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Many state lawmakers think the USF Polytechnic split is a done deal. Last week the Senate approved a bill to take Polytechnic away from USF Lakeland and make it the 12th state university. Now the House has to approve of the deal. Senate President Mike Haridopolos told reporters today, the people involved have come to terms with USF losing part of its campus and he thinks the House should follow their lead.

“It seems to me that the communities of central Florida and the west coast and Tampa have now accepted the deal. I would think it only natural the House would do the same,” said Haridopolos.

The House Speaker isn’t weighing in on the issue. The University System’s Board of Governors has already approved the split.

The funding fate of Florida’s 11 public universities now rests with budget writers in the House and Senate. Negotiations begin next week. There is a 260 million dollar difference in how the two chambers fund higher education. Until yesterday there was a huge disparity in funding for the University of South Florida, but Tampa Senator Jim Norman amended the budget to restore 40 million dollars to the school.

”That community embraced this university like I’ve never seen ever before how a university has actually lifted that whole community up,” said Norman.

As USF’s funding issue is being put to rest, efforts to split the campus are at center stage. As Whitney Ray tells us, the House Speaker won’t say if his chamber is willing to take Polytechnic away from USF and create the state’s 12th university.

A tough decision by state senators faced with a 2 billion dollar shortfall. They passed a budget Thursday with a 400 million dollar cut to higher education. To fill in the budget gap, senators want universities to dip into reserves, raise tuition three percent and reduce spending.

The House passed a much smaller cut, about 140 million dollars, but they want to raise tuition eight percent to help make up for the shortfall.

Budget chiefs for the two chambers will now go into conference to negotiate a compromise. At the heart of the horse trading is the University of South Florida and plans to make its Lakeland Polytechnic school its own university. House Speaker Dean Cannon won’t say if he supports creating a 12th state university.

“I don’t want any position I may or may not take on Polytechnic to distract from what we are focused on in the House,” said Cannon.

The legislative plan originated in the Senate, under the direction of JD Alexander. It quickly caught the ire of USF President Judy Genshaft. Even though Polytechnic’s split is a senate play, Tampa Bay area Representatives say they can see the house getting behind the deal, if not now, in the near future.

“It sounds as if Judy Genshaft and JD Alexander have come to some sort of an agreement so we’ll see if it spills over to the House now,” said Cruz.

“If we run out of time I would like to see us take this issue up next session,” said Temple Terrace Representative Shawn Harrison.

What happens with USF could have implications for other state colleges, because funding a 12th public university leaves fewer dollars for existing schools. Senators argue the higher education cuts are not really cuts because the schools have reserve funds for budget shortfalls. Universities say after five straight years of budget cuts, the reserves have already been allocated.

A hearing on the state pension lawsuit set for today was cancelled.  Monday makes four months since a judge heard a challenge to the state requirement that employees contribute three percent of their salaries to their pensions. After the requirement took effect in July, employees called it an illegal pay cut, and as Mike Vasilinda tells us, took the case to court.

From heavy equipment operators to teachers to firefighters, more than a half million public servants have paid more than 800 million dollars toward their pensions this year. The required three percent levy began in July and has been in court ever since.

The sticking point is a 1974 law that says a fully paid pension is a contract. Back in October, employees argued the state could only change the contract for new employees

“We have a contract that the legislature made and the legislature now can’t simply get out of,” Ron Meyer, attorney for the Florida Education Association, said.

A private law firm hired by the state has been paid almost a half million dollars so far to handle the case. They told a skeptical judge the state could make any change, anytime it wanted.

“The legislature does not have to go back to the bargaining table when it is deciding funding issues,” attorney for the state Doug Hinson said.

After paying the three percent for almost a year, disgruntled employees came to the Capitol this past week. Heavy equipment operator Keith Dibell says the three percent contribution is another word for a pay cut.

“If I was making 6 digits, I suppose it wouldn’t be so bad. But I’m not,” Dibell said.

Reporter: How much are you making?

“Do you really want to know? 27,000 a year,” he replied.

State lawmakers and the Governor originally sought to take five percent from employees, but they compromised after an outcry.

If the new pension contribution law is found to be unconstitutional, the state would have to pay back all the money it has collected from state workers.  Today the House Speaker said he doesn’t expect the state to lose the case, but if it does, the money refund money would be available.

