A Leon County Circuit judge has ruled the state’s mandatory pension contribution is unconstitutional. Lynn Hatter reports state leaders and interest groups are pushing back by denouncing Jackie Fulford as an “activist judge” and saying they will appeal the ruling.
The stage is set for an on-time adjournment of the 2012 Florida Legislative session. Lawmakers are in a 72-hour cooling off period before they can vote on a proposed state budget. The vote can take place Friday. James Call reports House and Senate leaders have agreed to a $70 billion budget that cuts nearly $400 million from health care programs and another $300 million from the state university system.
With the end of the regular legislative session in sight, the Florida Senate was in high gear today (Tuesday). Tom Flanigan reports the chamber dealt with a total of sixty bills in the morning session alone….
The Florida House has passed a measure that does away with permanent alimony in divorce cases. Regan McCarthy reports supporters say it’s a move to make those judgments more equitable, but some lawmakers say it could do the opposite.
A recent procedural move by the Senate has both sides of an anti-abortion bill wondering if the debate on the issue is truly over. As Sascha Cordner reports, while some say the bill is dead, others say it’s not over until the last day of session.