Adams, a freshman from Oviedo, says Mica raised less than 1 percent of his campaign cash from residents of his district.

Mica, a 10-term veteran and chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, counters that Adams relied heavily on out-of-district contributions during her campaigns for the Florida House.

A Mica spokesman said that of "more than 10,000 individual contributors throughout his career, 6,500 are from Central Florida."

As for Adams' assertion that she pulled in more money than the congressman in the past year, spokesman Alan Byrd said Mica "has intentionally not approached people in the district about fundraising in non-election years."

In a race that is drawing national attention for pitting two incumbent Republicans against each other, the Mica-Adams match-up presents an intriguing contrast of insider versus outsider.

Adams, who rode a wave of tea party fervor to oust Democratic Rep. Suzanne Kosmas in 2010, is a darling of the GOP conservative base. And Adams touts her homegrown financial support, noting that Florida residents contributed $203,374 -- more than one-third of her $596,345 total -- in the last campaign cycle.

Affordable Care Act challenged for partisan reasons

The Tampa Bay Times editors: "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is the most significant expansion of America's safety net since Medicare was created in 1965. While the landmark law won't take full effect until 2014, parts of it already provide Americans with better health care security and peace of mind. These accomplishments won't be reflected in the legal arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court this week in the challenge launched by Florida and 25 other states."

Beyond the Affordable Care Act's future positive impact, the law is improving access to health care right now. If the law is overturned, parents would lose the right to keep their adult children on their policy until the child turns 26 years old, a change that has led to more than 157,000 young adults gaining coverage in Florida and 2.5 million nationally. Health insurers would again be allowed to engage in "rescission," or the cancellation of an individual policy after the insured gets sick. They could charge consumers for preventive care, deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions, and reimpose lifetime maximums so that people with chronic conditions, such as cancer, risk crushing medical bills even with insurance.

No longer would insurers have to provide consumers with good value by spending at least 80 percent of premium dollars on health care rather than overhead and executive salaries. Gov. Rick Scott tried to get Florida a waiver from this rule, but the Obama administration wisely rejected the request. Seniors would lose the law's relief from the prescription drug doughnut hole, which currently provides a 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs and will close the doughnut hole entirely by 2020.

Florida and 25 other states with Republican attorneys general claim that the law's requirements that individuals buy health insurance and states expand Medicaid are unconstitutional. ...

A bipartisan Congress could have amended the law to address its weaknesses, since many key elements once had bipartisan support. Instead, we have had myths. Example: The cost-cutting Independent Payment Advisory Board is a "death panel." As a result, most Americans dislike the law overall but very much like key parts of it.

If the Supreme Court overturns the law, there is no fallback plan on which both parties agree. It could be another generation before meaningful reform. That's the danger of putting partisanship before policy.

"'Stand your ground' law is a menace"

The Tampa Bay Times editorial board takes on "the indefensible 'stand your ground' law. Florida lawmakers passed this first-of-its-kind law in 2005 at the behest of the National Rifle Association and over the objections of law enforcement."

A review of the use of the law by Tampa Bay Times staff writers Ben Montgomery and Connie Humburg found that it has excused mayhem and has been inconsistently applied. Since the law was created, there have been 130 "stand your ground" cases, with the use of the defense accelerating in the last year and a half. Seventy percent of these incidents resulted in someone's death, and in a majority of cases the person who raised the defense did not stand trial. The Times survey found "stand your ground" defenses used in gang shootings, bar fights and road rage incidents.

Instead it allows people to employ lethal force when they reasonably feel their life is at risk. It gives a "get out of jail free" card to people quick to feel threatened and who have a lethal weapon at their disposal.

Zimmerman, who was carrying a gun, pursued Trayvon because he was suspicious of a black youth in a hoodie walking in his gated community. But this aggressive act is not contemplated by the law. Because Zimmerman allegedly had a legal right to be where he was standing and he claimed that he was attacked — without Trayvon alive to dispute the account — he has not been charged with a crime. ...

The "stand your ground" law is a menace. It protects hotheads and those prone to violence, and should be repealed.

"Another costly courtroom and cultural clash"

"Scott signed legislation Friday likely to stir another costly courtroom and cultural clash in Florida over school prayer." "Gov. Scott signs school 'inspirational message' law; opponents promise constitutional challenge".