One week after her husband was killed while investigating a meth lab, Jennifer White was on the floor of the state senate to honor him.

Clay County Deputy David White was killed in a shootout last week. Today the Florida Senate passed a resolution honoring his sacrifice and showing sympathy for his family. State Senator Stephen Wise called Jennifer brave.

“I can’t believe she is here. What a strong woman. She told me she lost her best friend last week and is honored to receive this senate resolution,” said Wise.

The resolution passed with unanimous support. White was laid to rest earlier this week. Governor Rick Scott attended his funeral.

Pro-life and pro-choice advocates collided twice in Tallahassee today. Gruesome pictures of fetuses on display at FSU outraged students. At the state capitol Democrats and Republicans clashed over anti-abortion legislation. As Whitney Ray tells us, a battle is brewing late in session over women’s reproductive rights.

Giant pictures too gruesome to show on TV were on display Thursday at Florida State University. The pictures show aborted fetus next to blacks and Jews tortured and hanged by racists. The message is pro-life.

“They were deemed to be nonhuman, subhuman and we are arguing that that is the same thing that is happening today with abortion,” said Stephanie Gray with Genocide Awareness Project.

Pro-choice students rallied around the display. Handing out condoms and debating abortion. And while students collided with pro-life advocates on FSU’s campus, Democrats and Republicans clashed over the issue here at the state capitol.

A bill to keep Planned Parenthood from opening new clinics, require a 24-hour waiting period before all abortions and mandate ethics education for doctors raised temperatures in a House committee.

“It’s setting up barriers to prevent a women from receiving health care,” said Democratic House member Mark Pafford.

“I think when you make a choice to unilaterally end somebody else’s life by force, we generally call that murder,” said Republican Representative Jason Brodeur.

The bill passed on a party line vote. FSU Student Haley Gentile attended the committee and the pro-choice rally.

“I think this very clearly embodies the idea that there is a cultural war at hand,” said Gentile.

As the debate rages on, time is running out for Republican lawmakers who want to take on the hot social topic while the focus remains on Florida’s budget deficit. The anti-abortion bill passed its first full House committee today. Its senate companion passed its first committee yesterday. With just over two weeks left in session it will take some political maneuvering to get the issue to the House and Senate floors.

“Drive Sober or Don’t Drive at all” is the message state lawmakers may soon send to those caught drinking and driving. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, legislation receiving bi-partisan support would require future DUI offenders to prove they are sober before being allowed to drive again.

More than 62 thousand people are arrested each year in Florida for drunk driving. One in five of those arrests is a repeat offender.

Now state lawmakers want to give judges the option of ordering a breathalyzer-type device, called an interlock, on offenders cars. The driver would have to blow into the interlock to prove they are sober before the car would start.

“The idea is to put this person back to work, that they can get back to work,” Rep Dennis Baxley (R-Ocala) said.

Matthew Beard would have turned 26 last month. He was killed in 2006 by a drunk driver.

“Matthew didn’t have to die,” Matthew Beard’s mother, Connie Russell, told the committee.

Mathews’s mother has been working the hallways of the Capitol to change the law so judges have more authority to order interlock devices.

“In the blink of an eye, I was never called mom again,” Russell said. “He was my only son, and I wear this that says “Matt’s Mom.” I’ll never have grandchildren.”

Offenders would have to pay just under a hundred dollars a month to have  the devices installed. Then they’d have to pay just about 60 dollars a month for monitoring.

The sponsor says the legislation will give people the option of doing the right thing.

“They cannot mobilize the vehicle if they are drinking, which will change the direction of things,” Rep. Baxley said. “Whereas if they’ve just been suspended or fined, they still may be driving drunk.”

On Wednesday, a house committee named the legislation for Matthew Beard and another DUI victim, Grace Redgate.

The interlock measure has cleared three House committees, but has yet to be heard in the Senate.

Charter school administrators are asking lawmakers from more money. Unlike traditional public schools, charter schools don’t receive taxpayer funds to build new buildings and repair old ones. As Whitney Ray tells us, 500 charter school students, parents and teachers were in Tallahassee today trying to find the cash to keep the movement growing.

Armed with signs and yellow shirts, hundreds of charter school students, parents, and teachers swarmed the state capital Wednesday.

