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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.
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.
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
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.
The chill appears to be thawing a bit between House and Senate lawmakers negotiating education reforms.
The Senate just passed House-friendly version of bills for public school curriculum and testing changes, (SB 1908) and for teacher ethics standards. (SB1712)
Sb 1908, a strike-all authored by House education point man Rep. Joe Pickens, R-Palatka, establishes the curriculum standards championed by Speaker Marco Rubio. It allows for end-of-course exams, tweaks the FCAT writing exam, and pushes the FCAT to a later date, among other things.
The teacher ethics bill establishes criminal offenses that would prevent someone from obtaining or keeping teacher certification and retirement benefits, and it prevents school boards from quietly dismissing or transferring misbehaving teachers. The provisions apply to charter schools and private schools that accept corporate voucher students, something Sen. Don Gaetz wanted.
The Senate also passed the corporate voucher expansion and high school grading changes.
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."
Continue reading "Bullard shuts down Senate, could kill CSX" »
UPDATE: Just to make sure they get the point, U.S. Rep. John Mica sent Gov. Charlie Crist and the Senate leadership a letter saying that not approving the commuter rail project will have "dire consequences" on "all transportation projects" and every revenue to the state. He wrote that REp. Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville, backs him as railroad subcommittee member. Download 2008_comm_rail_letter_to_fl_legislature.pdf
U.S. Rep. John Mica, R-Winter Park, is among those pushing hard as supporters try a last-ditch effort to salvage the $650-million commuter rail project. Mica called Sen. Mike Fasano's office to give his thoughts today, according to a staff email to the senator:
"He asked me to send you the message that he is greatly concerned about the commuter rail issue. He said he is willing to close down all transportation projects down (sic) until this issue is dealt with. He mentioned the possibility of asking the governor for a special session if this issue is not dealt with. If you need to speak with him he is available."
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.
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
The Senate just unanimously approved the health insurance bill aimed at insuring the uninsured, and now it goes back to the House for final passage. The legislation is the result of negotiations in recent days between the governor's office and two chambers.
It includes many of the provisions Gov. Charlie Crist sought as a priority this session, along with the "marketplace" provision pushed by the House.
"This comprise is a very good insurance bill that I think we can go home and live with and be proud of," said Sen. Durell Peaden, chair of the Senate health appropriations committee.
For the second year in a row, the Florida Senate at Majority Leader Dan Webster's urging passed a resolution establishing the first day of hurricane season as a day of prayer.
"Last year, we passed this resolution in the face of forecasters telling us to expect several hurricanes," said Webster, a longtime conservative Baptist lawmaker who is leaving the Legislature . "Let's ask God again for mercy. ...This is a great tribute to God himself."
Everyone knows her voice: "Quorum call, quorum call. Senators, the Senate will convene in 5 minutes."
But soon, a different voice will call senators to their committees and chamber seats. The Senate just passed a resolution honoring longtime Senate secretary Faye W. Blanton, who is retiring after 12 years in the post and 38 years serving the state.
"It has been an honor to serve you," she told the chamber. "I'm proud to have had the opportunity to be here ever so briefly in the history of this Senate."
But she apologized, too: "for my annoying quorum calls...the President made me do it."
UPDATE: Sen. Paula Dockery says advocates offered to drop a sticking point in the deal among trial lawyers and critics -- extending state immunity protections to private contractors -- but keep the "no-fault" protection that steams some, too. But it was no deal tonight.
The $650-million plan to run commuter trains in Orlando stumbled again Thursday, lessening its chances even more heading into Friday's final day of session.
A procedural gambit by Sen. Carey Baker to use the House bill -- effectively making amendments more difficult for opponents Friday -- lacked enough support. Talks also have yet to yield a compromise on a "no fault among trial lawyers, Senate Majority Leader Dan Webster, Minority Leader Steve Geller and later Paula Dockery, the chief opponent.
Circumstances have sunk such that the broader transportation bill including commuter rail is at risk. "If we have a bill at all, it will be slimmed down," said Webster, a chief supporter, who added it "would have nothing to do with commuter rail."
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.
Continue reading "Deal near on helping Florida's uninsured " »
The Senate, at Brandon Republican Ronda Storms' request, just refused to accept the House version of an evolution teaching bill that Storms has been championing all session.
That means the bill (Sb 2692) has to bounced back to the House, where members will be asked to approve Storms' more broadly worded "Evolution Academic Freedom Act," which Storms says is aimed at protection teachers and students who question and critique the theory of evolution.
