Sen. Tom Lee

A proposal to expand the duties of Florida’s Lieutenant Governor will not be on the November ballot.

A bill that expands direct primary care services is on its way to the Governor’s desk for final approval. Supporters of the measure believe that in the end, separating primary care doctors from insurance standards will ultimately trickle down benefits to the healthcare industry.

A proposal changing the eligibility requirements for becoming a judge in a state or county court is starting to move in a committee of the Constitution Revision Commission. That’s the panel that meets every 20 years to revise the state constitution and put the matter before voters.

A proposal to give Florida’s Chief Financial Officer more duties failed to pass a subpanel of the state’s Constitution Revision Commission, but it may still be alive.

The Constitution Revision Commission came under fire Wednesday as a working group met in Tampa to hammer out rules and procedures for the coming year.

Legislation changing local control of Community Redevelopment Agencies is heading to the Florida Senate from the House. But it’s unlikely the Senate will take up the House bill. A similar bill in the Senate died in committee.

The House and Senate gave tentative approval Thursday to competing spending plans that hover around $80 billion. Republicans touted tax cuts while Democrats railed against budget cuts.

A bill seeking a three percent pay raise for state employees unanimously passed its first Senate panel Monday. And, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are mulling over the issue as well.

Florida House and Senate leaders are bragging about a $635 million surplus in the coming year.  The outlook might not be quite as rosy as it looks.