All Aboard Florida

"After years of trying to persuade Florida East Coast Corridor owners to return passenger service to those strategically located tracks, area leaders were pleased Friday with a privately funded plan to offer express rail service along the corridor. All Aboard Florida - a project of Florida East Coast Industries, which is an affiliate of track owner Florida East Coast Railway - announced Thursday it plans to start limited­-service passenger routes between Miami and Orlando - and one of four stops would be in West Palm Beach." "New passenger train between Miami and Orlando would include a West Palm Beach stop".

Gravy train

"A new study by a Washington watchdog group describes how some members of the U.S. House of Representatives — including 18 from Florida — may have used their positions to financially benefit themselves and family members. The South Florida standouts in the 347-page report by the nonpartisan Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) are Alcee Hastings of Miramar and Ted Deutch of Boca Raton, both Democrats." "Report: South Florida lawmakers used jobs to benefit family, themselves".

Legislature seized by fit of March Madness

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "The Legislature must have been seized by a fit of March Madness this month when it gutted safeguards against improper recruiting of Florida's high school athletes."

If Gov. Scott signs the bill, students who transfer for any reason - including to or from a private school or charter school - can play unless somebody complains and proves that the student improperly was recruited.

Not a single member of the Florida High School Athletic Association asked for the change. As in too many cases, legislators did it to "solve" a problem that doesn't exist. And as in too many other cases involving schools, they made the change because the existing rules supposedly hinder school "choice."

Chamber says "Jump!"

Fla-Baggers ask "how high?"

All but one of Florida’s Republican senators got a passing grade, with two earning perfect scores -- Garrett Richter, R-Naples, and Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando -- and 13 others picking up “A's” for their votes in the regular session from the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber on Friday released its annual post-session report card on how legislators vote Chamber issues during the 60-day session, ranging from support of personal injury protection insurance reform and numeric nutrient criteria for state waters to opposition to the expansion of casinos.

Lining up for new Senate districts

"Hopefuls have already started to line up for the new Senate districts, eying vacant and redrawn seats that will force incumbents to learn new constituents in the upper chamber, though the boundaries have yet to be formally approved." "Senate Races Take Shape as New Districts Head to Court".

"Detrimental to public health"

"The Florida Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), along with Florida’s public health associations and a coalition of distinguished public health leaders, have sent a letter to Gov. Rick Scott asking him to oppose legislation that seeks to reorganize the state’s Department of Health (DOH), warning that it would be 'very detrimental to public health.'" "Public health experts warn Scott against signing health department reorganization".

Week in Review

"The Week in Review for March 19 to March 23".

"Biden Slaps GOP"

"Vice President Joe Biden, Barack Obama's envoy to the white working class, revved up a crowd of South Florida retirees Friday." "Joe Biden Slaps GOP at South Florida Retirement Community". See also "Biden woos South Florida seniors with new attack on Republicans".

Florida's estimates of health care reform costs are "hyper-inflated"

The Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy: "The State of Florida's estimates of its costs resulting from the ACA are hyper-inflated, and they appear to have been specifically crafted to support a political position rather than provide a backdrop for planning purposes."

In fact, the federal government will pay 100 percent of the costs of Medicaid expansion for three years and 90 percent or more every year of the first 10 years of the act. Meanwhile, about 1 million Floridians previously without health insurance or saddled with inexpensive or inadequate insurance will be covered. And by 2022-2023, Florida will have received an estimated $20.3 billion in additional federal Medicaid funding from the federal government. Each dollar of Medicaid expansion-related state spending over the 10-year period will leverage an additional $9.51 in federal funding, directly stimulating the economy and increasing jobs.

that one of Florida’s biggest complaints against the health care reform law– the supposed devastating cost of expanding Medicaid to more people in the state– is “vastly inflated [and] lacking in merit.”

For months now, Florida officials, including Gov. Rick Scott, have publicly slammed the state’s Medicaid program and the costs it incurs.

During a press conference in December, where he announced his budget recommendations, Scott said that if the state did not adjust Medicaid spending, “it will bankrupt the state.”

“No state program has this much growth and costs this much,” he said. “This is absolutely not sustainable.”

For years, Medicaid’s costs to the state had been impugned by mostly-Republican lawmakers and was the impetus to begin the unpopular privatization of the program.

