Florida Legislature 2013

PolitiFact: Weatherford overreaches with claim that Medicaid expansion drives deficit

The Florida House did the nation a favor by refusing to expand subsidized health insurance to 1 million low-income Floridians, argues Speaker Will Weatherford.

Citizens downplays cheaper property insurance option

TALLAHASSEE — Last year, the Florida Legislature mandated Citizens Property Insurance Corp. to offer a cheaper, more limited coverage option to homeowners, potentially saving them up to 70 percent on their premiums.

Pension vote puts some House Republicans in awkward position

TALLAHASSEE — Florida House Republicans tried to close the state's pension system to new employees this year, saying it's a ticking time bomb that could cripple the state's budget for years to come.

Gov. Rick Scott asks university presidents for promise not to seek tuition increases

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott has all but guaranteed a veto of the 3 percent tuition increase in the state budget and he recently reached out to an unlikely group to aid his cause.

Gov. Rick Scott holds power with budget veto pen

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott must soon sign the new state budget, and he's getting intense feedback on all sides: from lawmakers protecting hometown projects, hospitals worried about losing money and a business-backed group criticizing pork-barrel spending.

Gov. Rick Scott asks university presidents for promise not to seek tuition increases

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott has all but guaranteed a veto of the 3 percent tuition increase in the state budget and he recently reached out to an unlikely group to aid his cause.

Rick Scott declares victory on sales tax break for manufacturers

OLDSMAR — Gov. Rick Scott launched a two-day, campaign-style swing through the state Monday to celebrate the Legislature's decision to temporarily eliminate a sales tax on manufacturing equipment.

Bill opens up funding for private virtual schools

TALLAHASSEE — Private online learning companies will get a better shot at Florida public school funding under a bill that won approval on the final day of the legislative session.

Lawmakers battle behind the scenes for tutoring money

TALLAHASSEE — As the legislative session neared an end this month, state Rep. Erik Fresen found himself in an awkward position.

University leaders expect Gov. Rick Scott to veto tuition increase

TALLAHASSEE — Lawmakers included a 3 percent tuition increase in next year's budget, but state universities say they aren't counting on the extra money.

2013 session: Which bills passed, which bills failed

Some bills that passed and failed in the 2013 Legislative session. Bills must be approved by Gov. Rick Scott.

Business

Guns at school? Florida proposal would allow armed teachers

TALLAHASSEE — A bill that would allow school employees to carry weapons on campus won the support of the House education subcommittee on Wednesday.

Poll: Floridians favor more gun control, Hillary Clinton for president in 2016

TALLAHASSEE — Florida voters support universal background checks for gun purchases, other gun control laws and Hillary Clinton for president in 2016, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday.

Gun bills languish in firearm-friendly Legislature

TALLAHASSEE — There have been more gun control bills filed in the Florida Legislature this year than any in recent memory — but you wouldn't know it. Despite Democrats' push to spark a "conversation" about guns after the Trayvon Martin and Newtown, Conn., shootings, the Republican-led Legislature has …

Florida Legislature takes on debate over school security

TALLAHASSEE — Allow gun-toting teachers. Make lockdown drills as routine as fire drills. Boost local taxes to specifically pay for security at schools.

Gov. Rick Scott holds power with budget veto pen

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott must soon sign the new state budget, and he's getting intense feedback on all sides: from lawmakers protecting hometown projects, hospitals worried about losing money and a business-backed group criticizing pork-barrel spending.

State analysts reverse course, say supermajority wasn't needed on tax cut vote

TALLAHASSEE — After Gov. Rick Scott's highly prioritized manufacturing tax cut passed the Florida Legislature without receiving a two-thirds majority of votes, legislative staff analysts have had a change of heart and now believe such a supermajority was not necessary.

Pinellas House members say they would pay more for health insurance

ST. PETERSBURG — Three Pinellas County legislators who voted against accepting federal Medicaid money defended their heavily subsidized state health plans Tuesday but said they were open to footing more of the bill.

Talk of budget turkeys ruffles some feathers

For the past three decades, Florida TaxWatch has been a self-appointed fiscal watchdog, blowing the whistle on what it considers wasteful pork-barrel spending by the Legislature.

Rick Scott declares victory on sales tax break for manufacturers

OLDSMAR — Gov. Rick Scott launched a two-day, campaign-style swing through the state Monday to celebrate the Legislature's decision to temporarily eliminate a sales tax on manufacturing equipment.

Pinellas House members say they would pay more for health insurance

ST. PETERSBURG — Three Pinellas County legislators who voted against accepting federal Medicaid money defended their heavily subsidized state health plans Tuesday but said they were open to footing more of the bill.

House members say yes to cheap health insurance — for themselves

TALLAHASSEE

Florida House Republicans last month loudly and proudly rejected billions of dollars in federal money that would have provided health insurance to 1 million poor Floridians.

Lawsuit accuses Senate President Don Gaetz's former company of Medicaid fraud

TALLAHASSEE — The U.S. Department of Justice has sued the hospice company founded by Florida Senate President Don Gaetz, accusing the company of engaging in Medicare fraud for more than 11 years, including during the time Gaetz was vice chairman.

Weatherford's veer to right confuses Democrats, but wins support from conservatives

TALLAHASSEE — Few Florida politicians were known for being more likable and reasonable than House Speaker Will Weatherford.

Democrats pressure Florida Gov. Rick Scott to call special session on Medicaid

TALLAHASSEE — Pressure is mounting on Florida Gov. Rick Scott to call a special session to end the Legislature's impasse on Medicaid expansion.

Talk of budget turkeys ruffles some feathers

For the past three decades, Florida TaxWatch has been a self-appointed fiscal watchdog, blowing the whistle on what it considers wasteful pork-barrel spending by the Legislature.

Gov. Rick Scott wants $1.2 billion more for schools, bonuses for state workers

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott will send the Legislature a $74 billion budget today that he says would boost spending in schools by $1.25 billion, but some of that money will never reach students.

Gun makers, violent film and video creators benefit from tax breaks in Florida

TALLAHASSEE — What do violent video games, gory movies and high-powered assault weapons have in common? They have all been blamed for tragic mass shootings, including last month's at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. — and are all subsidized by Florida taxpayers. With Florida's tax code more …

State wants bad $20M investment in movie company back

TALLAHASSEE — Call it another unfortunate plot twist in an already upsetting script.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott calls for more early voting days, sites

TALLAHASSEE — After months of defending the status quo, Florida Gov. Rick Scott drew praise and criticism Thursday as he endorsed early voting changes pushed by county election supervisors.

Interest groups, donors spent $306 million on state political campaigns in 2012

TALLAHASSEE — Florida's sputtering economy did not stop interest groups and donors from spending $306 million this election cycle on state political campaigns, according to final election year tallies released Friday.