Majority Whip Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, has said there is little "appetite" in the House for Storms' proposal. And session ends tomorrow, meaning it's slim odds this legislation will pass this year.
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."
Florida Senate President Ken Pruitt-R, Port St. Lucie, and his wife Aileen, watch Senate Sergeant at Arms Donald Severance unveil Pruitt's portrait Thursday in the Senate.
Times Photos By: Scott Keeler
Senators paused Thursday to unveil Senate President Ken Pruitt's official portrait that will hang on the circular chamber's wall for decades to come. With his wife Aileen, a breast cancer survivor, and their children beside him, Pruitt listened as Democrats and Republicans praised him for an open and even-handed leadership style for the past two years.
"There's no project here. There's nothing I had to have," said Pruitt, explaining his goal was to distribute power among senators and nothing more. The Port St. Lucie Republican cried as Democratic Sen. Gary Siplin of Orlando thanked him for refusing to buckle to pressure and remove him after Siplin's theft conviction that was overturned on appeal.
The Senate just voted 31-6, with Democrats opposed, for a "train bill" of education reforms that Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, created in this final week of the session. But House Republican education leaders' opposition to the last-minute train could result in the proposed reforms collapsing altogether this year.
Continue reading "Senate passes ed train, but will House?" »
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.
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.
Continue reading "Attack of the double dipping bill --- It's alive!!!" »
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.
Continue reading "Ed reform looking shaky between chambers" »
Dan Webster, the Senate's chief advocate for a controversial CSX commuter rail project, put a fork in the project's success this session after Sen. Carey Baker announced he was stripping the project from a major transportation bill this evening.
A growing number of lawmakers objected to a no-fault liability plan for CSX, which would sell 61.5 miles or rail line for $150 million. The state is supposed to poney up another $500 million for freight improvements benefitting CSX's freight lines.
But lawmakers have to approve the liability deal, which the House did. In the Senate, however, chief opponent Paula Dockery said she entered the day with 27 votes to strike the liability deal, more than she'd need.
"I think the liability issue's dead," said Webster, the Senate majority leader.
UPDATE: CSX and central Florida lobbyists say all is not over, echoing Baker that the provisions could come up in another bill before session closes Friday. "I think you'll see it come up again," said lobbyist John Thrasher for Orlando.
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.
The Senate just decided to zap the sales tax exemption on Super Bowl tickets. Sen. Mike Hariodopolos said the reduction to the state will be insignificant. It got tacked on Sen. Nan Rich's bill on tax examptions for non-profit hospital laundries.
And to make up for it? Reducing sales taxes on mobile phone sales. The vote was 38-0 on HB 1059, which covered non-profit hospital laundries.
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.
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.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.
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.
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
Left- Senator Daniel Webster-R, Winter Garden, reacts to the 20-20 tie vote on his abortion bill in the Senate, Wednesday. His bill was defeated. Scott Keeler | Times
The vote was a stunning rebuke for the bill's sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Dan Webster, R-Winter Garden, who's in the final week of an impressive 28-year legislative career. The decision also spares Gov. Charlie Crist a politically tough decision of whether to sign or veto the bill (SB 2400). The self-described "live and let live" governor has not said what he would have done, at a time when he is mentioned as a possible vice presidential pick.
The floor debate on both sides was among the most emotional and eloquent of the session, as Webster spoke of a woman overseas who had pregancy complications but refused to abort a fetus -- who became Heisman-trophy winning quarterback Tim Tebow at the University of Florida.
A supporter, Sen. Ronda Storms (left), R-Brandon, wondered why opponents didn't want pregnant women to "see that little baby sucking his thumb," and Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, said the ultrasound is simply one more piece of information. "God forbid a woman may change her mind," he said.
Seven Republicans voted no: Mike Bennett, Lisa Carlton, Paula Dockery, Dennis Jones, Jim King, Evelyn Lynn and Burt Saunders. Democrat Gary Siplin voted yes.
Continue reading "Abortion ultrasound bill fails on a tie vote" »
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.
Florida Senators discuss Daniel Webster's abortion bill in a meeting of Senate Democrats, Wednesday morning in the Senate office building. From left are Senators Dave Aronberg, Gwen Margolis, Charlie Justice, Nan Rich, Frederica Wilson, and Steven Geller, Senate Minority Leader. Scott Keeler | Times
Meeting with his caucus this morning over bagels and fruit, Senate Democratic Minority leader Steve Geller said he is confident he has enough votes, including those of moderate Republicans, to defeat Majority leader Dan Webster's abortion bill (SB 2400).