According to the report, the state’s Medicaid enrollment will increase by about one-third, or 1.02 million, during the first decade of the expansion mandate. While that is a large increase, many of those enrollees will be younger people and people without children, which are significantly less costly than most current enrollees.

Furthermore, the group explains that the state has overestimated its share of paying for that expansion.

"$125 million in 'special interest tax breaks'"

"Report: Florida legislature passed $125 million in ‘special interest tax breaks’".

Jeb Bush calling for judicial activism

Although the lawyer for George Zimmerman "said he and Zimmerman had not discussed what happened the night [Trayvon] Martin was shot", he nevertheless

said Florida's "stand your ground" law doesn't apply to the shooting that killed the unarmed teen.

a Miami-Dade judge on Wednesday [March 21, 2012] cited the law in tossing out the case of a man who chased down a suspected burglar and stabbed him to death.

Greyston Garcia was charged with second-degree murder in the slaying of Pedro Roteta, 26, whom he chased for more than a block before stabbing the man.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush says the "Stand Your Ground" law he signed shouldn’t protect a neighborhood watch captain who hasn’t been arrested in the shooting death of an unarmed teenager.

Bush spoke Friday at the University of Texas at Arlington, just outside Dallas. He told reporters afterward that the Florida law doesn’t apply in the incident that left 17-year-old Trayvon Martin dead.

He said, "Stand your ground means stand your ground. It doesn’t mean chase after somebody who’s turned their back."

A person [1] who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and [2] who is attacked [3] in any other place where he or she has a right to be [4] has no duty to retreat and [5] has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force [6] if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony

A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked in any other place where he or she has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony. However, a person may not stand his or her ground, even if he or she is in a place he or she has a right to be, if he or she precipitated the event which leads to the reasonable belief that he or she will suffer great bodily harm.

It is now up to the Florida House, which will meet for three days next week, to sign off on the plan. If this second attempt fails to follow the state’s new anti-gerrymandering standards, the Florida Supreme Court will step in to draw the lines that will determine the Senate boundaries for the next decade. ...

Democrats warned that despite three grueling days of debate this week, the map designed by Gaetz continues to violate the new constitutional requirements. They predict the courts will reject the proposal again. ...

A Herald/Times analysis of the new plan shows Republicans would retain a majority in the Senate, though it would give Democrats one more seat than their original plan.

Republicans argue that the map not only abides by the court directives, it exceeds them. The original numbering system, for example, was rejected by the court because it was unfairly biased in favor of incumbents but senators attempted to avoid that this time by choosing new district numbers through a lottery.

Sink "sharp and passionate" at Tiger Bay Club

"Not being a candidate apparently agrees with Alex Sink. Florida's former chief financial officer came before the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club on Thursday sounding sharper and more passionate than she ever did running for governor two years ago."

Known for caution and always measuring her words on the campaign trail, Sink instead blasted the Legislature for slashing $300 million from the higher education system while creating "an incredibly expensive and duplicative" 12th university. She called for far more focus on promoting existing Florida businesses than recruiting companies from out of state. She nearly choked up when talking about the killing of unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford. ...

Many Democrats expect Sink to take on Scott again in 2014, having lost by just 1 percentage point two years ago, but she said she won't make any decision for at least a year. Asked what she'd learned from the loss, Sink said she faced a Republican "tsunami," was outspent at least 2-to-1, and ultimately fell 61,000 votes short.

"I am so sorry," she said apologetically.

The Democrats have plenty of up-and-coming leaders who could be future gubernatorial candidates, she said, specifically naming Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler.

Her focus now is her nonprofit charitable think tank, Florida Next, which aims to promote entrepreneurship and small businesses.

The best they could do?

"One of the county's top Republican Party leaders has a new regular gig: weekly political contributor for Fox News. At noon every Tuesday, Blaise Ingoglia will be paired up with a Democrat and debate national issues of the day." "Hernando Republican Party leader lands Fox News gig".

"The conundrum for Scott"

The Tampa Bay Times editorial board: "Scott needs to reject the Legislature's unfair scheme to withhold counties' share of state revenue if they don't blindly pay disputed Medicaid bills. The governor should veto HB 5301 and tell lawmakers to try again."