The first charter schools in Florida opened in 1996. Today there are more than 500 hundred, educating 180-thousand students. School administrators say a lack of funding is threatening their ability to growth.

“Children who are in charter schools receive on average 30 to 40 percent less funding than children in traditional schools,” said Cheri Shannon, CEO of Florida Charter School Alliance.

That’s about 2-thousand fewer dollars per student. Charter schools are supporting legislation to eliminate the funding gap.

The plan would take billions of dollars from traditional public schools that use the money to build new facilities and fix old ones. We asked Governor Rick Scott if the schools deserve to be funded at the same level.

“They are government funded schools. They are no different that traditional public schools in that matter. We’ve got to make sure they are properly funded,” said Scott.

House Democrat Evan Jenne supports charter schools, but says they need their own funding source because traditional public schools can’t afford to lose any more money.

“We need to find a way to fund charter schools on their own so we don’t have this constant fight over funding,” said Jenne.

Legislation to allow equal funding may not pass this session, because of its overall impact of the state’s education budget. Increases to the school voucher program and legislation to allow more charter schools to open over the past few years has allowed the school option movement to take off. Florida has added 140 new charter schools since 2009.

Sex abuse victim and child advocate Lauren Book finished her 15-hundred mile walk at the State capitol today. This is the third year she’s walked the state. Book walks to raise awareness for sexual abuse and to encourage young victims to report the crime. Book helped create a program to teach Florida kindergarteners how to safely report their abusers.

“95 percent of sexual abuse is preventable with education and awareness. This is how we do it. It starts in kindergarten,” said Lauren.

Lauren’s walk began 39 days ago. She’s already preparing for next year.

Hundreds of unionized state employees from across Florida converged on the state Capitol today protesting what they call attacks on the middle class. State employees got their last raise in September 2006. Their buying power has declined 11 percent since then.

Unionized employees converged on the Capitol to ask for fairness.
Nationally, states average 217 employees per ten thousand citizens. Florida has 116.
The average cost per citizen for a state worker nationally is 75 dollars. InFlorida, it is 49 percent cheaper. ($38) Richard Flan is a biologist for Fish and Wildlife in St. Pete.

“Compensation for a state employee costs a citizen thirty eight dollars a year, which is the lowest compensation rate in the county” says Flan

Sally Barnes came from Jacksonville. “Six years, we have not had a raise. In two years the private sector would have gone out and found another job. they wouldn’t stay here and fight like we are” says Barnes.

Hector Ramos took out his disappointment with one lawmakers vote last year to require employees to pay three percent of their salary toward their pension. Ramos says his union doesn’t care which party a legislator belongs to. “His record…right now his record is not there. If his record gets there, we’d love to work with him toward his reelection” is what Ramos said to an aide for State Representative John Grant.

The pension contribution is being challenged in court. After months of waiting, these employees will find out on Friday if the state can legally pay three percent into their pension fund.

And no matter what the judge decides, the decision is certain to be appealed.

This year, state lawmakers are looking at raising the cost of state employee health insurance and forcing all new state hires into a 401k instead of a state defined benefit pension plan.

Two Florida universities could soon have the authority to raise tuition as much as they want. A bill removing the tuition rate cap for schools that meet certain criteria passed the House Education Committee today. So far only FSU and UF qualify. As Whitney Ray tells us, if the bill passes incoming freshman at UF and FSU may pay as much as 30 percent more.

These two FSU seniors are paying much higher tuition than they bargained for when they enrolled.

“My freshman year three credit hours was 385 dollars. Now it’s $435.35,” said FSU Senior Danielle Baker.

“Tuition keeps going up and they cut the scholarships that I would have gotten and I was supposed to get,” said Senior Erin Welch.

Each year of their college careers, tuition has increased 15 percent, the max allowed by the state. Both students work two jobs to make ends meet.

“I work about 30 hours a week in addition to all my classes,” said Welch.

“When students are working two and three jobs it does cut back on participation,” said Baker.

Despite the increases, tuition in Florida is among the lowest in the country. That could soon changes. FSU and UF are asking lawmakers to remove the 15 percent cap on how much they can raise tuition annually.

“Even a small difference in tuition can help you have a lot more faculty,” said FSU President Eric Barron.

Tuesday the House Education Committee gave the schools the go ahead.