"We have the votes," Geller said. "There are 40 member of the Senate, and I think they have all pretty much made up their minds. The only one still deciding is Sen. Siplin, and we had him as being against us. If he changes, that's one more vote."
The bill is scheduled for a final vote on the floor today.
When Florida legislators approve the state's slimmed down budget this week, no one may be as proud as Sen. Mike Fasano.
Despite the smallest state budget in four years, the New Port Richey Republican wedged in $10-million to help build roads near schools on his home turf, Pasco County. There's also $5-million to recruit companies to Pasco. And another $10-million to improve affordable housing in three counties. One of them: Pasco.
And that's just a partial list for the senator, whose district also includes parts of Citrus, Hernando and Pinellas counties. "Somehow, it all ends up in Pasco," said Sen. Charlie Justice, D-St. Petersburg.
After 14 years in the Legislature, Fasano has emerged as the Tampa Bay area's most powerful lawmaker — however unlikely. (Click here for the profile by David DeCamp.)
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.
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.
Continue reading "Property insurance & CFO's cat fund bill linked" »
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.
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:
TAMPA -- Although warned that they were defying powerful senators, the Tampa Bay region's state water board voted unanimously Tuesday to rehire as its executive director the same man passed over by a Senate committee last week.
Three senators had blocked confirmation of Southwest Florida Water Management District executive director Dave Moore, a move that could have put him on the unemployment line in June. So the board voted to rehire him for one year, giving next year's Legislature another shot at confirming him.
Continue reading "Despite Senate diss, Swiftmud rehires chief" »
Senator Jim King-R, Jacksonville, questions Sen Daniel Webster-R, Winter Garden, on his abortion bill, Tuesday in the Florida Senate. Scott Keeler | Times
Moderate Republican and Democratic senators had lots of questions for Sen. Dan Webster about his abortion bill (SB2400), but Webster won't learn the power of his argument and debate until Wednesday when they take a vote. It's the same day the chamber is scheduled to deliver him his official farewell from the Legislature.
Minority Leader Steve Geller, South Florida Democrat, said he has enough no votes, including those of Republicans including Jim King, who's been working behind the scenes to defeat the bill that requires women get an ultrasound before first-trimester abortions.
Continue reading "Lots of abortion questions, vote Wednesday" »
Sen. Dan Webster just delivered a tepid apology to fellow Sen. Dave Aronberg, a day after he called Aronberg's bill on parimutuel gambling "disgusting" and "nauseating." Webster stood before the chamber and said Aronberg requested the apology.
"Sen. Aronberg understood some words I said maybe in a different way than I meant," Webster, R-Winter Garden, said. "I don't use those words normally, they just came to mind. If he understood them that way, I apologize."
On Monday, Webster declared Aronberg's gambling bill (which the Senate killed): "disgusting, nauseating."
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."
During a Senate Democratic Caucus meeting on Monday, not long after Sen. Steve Geller had warned everyone in the room that press was there (implying they should watch what they say), Sen. Geller made a flip comment about Brandon Republican Sen. Ronda Storms.
The issue was child welfare and some sort of Storms' amendment that apparently pitted parental rights against the rights of a guardian ad litem tasked with deciding what's in the best interest of a child.
"She treats children like chattel," Geller said. Then he turned to the Buzz and tried to say that the comment was off the record. Caucus meetings during which legislation is discussed are considered public and often televised, so Buzz did not agree to the off-the-record order.
Sen. Ted Deutch, realizing the faux pas, teased Geller by calling out: "That's two T's in chattel."
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.
Another day, another delay on outgoing Majority leader Sen. Dan Webster's abortion bill. The bill (SB 2400) was on the Senate's Special Order but Webster put it off for a second time.
"Maybe tomorrow," he said. Why the stall?
He said he's enjoying this "day of joy," in which both chambers gave him standing ovations for his many years of legislative work. The House also dedicate a large room in the Capitol's Knott building in his name.
Despite a good debate, the Florida Senate killed Sen. Ronda Storm's "I believe" license plate for the second time in less than one week.
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
Sen. Steve Geller was pushing to find out whether Sen. Frederica Wilson and Sen. Mandy Dawson would be here today, because he's heard the Senate will take up the bill to require ultrasounds to get abortions.
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."
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.
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.
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....
Continue reading "Troxler: Blame Pruitt for lousy session" »
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.)
Term limits are pushing Dan Webster out of the Legislature after 28 years. For some of his colleagues, he's not leaving quietly enough.