The conundrum for Scott, of course, is that this bill contains more than one policy change. The legislation has a potpourri of health care issues tied to next year's state budget. (The budget, a separate bill, has not yet made it to the governor's desk.) ...

But the most egregious scheme in the bill would undercut counties' ability to challenge whether they owe the state money for a specific Medicaid patient's bill. Under state law, counties are required to chip in when one of their residents who qualifies for Medicaid stays more than 10 days in a hospital or moves into a nursing home.

"Stand your Ground" bill signed into law by Jeb Bush

FlaDems (many of whom voted for the bill) point out that the "Stand your Ground" bill "was signed into law by Gov. Jeb Bush."

"For a House that talks about the culture of life, it's ironic that we would be devaluing life in this bill, which is exactly what we're doing," said Rep. Dan Gelber, a former federal prosecutor from Miami Beach who later was elected to the Senate.

Gelber said Floridians already had the right to defend themselves in their homes and offered an amendment that would restore a person's duty to retreat from a confrontation in public places. Rep. Eleanor Sobel, a South Florida Democrat who now serves in the Senate, said Gelber's amendment would reduce "chaos on the street."

Republicans defeated Gelber's amendment on a voice vote. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, called an obligation to retreat "a good way to get shot in the back."

Members debated another unsuccessful amendment from Rep. Jack Seiler, a Democrat who is now mayor of Fort Lauderdale. Seiler's proposal would have allowed for rebuttal to a person's claim of self-defense.

"We are going to give blanket immunity to criminals when they commit crime," Seiler said.

Other voices from the hour-long debate:

• "What would happen if I presumed that there was a threat when actually there was not a threat? I would hate to think that I would react and take someone's life, or do bodily harm to someone, who actually only looked a little different than I looked," said Rep. Priscilla Taylor, D-West Palm Beach.

• "When you give a person the right to use deadly force anywhere they're lawfully supposed to be, then we open Pandora's Box, and inside the box will be death for some persons," Joyner said.

• "In a few years, you will be back trying to fix this bill," said Rep. Ken Gottlieb, D-Hollywood.

The House debate stands in contrast to the Senate.

Sen. Steve Geller, D-Hallandale Beach, tried changing the bill before the vote so that it would not apply to public places. The Senate voted down his amendment in minutes. The vote to pass the bill was then unanimous, with Democrats, including Sen. Rod Smith, currently chair of the Florida Democratic Party, voting yes.

"Florida Muslims could be pivotal in 2012"

"Muslims have the potential to play a pivotal role in the 2012 election as Islamophobia and immigration issues galvanize the minority group into a voting bloc, according to a forum Sunday at the University of Central Florida. Florida has an estimated 124,000 registered Muslim voters, and Orange and Osceola counties rank high in registered Muslim voters, said Daniel Hummel, a research associate with the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, based in Washington, D.C. In the swing state of Florida, Muslims helped elect George Bush in 2000 and Barack Obama in 2008." "Florida Muslims could be pivotal in 2012 election". Related: "Muslim activists say Democratic party is taking their vote for granted".

"Snuffed out like a switchman's lantern"

Nancy Smith says "Nobody kept Alan Hays from voting for the "parent trigger" bill except Alan Hays. Pay no attention to the excuses."

The bill designed to empower parents to take action on failing schools didn't fail because of Senate President Mike Haridopolos. It didn't fail because of workers' comp legislation. And it didn't fail because of some philosophical change of heart somewhere down the line. It failed because a co-sponsor of the "parent trigger" bill -- Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla -- didn't vote for it.

It's that simple.

The senator who signed on to co-sponsor one of his party's highest priorities in the end snuffed it out like a switchman's lantern.

"Rep. John Mica, R-Micas to the Right, Micas to the Left"

Daniel Ruth: "In all, some 82 members of the House on both sides of the aisle have paid family members through their congressional office, campaigns or political action committees. And 44 members have a family member who is either a lobbyist or works in government affairs, most notably Florida's Rep. John Mica, R-Micas to the Right, Micas to the Left."

His son, two brothers, a nephew and a daughter all make their living in the schmoozing trade. ...

[Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington] also takes note of the gene pool clout of Indian Shores Republican Rep. C.W. Bill Young. He directed nearly $45 million to local defense contractor Science Applications International Corp., which by amazing coincidence also hired his son Patrick, who at the time had barely stopped teething.