Neither school will say how much incoming freshman will pay if the bill becomes law, but the committee chairman estimates 20 to 30 percent more.

“They would have to have Board of Governors’ approval,” said Rep. Bill Proctor.

The bill lays out 14 criteria for charging market value. Schools must achieve at least 11. The criteria include a high GPA for freshman classes, spending 200 million dollars on research and ranking in national surveys. UF meets all 14. FSU meets 11.

By increasing tuition UF and FSU say they can attract the best researchers and professors to Florida and become two of the top schools in the county. The tuition hike would also offset deep state budget cuts. FSU alone has lost more than 100 million dollars in state funding since 2007. Another 400 million dollar budget cut is being proposed for all state universities this legislative session.

Tuition at State Universities 2011-2012
FSU: $5,825
USF $5,805
FIU $5,675
UF $5,655
UNF $5,625
UCF $5,585
FAU $5,485
UWF $5,425
FAMU $5,175
NCF $5,050

Affect on Florida Prepaid Plans

The news is bad for parents looking to buy Florida Prepaid College Plans. If the legislature gives UF and FSU the authority to raise tuition as much as they like, an extra plan may be needed to cover all the costs. Incoming freshman would be protected, but parents with younger children may be asked to pay hundreds of dollars more each month. Representative Marty Kiar, who serves on the House Education Committee, asked to amend the bill to keep the cost of plans rom going up.

“This bill will make the prepaid program so unaffordable for folks that it will unfortunately probably deter a lot of people and a lot of kids from getting a higher education,” said Kiar.

The plans would still save families money, but paying up front may get harder.

In an effort to fund state parks, seven Florida trails may soon be open to advertisers. A bill to allow companies to buy ad space at trail access points is almost ready for debate in the Florida Senate. As Whitney Ray tells us, nature enthusiasts aren’t very enthused about the plan.

Mae Cleveland is training for the Boston Marathon.

“I’m going to try to qualify for Boston, so give it one last shot,” said Mae.

She’s runs 10 miles a day three times a week. The St. Marks Trial in Tallahassee is her favorite place to train.

“They do a really good job keeping it up,” said Mae.

Funding for state parks and trails is dwindling. Donations help, but more may be needed to keep the area clean and safe. State Senator Stephen Wise is moving a bill to allow companies to sponsor the St. Marks Trail and six others.

“They pave it, they keep it up, they cut the grass and do those kinds of things and make it nice. If you don’t have money to do that, what does it turn in to,” asked Wise.

In parking lots companies could post large signs, 16 square feet. They could also put them at the head of the trail. Smaller signs, no larger than 4 square feet could be displayed at other public entrances.

Who can advertise and what the signs look like would be left up to the Florida Office of Greenways and Trails. Mae’s not a huge fan of her favorite trail having a corporate sponsor.

“Personal preference, I just like the natural aspect of it,” asked Mae.

But if the choice is between opening the trail to ads or shutting them down, Mae and many other nature enthusiasts choose ads. Eighty-five percent of the money generated from the sponsors would be put into a trust fund set up to maintain the trails. 15 percent of the money would be used to promote traffic and bike safety.

The Seven Trails
Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail
Blackwater Heritage Trail,
St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail
Nature Coast State Trail
Withlacoochee State Trail
General James A. Van Fleet State Trail
Palatka-Lake Butler State Trail

USF President Judy Genshaft was in Tallahassee today pleading her case that the University of South Florida not be penalized in budget cuts this year. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, both Genshaft and State Senator J.D. Alexander say their meeting was fruitful.

USF President Judy Genshaft and Senate Appropriations Chairman J.D. Alexander met for an hour behind this closed door. The meeting was originally billed as a public meeting, then closed.

“There was supposed to be a public meeting here in this room, in the Senate Office Building.”

It was moved three times to avoid reporters.

Shortly after three, Alexander and Genshaft emerged. Both acknowledged more work was needed, but both said progress was being made.

“I think we understand some of the issues affecting USF and I think perhaps we weren’t as clear about what we were trying to do,” Alexander said. “We’ve been able to get some clarity.”

“The Senators have heard what we view as fairness, and we looked at some different numbers,” Genshaft said.

A week ago, Alexander had nothing nice to say about Genshaft. But after the meeting, he was more positive.

