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The state has access to your baby’s DNA. Since 2005, The Florida Department of Health has been storing blood samples from newborns. As Whitney Ray tells us, there’s no timetable for how long the sample will be stored.

Almost every parent agrees to genetic testing for their newborn. Some of those test results are kept by the state Department of Health. The DNA of babies with some genetic disorders are also kept on file, often without the parents knowledge.

Right now the DNA and blood samples are meant to be kept indefinitely. Dr. Joseph Chiaro says the Department of Health is rethinking the timetable.

“We’re currently looking gat the question of how long we should keep these specimens and we will probably decide that 5,6,7 years is plenty adequate,” said Chiaro.

The samples are identified by bar codes with the indentifying information stored separately.

Storing the information is raising concerns about privacy, because other states with similar databases have reportedly shared information with researchers. Chiaro says Florida isn’t one of them.

“We have a policy that we don’t share or sell any information like that. We’ve never shared it with any insurance company. The only one that the info is shared with is the physician who is listed as the baby’s doctors,” said Chiaro.

The Department Health says keeping the information allows doctors to know what diseases to test kids for as they get older. It also allows the state to see if their methods of testing are improving.

We spoke with parents this afternoon who were shocked their child’s blood samples, and in some cases DNA was being stored by the state. They asked not to be identified in our story, but said they were upset the state was storing the information without their knowledge.

Climatologist Eric Barron took over the helm of Florida State University today, becoming the schools 14th President. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, he arrives at a time of major challenges.
Eric Barron arrived for his first day at the FSU Tallahassee Campus after driving 33 hours. He came from his home in Boulder, Colorado, where he ran the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

Students and staff who met with the new president are encouraged with the new focus on his background of research and students.

“He wants to make this more of a community, a student community,” student Ricky Bailey said. “Even though we are a large university he wants to make it feel more like home.”

“I’m just very excited that we have a new president and are starting a new era for Florida State,” student Allison Kibbey said.

The new president comes at a time when the challenges have never been greater. More than 80 million dollars have been cut from the school’s budget over the last three years. Tenured professors have been fired and more cuts are likely on the way.

Tuition will almost certainly go up again as lawmakers face a deficit of 3 billion dollars. Despite the challenges, the new president is optimistic.

“I think that it’s extremely important for people to hear, from the top of the university, to hear what the facts are,” Barron said. “Here’s the box we’re in, and here’s where we have room to push out of the box and where we don’t.”

One of the biggest challenges facing FSU was handled in the waning hours by the last president. That’s the ousting of legendary coach Bobby Bowden. That gives Barron a fresh start with alumni to make or break his tenure at the school.

Barron is a 1973 graduate of FSU who is still articulating his vision for the University.

We’re just five weeks into 2010 and already state employees have already been caught stealing, abusing travel privileges, and embezzling taxpayer money. The abuses have been uncovered by journalisms and inspectors general. While reporters are getting praised for their investigations, Whitney ray tells us the inspectors, who work for the state, sometimes get fired.

The Department of Transportation, the Department of Corrections, and Florida A&M University all forced out their top watchdogs after they uncovered corruption.

Each state agency has an inspector general who keeps watch over the office, but if they’re too good at their job they risk getting fired. Since 2003, four state inspectors have been forced to quit after uncovering corruption.

State Senator Dave Aronberg is sponsoring legislation that would take away an agency heads power to fire an inspector general and give the authority to the governor and state cabinet.

“I’m trying to give an added level of independence to the inspector general, to say the agency head can’t fire the inspector general, it’s up to the Governor and the Cabinet and there has to be good cause,” said Aronberg.

The legislation would also lengthen the window of time an inspector’s employment status hangs in the balance.

“It also creates 14 days for the Governor and the Cabinet to make a decision, so it creates the potential for a more deliberate process,” said Brad Ashwell with Florida PIRG.

The bill would also provide funding protection for inspectors so agency heads can’t cut their budgets to stop investigations.

The inspectors general legislation could have political implications. The bill’s sponsor is a Democrat running for Attorney General. One Republican candidate for the position is a former agency head who asked her inspector to step down after the watchdog critiqued a pilot program she supported.

State environmental officials are backing down on an outright ban of
plastic bags at the supermarket and other stores. Mike Vasilinda first
reported on the ban this past October, but now he tells us the state
will likely rely on voluntary efforts to keep the plastic out of landfills.

Gladys Cherry admits she sometimes forgets the canvas bags in her car
when shopping. She’s been using the canvas bags for at least five years,

“I don’t have to use plastic bags and I’m trying to be environmentally correct,” Cherry said.

Dog owners and others gave the state an earful after a proposed ban with
a tax on plastic bags was suggested in a draft report last October.

The final report, just out, makes no conclusion.

This environmental protection report lists 12 options to discourage the use of plastic bags, everything from taxing them to banning them or encouraging the use of recyclables like this.

Stores big and small are offering canvas alternatives. This Tallahassee specialty market gets five bucks for a sack with it’s logo.

“They love to have your logo on there, especially a small place like this,” Tomato Land’s Linda Reagan said.

And the nation’s big retailers are taking notice.

“Target recently began offering a five cent rebate to customers when they bring in their reusable bag,” Samantha Padgett with the Florida Retail Federation said. “CVS has employed an option where you buy their little tag and you attach it to the reusable bag and every four times you use it, they’ll give you a one dollar CVS extra care buck.”

Other states and countries that have opted for taxes on plastic bags
have used the money for environmental programs, but while money is tight here
in Florida, there may be no stomach for a tax on something just about
everyone uses.

Florida’s voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program is becoming a victim of its own success. Enrollment has soared, but state funding isn’t keeping up with the growing demand. As Whitney Ray tells us, the program is already eight million dollars short this year and additional budget cuts could set it back even more.