The powerful congressman also directed $28.6 million in federal money to Forensic Science Technology Center in Largo, which by an equally amazing coincidence employed another son, Billy.

"It's really old news, is my first reaction," Young said Thursday. And he's right, since much of the CREW chapter on his generosity was first reported by the Times in 2008. Old? Maybe to the Tampa Bay area, but not necessarily to the rest of the country.

Young insisted he had absolutely nothing to do with the hiring of his sons. But he didn't have to. Does anyone doubt that the executives of these companies certainly had to know that hiring the sons of one of Washington's most clout-squared politicians, who has been in Congress so long he served with John Quincy Adams, would be a savvy move?

Really now, if you were the president of Amalgamated Gizmos in Cincinnati and you had a chance to hire even a slack-jawed relative of House Speaker John Boehner, wouldn't you be thinking about creating a corner office for your new deputy assistant vice president for coffeemaking?

Being singled out by the CREW report as part of the congressional nepotism caucus didn't seem particularly bothersome for Young. "I've been in this business most of my life," he said. "I'm used to it."

And maybe in the end, that's sort of the issue.

New rules

"State Considering New Rules on 'Public' Adjusters".

The bill was passed by the House 92-20 a few weeks later, then signed by then-Gov. Jeb Bush in late April 2005. On Oct. 1, 2005, it became law.

And now that law is at the heart of a national debate, and international outrage, after the shooting death of Miami teen Trayvon Martin by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in Sanford last month.

The law dramatically expanded self-defense and lethal force boundaries in Florida, stipulating that citizens had "no duty to retreat" and could meet "force with force" if they got into confrontations in places they were legally entitled to be. If someone "reasonably believed" they were in "imminent danger" of death or serious injury, they could use deadly force and be immune from criminal prosecution or civil liability.

Before Stand Your Ground, citizens had to try to avoid using deadly force unless they were in their homes.

"Senate anoints Scott as the High Regent Plenipotentiary"

Daniel Ruth: "A few days ago members of the Florida House gaveled themselves into session, spent 11 minutes gazing at their collective navel, slapped each other's backs while spinning around in their leather chairs and then promptly adjourned."

Some good-government nitpickers regarded this exercise as an absurdly ridiculous waste of time and money, which it most certainly was. But historians might well regard those glorious 11 minutes of public service as the high water mark of the Legislature.

If anything, the House proved that it is quite capable of actually being efficiently unproductive for 15 minutes vs. the majority of its annual 60 day session.

Why waste time with antiquated concepts like a legislature, since the House and Senate agreed to anoint Gov. Rick Scott as the High Regent Plenipotentiary and All-Around Big Shot of Florida?

Who is really running the state since the Legislature opted to turn itself into the equivalent of a middle school student council?

Aside from the Mikado of South Monroe Street, you have Tallahassee's lobbyist corps, which a recent State Integrity Investigation report concluded is about as transparent in its activities as the Skull and Bones society.

Florida received an overall grade of "C-" for openness, dragged down in part because of lax laws allowing those trying to sway legislation to make unlimited contributions to political parties. If this were regarded the same way Tallahassee penalizes schools for lousy FCAT scores, you would have to shut down state government for its incompetence.

There are about 2,000 registered influence peddlers in Tallahassee's $127 million lobbying industry, writing and promoting legislation. There are 120 House members and 40 Senate members, part-timers and term-limited, most of whom aspire someday to become a lobbyist. Well, we all have to have our dreams.

So who do you think has the most clout, Caesar Scott and 2,000 checkbooks? Or 160 lambs willingly slouching to the slaughter?

"Southerland could face stiffer headwinds this year"

"U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, a funeral home director by trade, buried one blue dog Democrat in 2010. Depending on who emerges from a four-way Democratic primary, he aims to take down another this fall."

The freshman congressman ousted longtime Democratic Rep. Alan Boyd in the North Florida district as Republicans swept House seats across the country in the midterm election.

Southerland could face somewhat stiffer headwinds this year, as his 2nd Congressional District has been redrawn to include all of Tallahassee, and therefore more Democratic voters.

Four Democrats are in the race with hopes of knocking out Southerland, a tea party favorite. Their task may have gotten easier with the withdrawal of independent Nancy Argenziano on Wednesday.