On Monday, Webster begins the last week of a political career that has taken him down a very long road, from obscure back-bencher to House Republican leader. He was the first Republican speaker in more than a century and is now the Senate majority leader. (Steve Bousquet's column here. Times photo | Scott Keeler)
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.
Continue reading "Senate, House far apart on budget issues" »
Somebody in Tallahassee doesn’t like Dave Moore. This week, the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee confirmed the appointment of the executive directors of four of the state’s five water management districts. But the fifth one -- Dave Moore of the Southwest Florida Water Management District -- didn’t even make it on the agenda.
--Craig Pittman
Continue reading ""Hidden agenda" behind block of Swiftmud boss?" »
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."
UPDATE: Joyner and Sen. Victor Crist withdrew the amendment because the bill sponsor, Evelyn Lynn, feared her legislation would die in the House with the Byrd amendment attached. "Reluctantly, after a whole year of hard work, we agree to withdraw this amendment," Crist told the chamber.
Sen. Arthenia Joyner is trying to revive efforts at putting the Johnnie Byrd Sr. Alzheimer's Research Center under USF -- tacking an amendment onto a bill (SB 1768) that would allow UCF and eventually FIU to charge a higher "differential" tuition to Florida undergraduates.
The amendment essentially lays out the governance shift that USF has been fighting for all session, but that had recently been thwarted by Byrd supporters including former Speaker Johnnie Byrd Jr. In exchange for getting no money in 2008-09, leading lawmakers have signaled they'll let the center remain independent, as Byrd wants.
The House adopted the UCF tuition bill last week, but not with the Byrd amendment, which seems unlikey to fly over there.
The Senate just voted 37-0 in favor of Greenacres Democrat Dave Aronberg's bil (SB2016) that sets some very specific standards aimed at avoiding all those disgusting public bathroom encounters.
The bill requires for public lodging and food establishments the kind of things you wished were just automatic, like:
A supply of toilet tissue in each toilet stall, "lighted and ventilated" facilities, running water and soap, "cleanable" toilet fixtures, and public food establishment bathroom toilets that are "completely enclosed and provided with a tight-fitting, self-closing door."
The Senate just voted 39-0 to remove racially offensive lyrics from the state's current song, "Swanee (Old Folks at Home)" and to create a state anthem, a tune called "Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky," that was chosen from a yearlong statewide contest. Sen. Mandy Dawson was absent.
The anthem's author, Jan Hinton of South Florida, sat in the gallery as they voted and as sponsor Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, played a video of children singing it.
Now it goes to the House, where leading lawmakers there aren't too keen on even taking up the proposal. They say the state has more pressing matters to deal with.
Sen. Jim King, R-Jacksonville, said he sees a "50 percent chance" of the measure passing the House.
The Senate just unanimously approved a bill (SB 186) to make USF's fledgling campus in Lakeland, dubbed USF Polytechnic, a separately accredited regional campus.
The setup would be similar to USF's St. Petersburg campus. Meanwhile, USF officials and some lawmakers are pushing for $15-million in state money in next year's budget to start construction of a new $200-million campus they say will hold 16,000 students by 2043.
The Florida Senate first attached then detached an amendment on their elections bill (SB 866) that would have helped nonincumbents who lack deep pockets to qualify to run for office.
"We decided as a body five minutes ago that we wanted this amendment, we wanted this language that we were going to open up Democracy," complained Sen. Charlie Justice whose amendment made the bill, then failed when Republican Sen. Alex Villalobos moved for its reconsideration. A few Democrats, like Minority Leader Steve Geller voice-voted it down.
Continue reading "Election qualifying change gets on, pulled off" »
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.The Senate chamber tomorrow will be filled with the voices of a children's choir singing "Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky" -- the song that Sen. Tony Hill hopes to declare the official State Anthem.
Hill, D-Jacksonville, and Jacksonville Republican Sen. Jim King have agreed to compromise by creating the state anthem while amending racially offensive lyrics in the current state song, "Swanee (Old Folks at Home)."
The Senate will take up the senators' compromise Thursday, even though House lawmakers don't seem to consider it a priority.
For years, Sen. Dave Aronberg has tried to close an elections law "loophole" and halt a particular elections game played by both parties, when it comes to primaries and write-in candidates.
Aronberg's efforts to prevent write-in candidates from closing primaries got a first full floor debate on Wednesday but failed on an 18-18 vote, in what might be the closest vote to hit the Senate this year.
Continue reading "Write-ins can continue to close primaries" »
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)
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.
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 dis