetings, have "bumped" the matters to Sansom and Carlton.

Among the issues: Money for new and existing medical schools; the Senate's proposed 10 percent salary reduction for the governor, lawmakers and Cabinet; and pay raises for state troopers.