Former state Sen. Al Lawson, who fought the blue dog Boyd for the Democratic nomination in 2010, is back this year.

"Farcical scene does not bode"

The Tampa Bay Times editorial board: "Struggling for a legal method to number new districts, a Senate committee on Wednesday used two sets of lottery balls. The farcical scene does not bode well for today’s second attempt by the full Senate to approve districts that will meet new constitutional standards. " "In numbering districts, silliness all over the map".

See also "Senate gambles with lottery-style drawing to settle map disputes", "Political redistricting isn't a crapshoot, but in Tallahassee, it's a bingo game" and "Political redistricting isn't a crapshoot, but in Tallahassee, it's a bingo game".

Rivera "see NOTHING! Know NOTHING!"

"During a recent interview on Univision’s Al Punto, Florida Congressman David Rivera, R-Miami, denies having any knowledge of the state or federal investigations focused on his personal and campaign finances. In the interview, Rivera says he '[doesn't] know anything about' an investigation, which he calls 'propaganda from the Democrat party.'" "VIDEO: Rivera denies knowledge of investigation into his finances".

Doomed duo of Romney-Rubio

Bushco apparently wants to keep a path clear for Jebbie a run in 2016. What better way to do it than supporting the obviously doomed duo of Romney-Rubio in 2012. Jebbie "Bush, 59, the son of a president and brother of another, pushed aside any interest in running with Romney. But he has strong feelings on whom he wants Romney to pick as a running mate. 'Marco Rubio,' he said of the freshman Florida GOP senator, who served as a volunteer on Bush's governor's campaign." "Jeb Bush: It's time to support Romney".

Meanwhile, "Progressives launch anti-Marco Rubio website".

Argenziano back to Tally?

"Argenziano drops bid for Congress, plans to run for House seat".

Another restoration project veto?

"The Legislature's 2012-13 state budget includes $5.6 million for St. Johns River restoration projects and $4.8 million for restoration at Lake Apopka north of Orlando. Last year, Scott vetoed $10 million for St. Johns River restoration projects. Senate supporters are hoping for a better outcome this year." "Scott again faces decision on vetoing environmental restoration projects".

Another voting restriction challenged

"A change-of-address provision in the state's new election law is discriminatory, the federal government contends. It also opposes a reduction in the number of early voting days and new restrictions on voter registration drives." "Justice Department opposes another Florida voting provision".

Scott bragging about new 7-Eleven stores

"The governor attended announcement ceremonies in Melbournes and Jacksonville on Wednesday. The Melbourne event heralded the opening of an engineering center by Brazilian jet-builder Embraer S.A., and in Jacksonville he helped break ground for a new push of 7-Eleven stores into the area." "Scott touts job creation at two east coast events".

"Jeb!" overshadowed by Etch-A-Sketch gaffe

"For Mitt Romney, Etch-A-Sketch gaffe competes with Jeb Bush endorsement".

It took a lawyer?

"Miami-Dade should not enforce a new state law that prohibits the hiring of companies with business ties to Cuba because it conflicts with federal law, according to an opinion issued Wednesday by the county’s chief attorney." "Miami-Dade advised not to follow new Fla. law restricting hiring of businesses linked to Cuba".

The Senate Reapportionment Committee is expected to vote Wednesday on a proposed map, positioning it for a full Senate vote, possibly as early as Thursday.

But Tuesday's hearing also exposed bitter rivalries between senators, whose political futures will be shaped by how the final lines fall.

But along with putting Sachs and Bogdanoff together, the rewrite pairs Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, and Sen. David Simmons, R-Maitland, a shift fueling lingering Senate rivalries.

Gardiner is in line to become Senate president in 2014, and Simmons is a key ally. But Gaetz is viewed as having backed Sens. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, and Joe Negron, R-Stuart, in their unsuccessful bid to oust Gardiner from his leadership spot a few weeks ago.

Fallout from the attempted coup seemed to shade some of Tuesday's exchanges. Another Gardiner supporter, Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, teamed with Simmons to advance an alternate map that would have helped Gardiner preserve more of his current district.

Arguing against that plan were Thrasher and Negron. Gaetz, though, downplayed the allegiances as being link to the failed Senate coup.

"I don't know of any rivalries over future leadership," Gaetz said.

