Today (Tuesday), Republican Senator Mike Fasano of New Port Richey was removed of his chairmanship on the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Committee by Senate President Mike Haridpolos. Political insiders agree it was all because Fasano was against efforts to privatize Florida’s prison system, a priority of Legislative leadership. I decided to give Fasano a call to find out what really happened…
A Federal appeals court Tuesday rejected a challenge to Florida’s Amendment 6. It’s one of the Fair Districts Amendments added to the constitution by voters to curb gerrymandering. A three-judge panel rebuffed efforts by U.S. Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart and Corrine Brown to throw out the guidelines for drawing legislative and congressional districts. James Call reports the ruling was handed down two days before the Florida House is scheduled to debate new political maps for the fall election.
Florida lawmakers are considering a bill aimed at local governments that have been declared to be in a state of financial emergency. The bill would let the governor boot local government leaders who fail to fix the situation. The measure passed the Senate, but Regan McCarthy reports its moving difficulty through the House.
A proposal limiting when, for what and where the state’s food and cash assistance benefits, also known as welfare, can be used, has passed a House committee. Lynn Hatter reports the move comes after a report on the misuse of the electronic benefits card, or EBT.
A bill aiming to crackdown on child pornographers is now heading to the House floor. But, as Sascha Cordner reports, there was much debate at its last committee stop that even surprised the bill’s sponsor.