It may be a new week, but it’s the same old issue at the state capitol. The Florida House is doubling down on its earlier decision not to accept any federal funding to extend health insurance coverage to people who would have otherwise qualified to it under the Affordable Care Act. Instead, the House is going with its own scaled back plan which received approval from the chamber’s health committee set up to examine the law. Lynn Hatter reports over the course of a four hour meeting, Republican members batted away several amendments aimed at trying to cover more people, provide better coverage and even try to overwrite the House plan with a Senate version supported by Democrats and the Governor.
What kind of testimony should judges allow juries to hear? And if police can pull you over for playing loud music, should they check a box on your ticket identifying your race? Jessica Palombo reports, these were among many questions up for consideration before the Senate Judiciary Committee today [on Monday.]
After a push from members of the House a bill to make changes to the state’s Baker Act rules got a hearing in its first Senate committee Monday, but Regan McCarthy reports the group of lawmakers also gave the measure quite a make-over.
The state of Florida hasn’t had a direct hit from a major storm for seven consecutive seasons. But, Ryan Benk reports, there is a storm brewing at the Capitol over the financial viability of the state’s largest property insurer.
A bill that would allow certain Florida nursing homes to bypass state rules to create new nursing home beds has cleared another committee. But, as Sascha Cordner reports, the Republican backed proposal that could create a special exception for one retirement community in particular is raising concerns among other Republicans and nursing home stakeholders.