Must be the unions' fault

"Almost 2 ½ years after opening an investigation into $250 million in bonds issued by Miami, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission could soon file civil charges against the city." "Feds consider securities charges against city of Miami after lengthy investigation".

"Computer software glitch for the tabulating"

"In Palm Beach County’s latest voting embarrassment, Wellington decided Tuesday to toss out its tainted March 13 election results while Secretary of State Ken Detzner pledged to find answers and County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher continued to blame a computer software glitch for the tabulating turmoil." "Wellington election debacle has state and county officials and software experts hunting for answers". The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "The burden is on Bucher".

One man's "Inspiration"

"Religious leaders sent a letter to Gov. Rick Scott today, urging him to veto a bill that would allow school boards to adopt policies allowing 'inspirational messages,' including prayers, to be given during any school event. The bill is currently awaiting Scott’s signature." "Religious leaders urge Scott to veto school prayer bill".

A rush on Rubio's retroactive self-edit

"Sen. Marco Rubio's book is coming out earlier than previously expected."

The jacket begins: "Few politicians have risen to national prominence as quickly as Marco Rubio. At age forty-one he's the subject of widespread interest and speculation. But he has never before told the full story of his unlikely journey, with all the twists and turns that made him an American son." It clarifies one aspect of his story, saying his parents first left Cuba in 1956, before Fidel Castro came to power.

Pass the pen

The Miami Herald editorial board: "Many of these bills are local pork-barrel projects that Gov. Scott may be inclined to veto anyway, but another category includes bills that set the wrong priorities and policies for Florida."

• Exhibit A is the bill establishing a new state university, Florida Polytechnic.

• Random drug-testing of state employees is nothing more than an insult to workers who have gone years without a pay raise because of the Legislature’s miscast budget priorities. Mr. Scott quietly approved this one late Monday.  What a waste. It’s already headed for a costly court battle and is manifestly unfair. Mr. Scott should have sent it back to legislators and declared that only after they include themselves in the drug-testing scheme would he approve.

• The “pink poodle” bill is a real dog, allowing the artificial coloring of animals as if they were Easter eggs. Some might consider it just one of those harmless pranks lawmakers are prone to engage in to relieve the stress, but it’s actually a form of animal abuse.

• HB 5301 is a more complicated, but equally wrong, bill involving a Medicaid cost-shift to the state’s 67 counties. It puts taxpayers in each county on the hook for what the Florida Association of Counties call the mistakes created when the state implemented a new electronic billing system in 2008. Of course, the biggest amount will fall on South Florida, especially Miami-Dade County. Instead of signing this bill, Gov. Scott should veto it and insist on fixing the flawed state system rather than passing the buck to the counties.

Unfortunately, there’s not enough room to go into the details of all the bad bills,

Scott flops on drug testing

Rick Scott has apparently exhausted his supply of out-of-state law firms to defend unconstitutional legislation: "Anticipating a legal challenge to the new law requiring random drug testing of state employees -- and with a lawsuit against an executive order on the same topic still pending -- Gov. Rick Scott issued a memo to state employees late Tuesday putting off testing until last year's lawsuit is resolved." "Rick Scott Delays Drug Testing Workers until 2011 Case Is Resolved". See also "Gov. Scott tells agencies to hold off on drug tests until lawsuit ruling".

Sorry, Rick

"Sebelius: Florida will have health insurance exchanges".

Enuf already

"Spurred by comments from Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam, the Florida Cabinet agreed Tuesday to look at developing a method for tying the salaries of the executive directors and secretaries of state agencies to the size of their departments." "Cabinet to look into salaries of agency heads".

No Stone

"Veteran GOP operative Roger Stone, the impeccably dressed, Miami-based bad boy of GOP politics lately hanging with the Libertarian party, had been looking at running until a circuit court ruling on the timing of party switches to run for office (a.k.a. the Charlie Crist law). Stone now says he won't run for the Bill Nelson seat, being challenged by Republicans George LeMieux, Connie Mack IV and Mike McCalister." "Stone won't run for Senate".

"An 'epidemic' in Florida"

"The IRS and federal investigators say they've redoubled their efforts to combat tax fraud from identity theft, a crime they call an 'epidemic' in Florida that's spreading nationwide." "Feds: Tax fraud an epidemic in Florida and spreading nationwide".

