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Tuesday morning Governor Rick Scott honored several Floridians during a cabinet meeting at the capitol building in Tallahassee.

The governor recognized people for the “Great Floridian” award, the Business Ambassador Award and Teachers of the Year award.

There were five districts across the state that had teachers winning the award. He said their commitment to education went above and beyond their line of duty.

“This is evidence that more of our students are receiving a quality education which provides more Florida families with the opportunity to pursue the American Dream,” said Governor Scott.

The next cabinet meeting is set for June 25.

Just days before the start of hurricane season, a deal made between Citizen’s Insurance and Heritage Insurance has sparked controversy among state leaders.

Through the deal, Citizens will pay newly-formed Heritage 52-million dollars to take over 60-thousand policies. Governor Scott says it’s a way to help make sure Citizen’s is a last resort insurer for Floridians. The payment citizens made to Heritage appears to be higher than it should be. Although the governor defends the deal.

“That board needs to make sure they do the right thing. They need to vet all these projects and do the right thing,” said Governor Scott.

The deal was made at the end of May.

More than 11-thousand petitions were pushed by mothers from across Florida urging the governor to veto a bill that would change sick-time laws across the state.

If Governor Scott signs Housebill 6-5-5 into law, it will remove any local government laws which require businesses to offer sick time benefits to employees. Those for the bill say it creates more jobs in the state and a more competitive environment. While opponents say the bill wrongfully discriminates against women and Florida’s poorest people. “A mother like me should not have to make a choice around whether or not to care for my children when they are sick…or losing a days pay of work,” said Orlando mother Denise Diaz.

The bill has yet to make it to the governor’s desk.

Across Florida, the cost of tuition will remain the same after the governor vetoed a bill that would have increased the cost of school.

The governor said his goal is to keep the cost of higher education as low as possible. Keeping the tuition low helps benefit families across the state. He says with an increase in tuition it makes it more difficult for Floridians to achieve the ‘American Dream’.

“Our universities have raised tuition fees 125-percent in the last ten years. It’s making it more difficult for our families to afford higher education,” said Governor Scott.

Tuition hikes have been sought by lawmakers in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Sick time; it’s something most employees need from time to time. But new legislation could change how local government requires businesses to provide sick time benefits.

David St Germain is like four of every ten workers. He works long hours with few benefits. ”I know a few people personally that live a little further away from work than they should,” he said. “Basically they have enough money to eat and get gas back and forth to work.”

Legislation heading to the Governor would keep workers like David from earning paid time off. The legislation prohibits local governments from requiring businesses to offer paid sick time. ”It doesn’t seem like the best thing for the people necessarily,” said St Germain.

Opponents of the bill say it wrongfully separates the poor and women from the rest of the workforce. ”Because they’re the ones most likely to be staying home with a sick child or home with a sick parent or grandparent,” said Spokesman for Florida Coalition of Local Control, Damien Filer.

The Legislation was a top priority of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. The business group says the law is a way to standardize benefit requirements from county to county. “What we need is consistency. What we’re trying to do is make Florida more competitive,” said the Florida Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, Mark Wilson. “We want jobs here in Florida and so we already have federal standards for this.”

A recent public poll shows 8 in 10 Floridians support a law making employers provide sick day benefits to employees. Tuesday, advocates will deliver more than 11,000 petitions seeking a veto to the governor’s office. “Mom’s are watching, families are watching to make sure the governor does the right thing by women and families in Florida,” said Filer.

Supporters say the bill would provide stronger workforces. Opponents say it will kill jobs in the state. If the bill is signed into law, it will get prohibit new sick time ordinances from being enacted and get rid of any current local sick time laws already on the books.