The relationship between traditional public schools and their charter counterparts has long been fraught with tension. That relationship may get even worse, despite claims by Florida lawmakers. Lynn Hatter reports school districts are fighting a proposal to standardize charter school contracts that opponents say strips critical decision making from locally-elected school officials.
For the past few years, the Florida Legislature has put a heavy emphasis on the importance of teaching Science, Engineering, Technology and Math, or STEM courses. But Regan McCarthy reports this year lawmakers are considering a bill to ensure the arts aren’t left behind.
What began as a move to do away all together with red light cameras in Florida has morphed into more regulations for how the cameras are used and how the fines they generate are spent. Sascha Cordner reports that still has fans of the cameras upset.
A Florida lawmaker has again put a bill in the hopper that he says will protect the state’s courts from contamination by foreign systems of justice and “Un-American” practices. But, as Ryan Benk reports, one religious community is calling the bill thinly-disguised discrimination.
Getting more Floridians tested for H-I-V is the aim of a bill that passed its first committee today [on Monday]. As Jessica Palombo reports, the measure would let doctors offer the test without the paperwork currently required.
Although it likely won’t become law this session, lawmakers are considering a proposal which would change the way prosecutors decide whether to charge kids as adults. As Stan Jastrzebski reports, its supporters say the state needs more rules to protect juveniles. But detractors say prosecutors need leeway to do their jobs and may be doing it better year after year without the need for legislation.