Obama fundraisers

"President Barack Obama will return to Florida on April 10 for a trio of fundraisers, including one at the Westin Diplomat in Hollywood where tickets will start at $250. He also has a $15,000 per person ($20k couple) dinner at the Golden Beach home of Jeremy Alters, and kicks the day off with a lunch ($20k per couple / $50k VIP reception) at the Palm Beach Gardens home of Paula and Hansel Tookes." "Obama to return to Florida".

"Stand your ground" law in cross hairs

"In a surprise meeting with black lawyers and civil activists Tuesday, Gov. Rick Scott said the shooting of an unarmed 17-year-old by a neighborhood watch volunteer raised concerns about the state's "stand your ground" law that critics say is letting some get away with murder." "'Stand your ground' self-defense gun law draws protests — and governor advises new look at it".

Loose coalition of parents' groups thwart Bushco scheme

The Tampa Bay Times editorial board writes that "it was a loose coalition of parents' groups statewide that managed to thwart, on a tie vote in the Florida Senate, the so-called parent trigger bill this month. Pushed by former Gov. Jeb Bush and a California group, the bill would have allowed a small cadre of parents to all but decide to turn over a low-performing public school to a for-profit charter school company, even though all taxpayers pay the bills." "Ordinary citizens fuel democracy".

It’s certainly unconscionable; probably illegal. Two lawsuits filed in federal court in Fort Lauderdale last week lay out a strong legal case that the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration has been flouting both the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and state law by warehousing disabled kids in old-folk nursing homes.

So why would the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration opt for a legally suspect, more costly mode of care? The reason’s crass, but most of you, accustomed to a regime bent on giving over education, health care, corrections, transportation and other state government responsibilities to special interests, won’t be shocked.

The best they could do?

"A revised redistricting plan for the Florida Senate tries to make repairs ordered by the state Supreme Court." "New Senate district map ticks off both parties".

"Not a lot of reasons to be secretive"

The Saraspta Herald-Tribune editorial board: "State law allows school boards to meet behind closed doors to discuss collective bargaining with employees. No official records of these meetings are made -- a shortcoming of Florida law that should be remedied."

Some strategizing in private might be warranted, but teacher pay and contracts still require public votes and, in Florida, school boards and their administrators have the upper hand in negotiations. For instance, the district can unilaterally declare an impasse and impose contracts. In short, there are not a lot of reasons to be secretive.

What's more, closed-door meetings provide board members with opportunities to say one thing in private and another in public.

Grayson haters get to work

The Grayson haters - and that includes the traditional media in its entirety - are already after Grayson: "Alan Grayson Left Trail of Traffic Tickets Before Lynx Bus Crash".

FRS case fast tracked

"The 1st District Court of Appeal found that the legal battle over mandatory pension contributions by public employees presents issues of great public importance that the high court should resolve as quickly as possible." "Public employee pension case headed to Supreme Court".

The legal eagles are running wild. Consider this sage analysis from Rick Scott, who is, after all, a lawyer: "Scott told reporters last week that Fulford's ruling 'doesn't make any sense' and said she had overstepped her bounds." "Judge Fulford's Pension Fund Ruling Headed to Florida Supreme Court".

"Florida's business lobby ... got plenty of presents"

"Following the election of a multimillionaire businessman as governor and stronger-than-ever Republican majorities in the Legislature, last year's law-making session was a bit like Christmas-come-early for Florida's business lobby. Businesses weren't quite as lucky during the 2012 session, which gaveled to a close at midnight on March 9. But they still got plenty of presents." "Business lobby won many battles during the 2012 session, but it lost a few, too".

"A bad mistake from last year"

The Palm Beach Post editors: "The Florida Legislature corrects mistakes about as often as Peyton Manning changes football teams. This year, though, the Legislature corrected much of a bad mistake from last year."

The 2011 mistake was a bill that capped how much tax revenue the state's five water management districts could raise and essentially put the Legislature in charge of the districts' budgets. For decades, governor-appointed boards had set tax and budget policy based on water supply, flood control and environmental needs in the five watersheds.

Florida gets "C-" on Integrity Index

"Florida’s Sunshine Law does not shine fully on the sometimes shadowy world of lobbying, a new report found." "When it comes to lobbying, Florida’s Sunshine law is dark". Related: "Integrity index gives Florida politics a C-".