These kids are getting a jump start on their education. Nat (01:08:32) Developing skills they’ll use the rest of their lives.

140 thousand Florida students are enrolled in the state’s voluntary pre-kindergarten program, and the number is growing.

“This is where we go ahead and start getting the foundation laid for positive learning habits so they are ready for the Florida elementary system,” said Jennifer Kiester, co-owner of Scottsdale Academy in Tallahassee.

There are nearly 6,000 schools offering voluntary pre-k services in Florida. The classes are free for four year olds, but not to the state which is struggling to find funds.

The program’s already barrowing eight million dollar from next years budget, which will making finding the cash all the more difficult. Lawmakers may cut per student funding to help fill a three billion dollar budget gap.

“Funding per child is going to go down because it’s free and they are just figuring it out and they are starting to come out of the bushes and out of the hinterland,” said State Senator Stephen Wise.

The Early Learning Coalition says if funding is cut some providers may decide to stop administering the program.

“We are asking providers to do the same amount of work and meet the same standards all of those things for less money. I think that is going to be challenging,” said Chris Duggan, the CEO of the Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend.

90 percent of a child’s brain develops before they reach five, which means a burden on the Pre-K program could result in a less productive workforce down the line.

Kids wouldn’t be the only casualty of a budget shortfall, Pre-K providers may be forced to layoff teachers to make ends meet if the funding is cut, which could force hundreds more onto the unemployment rolls.

Florida may soon have a Haiti Czar to help the state handle the influx of Haitian-Americans fleeing the earthquake ravished island. State Representative Mack Bernard is calling on Governor Charlie Crist to create the position. Bernard is on of three Haitian state legislators who have banded together to form a Haiti taskforce. Bernard says appointing one person to coordinate federal, state, and county relief efforts would speed up the process.

“It’s very hard to get all of that communication to different people so we need one person who can be responsible for getting that information to everyone,” said Bernard.

Bernard says Florida’s role in the relief efforts will last years and organization will be key to securing federal funds to deal with an increased number of Haitian students and victims of the quake who seek medical help in Florida.

People who text while driving are 20 times more likely to wreck than those who don’t. Legislation to ban the practice in Florida has failed three years running, but as Whitney Ray tells us, bans in other states and pressure from the federal government could create a different outcome this year.

One year ago Jamie Lowstetter was crossing the street near her high school.

“A girl was pulling out of the parking lot looking at her phone,” said Jamie.

A second later.

“She didn’t see me on the crosswalk and she hit me,” said Jamie.

Jamie’s head hit the hood of the car giving her a concussion.

The scenario plays out daily across the country, people sending text messages from behind the wheel and losing focus on the road.

Driver’s Ed teacher Riley Bell warns his students of the dangers.

“It comes down to being smart and making wise decision. I can only tell the kids so many times not to text and drive, not to drink and drive, but it comes down to them telling themselves,” said Bell.

It’s still legal for most drivers to text on Florida roadways, although federal rules outlaw the practice for people carrying heavy loads. Last week the federal government passed a ban on texting while driving for bus drivers and other commercial drivers.

Legislation banning texting while driving has failed three years in a row in Tallahassee, but the recent federal ban as well as bans in 21 other states are provoking lawmakers to act.

“This year we really need to take a strong stand to stop texting,” said State Senator Thad Altman.

Which could get more eyes off tiny screens and back on the road where they belong. People who are in the act of texting while driving look at the road on only two out of every ten seconds on average, according to recent studies.

Lawmakers are calling on Governor Charlie Crist to trash his current budget proposal and start from scratch.

Crist’s spending plan increases state spending and relies heavily on dubious revenues. The plan would boost funding for education and give two billion dollars to community colleges, at a time when lawmakers are preparing to make cuts. Despite heavy criticism of his plan Crist says he believes his budget is workable.

“I think we have an optimistic view of things but I’ve had very good conversations with the members of the House and the Senate and I respect their ability and their constitutional duty to appropriate and to go through this process. We’re a team around here. You know, just because we present a budget doesn’t mean that they have to accept it. I think it’s a good ebb and a flow and I look forward to the process as we go forward,” said Crist.

Some legislators claim Crist created an overly optimistic budget to help him in his U.S. Senate campaign. They say he’s trying to prove that Florida is coming out of the recession while he is governor. Lawmakers will likely turn their up their noses at his spending plan and start their own budget from scratch.

The question over who to count in the US census is getting political. Former House Speaker Marco Rubio says illegal immigrants should not be included in Florida’s official population count. Rubio’s US Senate rival Governor Charlie Crist says everyone should be counted.

“Florida deserves to have her fair share and I think making sure we count every single Floridian is vitally important. That’s why I went to the school yesterday in North Miami. It’s important to our state. It’s important to our people and the notion that you wouldn’t want to accept funding to make a political statement is absurd,” said Crist.

States with the highest populations receive the most federal funding. Legal status of the people counted doesn’t deter federal dollars from flowing in.

Car booster seats may become mandatory for kids as old as seven years old under legislation being filed in Tallahassee. Right now the cut off age is three. Kids older than three still have to be strapped in, but Senator Thad Altman who is sponsoring the legislation to mandate booster seats says the belt can cause problems.

“If they are four or five years old they are required to wear an adult seatbelt, that adult seatbelt wraps around their neck. If you are driving 45, 55, 65 and you get in an accident, that child’s clothesline, severe neck injuries, severe abdominal injuries,” said Altman.

Florida is one of only three states without a booster seat law for kids ages 4 to 7. If the legislation passes drivers who don’t have their kids buckled in properly could be forced to pay a 60 dollar fine.