Is $150M enough to catapult UF into the top 10?

In convincing Bernie Machen to remain president at the University of Florida, Gov. Rick Scott agreed to give the school an extra $15 million each year through 2017 to help it break into the top 10 public universities.

Not only has the Legislature agreed to give UF that $75 million, but Machen pledged to match that amount through private fundraiser. That would provide UF $150 million over five years as it attempts to join the ranks of schools like the University of Virginia and the University of California, which has five campuses in the top 10 according to U.S. News and World Report....

One month after session, still little hope of Medicaid deal

A news report about a Tiger Bay meeting attended by two House Republicans seemed to leave the door open to a potential Medicaid expansion compromise. But the reality is lawmakers are no closer to a deal than when session ended last month.

Here is more from a story in Saturday's paper:

Two House Republicans unwittingly revived hopes this month that lawmakers could compromise on a proposal to expand Medicaid....

One month later, Florida lawmakers no closer to Medicaid deal

TALLAHASSEE — Two House Republicans unwittingly revived hopes this month that lawmakers could compromise on a proposal to expand Medicaid.

"Lawmakers say Medicaid expansion not dead" read the headline in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, highlighting comments from Manatee County Reps. Greg Steube and Jim Boyd.

But the reality is no different today than it was when the legislative session ended last month:...

Florida receives final permission to privatize Medicaid

It's just a formality since the deal was announced months ago, but today Florida officially received the waiver it needs to privatize Medicaid. Gov. Rick Scott first announced in February that the state had received conditional approval from the federal government to allow private companies to administer the Medicaid program for roughly 3 million participants.

That was the same day Scott said he would support Medicaid expansion, his decision based in part on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' conditional agreement on granting the managed care waiver. The governor and the Senate agreed on an expansion alternative that would have qualified for $51 billion, but House Republicans blocked the deal....

Release of prescription drug database records raises privacy concerns

Criticism is mounting over Florida's fledgling prescription drug database since the medication history for 3,300 people was released as part of a prescription fraud investigation in Volusia County.

The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported this month that the records were given to federal and state agencies as part of this investigation, and eventually fell in the hands of five defense attorneys connected to the case. One man whose records were among those released has filed suit and is trying to keep the 3,300 records private....

In 'Ochocinco' courtroom spat, AG Pam Bondi sides with ex-NFL receiver

Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson made national headlines this week when his courtroom antics resulted in a surprise 30-day jail sentence. Americans seemed to split into two camps: Those who agreed Johnson deserved jail time for disrespecting the court, and those who believed it was overkill by Broward County Judge Kathleen McHugh.

Count Attorney General Pam Bondi among McHugh's critics, according to celebrity gossip website TMZ....

Bondi criticizes judge who sentenced 'Ochocinco' to jail

Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson made national headlines this week when his courtroom antic resulted in a surprise 30-day jail sentence. Americans seemed to split into two camps: those who agreed Johnson deserved jail time for disrespecting the court and those who believed it was overkill by Broward County Judge Kathleen McHugh.

Count Attorney General Pam Bondi among McHugh's critics, according to celebrity gossip website TMZ....

House District 2 special election ballots stolen

A special election is currently underway in House District 2 and Republican candidate Mike Hill of Pensacola is expected to coast into office. But now there is a fresh mystery to add a bit of intrigue to the race.

Two safes containing early-voting and absentee ballots are missing, the Pensacola News-Journal reported today. Santa Rosa County officials say the safes containing 35 ballots were stolen....

Gov. Rick Scott wants universities to reject tuition increase; so far no takers

Gov. Rick Scott wants universities to reject an automatic 1.7 percent tuition increase. The request puts schools in an awkward position, since the Legislature has supported them this year in obtaining additional funding to help fill the gaps created by the economic downturn and cuts in state funding. Scott is making the pitch to schools, but so far it's not working. Here is an excerpt from the story in Tuesday's paper:...

Scott's campaign against university tuition increase crosses line, some say

Gov. Rick Scott is meeting with universities one by one, asking leaders to reject an automatic 1.7 percent tuition increase. Not only are schools declining his request, but some higher education observers are once again accusing Scott of crossing the line. Here is an excerpt from the story in Tuesday's paper:

Seeking to offset an automatic 1.7 percent tuition increase, Gov. Rick Scott is meeting with university leaders one by one and lobbying them to cut tuition rates by an equal amount next year....

UF, FSU approve 1.7 percent tuition hike over Rick Scott's objection

The University of Florida and Florida State University boards voted today to accept a 1.7 percent tuition increase tied to inflation, worth $1.4 million and $1.3 million respectively.

That puts them at odds with Gov. Rick Scott, who has pressured university presidents and trustees to reject the tuition increase....

FSU, UF vote to increase tuition over Scott's objection

With Gov. Rick Scott giving university leaders the full-court press on tuition, each school's board of trustees has some decisions to make. They can side with Scott and reject the 1.7 percent tuition hike tied to inflation. But many are worried they could alienate the Legislature and turn down much-needed funding in the process....

35 attorneys general back immigration reform, but not Pam Bondi

A coalition of attorneys general from 35 U.S. states and territories have banded together to support comprehensive immigration reform. Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is not among them, saying she has not decided whether she supports an overhaul of federal immigration policy such as the one backed by  U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio.

"I haven't even weighed in on it yet. We've been so busy working on these (other) issues," Bondi said today after appearing with Gov. Rick Scott, who signed a bill allocating mortgage settlement dollars....