2012 Florida legislative session

With an early legislative session speeding up action in the Capitol, at least three lobbying firms collected more than $1 million in fees during the first three months of the year, according to new reports.
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A look at four questions in the wake of the resignation of Gov. Rick Scott’s chief of staff Steve MacNamara, who will step down on July 1, including whether it signals a return to the governor’s Tea Party roots…. Read more »

Steve MacNamara found himself defending his work for both the governor and while he was in the Senate. … Read more »

The quality of Florida’s state universities is bound to erode due to spending cuts and a veto of a proposal to allow steeper tuition increases at two schools, the House Education Committee’s chairman said Thursday at a meeting of the Higher Education Coordinating Council.

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The Justice Department has approved the Legislature’s redistricting maps for the state House and Senate as well as Florida’s 27 congressional seats…. Read more »

Critics say the sudden decision to embrace a new polytechnic university highlights Florida’s image as a state with a haphazard, politically driven university system. It lacks a strong, unifying vision, yielding schools more known for their mediocrity and sports teams than academic stature…. Read more »

Despite opposition from a group that governs high school athletics, Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill Friday that will change the way eligibility is determined for high school athletes…. Read more »

Expressing concerns about the debt burden on students and their ability to find jobs, Gov. Rick Scott disappointed state university leaders on Friday by vetoing a bill that would have freed Florida’s top two research universities from a 15 percent annual tuition cap…. Read more »

The Florida Supreme Court says the Republican-led Legislature’s do-over of the state Senate’s redistricting map meets constitutional muster…. Read more »

The Florida Association of Counties and 47 individual counties sued the state on Thursday to challenge a new Medicaid law that’s expected to cost local taxpayers millions…. Read more »

Even as reaction to Gov. Rick Scott’s veto of $1.5 million for Florida’s rape crisis centers was going viral online, the governor was attending a Crime Victims’ Rights Week event hosted by Attorney General Pam Bondi…. Read more »

Ballooning home insurance costs sparked one populist revolt in Florida during the last decade, and several changes to drive up premiums charged by the state’s largest insurer could generate another.

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Scott announced Monday who would and wouldn’t be returned to their positions after what Senate leaders have described as nothing more than an oversight. But the word was still filtering out to some of the appointees as late as Tuesday, and some still questioned the circumstances of their ousters.

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Gov Rick Scott on Tuesday signed into law a measure that makes it easier for cities and counties to use reclaimed water, but includes changes sought by environmental groups to ensure the state will maintain control over the resource.

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In addition to endorsing a new state university, Gov. Rick Scott on Friday signed more than two dozen other bills related to the budget, including a measure reducing government contributions to retirement plans for more than 100,000 public workers…. Read more »