“Sometimes I get proven wrong and I think it was a good start to a good discussion,” Alexander said. “We’ve got a bit more work to do.”

Alexander had also accused Genshaft of blocking an independent PolyTech campus in Lakeland. Genshaft says it was discussed.

“I’m not blocking anything,” she said.

USF must now bring new numbers back to the Capitol on what the true costs of an independent Lakeland campus will mean to the school’s budget and to the students who were promised a degree program at the branch that may no longer be available.

In 2010, Florida voters approved a constitutional amendments requiring state lawmakers to fairly draw new legislative districts, but todayThe Florida Democratic Party filed suit, saying GOP drawn maps are anything but fair. And as Mike Vasilinda tells us, lawmakers are now trying to block the court from asking them what they did and why.

Florida Supreme Court Justices can approve the maps or send them back to lawmakers with guidelines for changes.

62 of every 100 voters in the 2010 GOP landslide told state lawmakers to be fair when drawing legislative maps.

But discovering what lawmakers intended may soon be more difficult.

Sparks flew at a legislative committee where GOP lawmakers approved legislation attempting to block the courts from asking lawmakers, or their staff members, why maps were drawn a particular way.

�The people who had direct input in drawing those maps, what was their intent when they drew the maps the way they drew them,� Rep. Richard Steinberg (D-Miami) said. �The voters have told us that�s relevant.�

Sponsor Larry Metz says there is plenty of public testimony about the maps.

�You�re not going to be able to use the power of another coequal branch of government, in this case the judiciary, to compel a member to answer such questions,� Rep. Larry Metz (R-Lake County).

Florida Democrats have filed suit, challenging the maps. They say the immunity legislation is just more proof the maps were drawn to favor Republicans.

�It�s frankly the most brazen grab for legislative power that we�ve seen in years,� Florida Democratic Party Executive Director Scott Arceneaux said.

Even if the immunity bill becomes law, there�s no guarantee the court won�t say the constitution gives them a right to look at legislative intent.

The Florida Supreme Court will hear the case February 29th. Whether they can ask lawmakers why something was or wasn�t done, may still be up in the air.

Florida Supreme Court Justices can approve the maps or send them back to lawmakers with guidelines for changes.

Former Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning announced today he�ll run for superintendent of Pasco County Schools. Yesterday was Browning�s last day as head of Florida�s elections. He served nearly six years, through two governors overseeing several primaries and the 2008 presidential election. Capitol Correspondent Whitney Ray sat down with Browning on his last day in office, and brings us this exclusive report from Tallahassee.

Secretary of State Kurt Browning certified his last election Tuesday. Browning�s leaving office to be closer to his family and run for Superintendent of Pasco County Schools. He was appointed to Secretary of State in 2006, by Governor Charlie Crist, he resigned in 2010, and came back last year at the request of Governor Rick Scott.

�The first question he asked me, was after the niceties was, can you fix Palm Beach County,� said Browning.

Palm Beach County and its hanging chads were partially to blame for the 2000 election debacle. Then in 2006, new touch screens failed to record 18-thousand votes. Slow returns and voter machine malfunctions occasionally haunt the county.

�I looked at him and said yes sir I can,� said Browning.

On Election Day 2008, the 2000 election was still a hot topic, and the country was watching Florida. The results came down with few problems.

Browning declared 2008 the new benchmark, and vowed to leave 2000 in the past.

�Florida�s been the leader in election reform and our elections, I think, are so much further along than most, if not all states in the nation,� said Browning.

Browning leaves as the 500th anniversary of the European discovery of Florida approaches. His duties included overseeing historical resources. Browning hopes Florida�s election problems are history and the state is better off for his time here.

Browning�s replacement took his post today. Ken Detzner served as secretary briefly under Governor Jeb Bush, and now becomes the focus of the voter lawsuits.

About 40 students from FAMU and FSU marched to the state capitol today to end, what they call, racist undertones in some political campaigns. The students called out GOP candidates for president that called Barack Obama the food stamp president. They also are taking issue with something Governor Rick Scott told FAMU students last year. Ciara Taylor says Scott tried to connect with black students by telling them he grew up in public housing.

�It is not acceptable, you do not talk about someone based on race, or religion, or age, or sexual orientation.� said Ciara.

Ciara was escorted out of a black history event by FAMU police earlier today, after speaking out at an event with Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll.