Welcome to

The Florida Senate came to a standstill this morning as the names of 11 dead soldiers…7 Marines and 4 National Guardsmen were read on the floor of the Senate. The troops were killed in a helicopter crash last week in a training mission during inclement weather and heavy fog. Senator Don Gaetz of Niceville lead the moment of silence.

“They have to train in inclement weather. They have to train in bad conditions, because you don’t get just good conditions  when you are out where the hot lead is flying, So we had a helicopter crash” said Gaetz.

Flags on government across Florida will remain at half staff through sunset Friday in honor of those who died.

A memorial to 181 firefighters who have died in the line of duty was unveiled this afternoon on the grounds of the state Capitol. Families of 35 of the fallen were on hand to remember the men and women being called heroes.

The men and women being honored date back to 1885. The monument is an effort of the firefighters association and championed by Fire Marshall and CFO Jeff Atwater.

“To the families of fallen firefighters. The rest of us are indebted to you for the loss of the love of your life and for the emptiness you continue to endure” said Atwater.

Mollie Gaylard, the mother of Joshua Burch, killed almost four years ago in a north florida wildfire, held the ceremonial ribbon cutting scissors, then watched as her grandson…etched his fathers name from the memorial. “He liked to hunt and fish. That’s what he does…did with his boys.  Um. He was always, he wanted to help somebody. He was, just, always there to help. HE loved his job.”

In all, 35 families came to pay tribute to their loved ones,  Charlie Johns, who came to honor Perry firefighter David Williams died in 1989. “It’s been 18 years since we lost him, so on one hand its nice to know he;s not forgotten. It also kinda stirs w=up all the emotions that we experienced years ago, so its bittersweet.”

The rate of firefighter deaths began declining in the 1970’2. That’s when increased training began.

Planners left plenty of space for more names to be added to the memorial….but it space they hope they never need.

Other families all said their loved ones had one thing in common…they loved their job.

Outcry from parents and teachers over standardized testing in the state has caused the Florida legislature to act. As Matt Galka tells us,  the Florida House has already made the move to change the tests.

Lawmakers say they’ve heard just about everything there is to hear about Florida standardized tests.

“Comments I’ve been hearing for the last couple of years has been on the testing, over testing, age appropriate testing,” said Rep. Keith Perry (R-Gainesville).

The Florida House took the first steps to scale the much maligned testing back on Wednesday.

The House unanimously passed a bill that would eliminate an 11^th grade test as well as ease other testing requirements.  Members on both sides of the aisle said it was a good first step

“It this a perfect bill? Absolutely not but if you have one that is, point it out to me. The purpose of this is to continue improvement,” said Rep. Marlene O’Toole, the Republican Chair of the House Education Committee.

Even the state’s biggest teacher’s union, the Florida Education Association, supported the bill.

“That doesn’t get to happen very often, the House seems to be a little more reasonable and wants to approach the subject, but it doesn’t go far enough,” said FEA President Andy Ford.

The sticking point: giving schools a one year buffer from school grades as they transition into the new testing format. Representative Mia Jones (D-Jacksonville) cited the testing roll out problems when she told her colleagues they should have included the reprieve in the bill.

“I ask you to recognize the fact that we had an opportunity to do more and we failed to do that,” she said.

The Senate’s version of the bill would include a one year suspension of school grades.

The House bill that passed also allows for schools to move up their start date to as early as August 10^th.

No state law specifically prohibits a person from using a bathroom intended for the opposite sex. But legislation to create such a law is creating a lot of angst in the State Capitol. Under a bill approved by a committee today, people would have to use the bathroom of the sex listed on their government ID.

They came one by one. Karen Michelle Schrader came from Brooksville. “What is going to happen to me when I walk into a male bathroom. The risk to me is enormous” said the former man.

A Sarasota man born a woman once named Wendy. “I’m 243 pounds. I present as male in society. If I walk into a female bathroom, I am required by law to do so.”

Others, like Grant Drain evoked images of Nazi Germany. “Being required to produce papers on the spot to prove your identity.”

At the center of it all is legislation requiring people to use the bathroom of the gender listed on their drivers license.”

The Christian Family Council Executive Director Anthony Verdugosays the legislation is needed to protect women.  “My wife does not want to be in a bathroom with a man, and that is her right.”

John Stemberger of Florida Family Council say it is needed to keep young men out of women’s locker rooms. “this bill will remedy a problem that is emerging. Because things that were unthinkable a generation ago are not only thinkable but are being afforded the protection of law.”

Several members of the committee called it a waste of time.

Rep. John Cortes (R-Kissimmee) called it a waste of time. “You got to go to the bathroom, I don’t care which bathroom it is. You gotta go, you gotta go.”

After losing on a seven-four vote, a handful of protestors marched out of the room chanting “Translives matter! Translives matter!”

The legislation passed picking up one Republican vote.  But comments suggest much more work is needed.

AfterwardsSponsor Frank Artiles said no one in transition will have to use a bathroom that conflicts with their values.

But that’s IF they can find a family friendly bathroom.

The legislation has one more committee in the House before being voted upon by the full House. It is yet to have a hearing in the State Senate.

Legislation to require juries in death cases to vote unanimously for death is moving in the State Capitol after years of delay. A case before the US Supreme Court could have a dramatic impact on Florida’s death cases if the bill doesn’t pass.

In May 1998, Cynthia Harrison was found bound, gagged, and stabbed to death in a Pensacola Popeyes restaurant.The safe empty. Another employee, Timothy Hurst, was convicted in the murder. The jury recommended 7-5 that Hurst be sentenced to death. Now that split vote threatens to undermine Florida’s death penalty. The U.S. Supreme court says it will hear Hurst’s case this term. Ingrid Delgado of the Florida Catholic Conference says it’s because Florida is an outlier.

“Well we are the only state that doesn’t require unanimity on each aggravating circumstance. And number 2, we’re one of very few states that don’t require unanimity in the recommendation to the judge” says Delgado.

Florida’s supreme court began asking lawmakers to require a unanimous jury as early as 2005.

After 23 years as a cop. State representative Ray Pilon is a co-sponsor of legislation requiring unanimous jury verdicts. “We still have the death penalty. And I think that it’s only fair that we have a unanimous jury that makes that decision.”

Opponents of the unanimous jury bill point to infamous murderer Ted Bundy. He went ot the electric chair on an 11 to 1 jury recommendation. Delgado says times were different.

“I don’t think the Ted Bundy case is comparable because the jury received a different series of instructions. They weren’t required to be unanimous.”

Florida’s death penalty is already on hold as the U.S. Supreme Court considers whether the drugs used in a lethal injection are considered cruel and unusual.

Lawmakers are looking to again pass alimony changes that would put an end to permanent payments. As Matt Galka tells us, opponents say it would seriously harm women.

When the honeymoon’s over, divorce is sometimes the next step for some Florida couples.  And while the state is currently married to the law that allows for permanent alimony, that relationship could be heading for a breakup soon.

Sponsor Rep. Colleen Burton (R-Lakeland) says the her bill is designed to reduce messy court fights.

“The overall of which is to reduce litigations that inflicts both economic and emotional toll on spouses and their families who are going through a divorce and seeking alimony

The bill would eliminate permanent alimony. Instead of lifelong payments, an ex spouse could be ordered to pay anywhere from 25 to 75 percent of the length of the marriage.

Florida Alimony Reform President Alan Frisher says payees are being extorted.

“The alimony payer often times is ordered to pay unaffordable amounts of alimony. It puts the alimony payer sometimes in bankruptcy, in contempt, and sometimes in jail. The alimony receiver on the other hand, the current law perpetuates an entitlement attitude,” said Frisher.

Women’s groups that were against the proposal said that if wedding bells turn into a divorce, what happens to the women who had to stay at home and not focus on their career?

“Their husbands wanted them to stay home, have children, raise the children while he’s out at work. He’s advancing in his career, she has no career,” said Barbara DeVane with the National Organization for Women.

The vote cleared the committee along party lines with Republicans supporting it.  The bill made it to the Governor’s desk in 2013 before he vetoed it.

The Governor said in 2013 that he vetoed the proposal because it would allow already settled divorces to retroactively eliminate permanent alimony. It was speculated that alimony reform didn’t do much in 2014 because it was an election year.

The launch of the state’s CONNECT unemployment website in October of 2013 could only be described as a famous flop.  As Matt Galka tells us, almost a year and a half later, lawmakers are digging into the results of an audit, and still have concerns.

Florida’s CONNECT unemployment website debut in 2013 was anything but smooth.  Numerous problems caused delays for thousands of Floridians depending on temporary unemployment benefits.

“The department has previously informed the legislature that the CONNECT implementation did not go as hoped for,” said Audit Supervisor Chris Gohlke before he presented the findings to a joint legislative committee.

A state audit of the system between February and June of 2014 was not kind.  Multiple findings included security lapses and performance issues that amounted to withholding some people’s benefits, and fraudulently paying others. The audit also questioned if the requirement of Social Security Numbers broke state law.

The Department of Economic Opportunity deflected the findings.

“Many of the audit findings are now stale. During and since the audit period, much work has successfully been done,” said Tom Clendenning with DEO.

The state began fining the system’s vendor Deloitte when the problems first occurred. That rang up a bill of 8 million bucks…the state still owes them $7 million for work that needed to be redone.

The audit caused some lawmakers to question whether or not the DEO rushed the system out too quickly.

“There is a good case for that, if you look at the dates upon completion, the rollout, and the subsequent findings of issues and problems. I think the key to this is having a timely audit,” said Rep. Dan Raulerson (R-Plant City).

Sen. Audrey Gibson said the findings couldn’t accurately account for the toll the problems took on Floridians.

“We don’t know how many people may have been evicted, or may have had their lights turned off, we have no idea of what that looks like, and I don’t think we want to be in that place again,” she said.

The website will end up costing the state around $14 million more dollars than originally estimated.

If you could see wanted criminal’s faces or missing children’s pictures in real time, would it lead to higher success rates from law enforcement? As Matt Galka tells us, a new tool being touted by the Attorney General’s office looks to prove just that.

A recent sting in South Florida netted 15 arrests for human trafficking this week.

“Involving 12 counties throughout Florida, and we currently have 6 victims,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The investigation started with a simple traffic stop. Now two suspects remain on the loose.

Kiosks could lead to the suspects being brought in.  Throughout the remainder of legislative session, the Attorney General will be displaying and touting the Community Pro-TEKtor unit in her office.

“What it is, he puts up Silver Alerts, Amber alerts, wanted people, runaways,” said Bondi.

The two people still wanted in the human trafficking case are currently on the kiosks, with each one costing cities and counties around $3,000.

There are currently 128 across the state with the majority in Marion County.  Wakulla County in the Panhandle has five, and Sheriff Charlie Creel says they’re working.

“We have had people that are wanted put on there, and so far 40% of the people that we put up that are wanted have turned themselves in, and the first question they ask is “When are you going to get my picture off that kiosk,” said Creel.

Besides Marion and Wakulla, Levy County, Flagler, Dixie, and Manatee have also started using the technology.

The Attorney General’s office says if they prove to be successful, they will most likely be making a push for them statewide next session.

Women seeking an abortion will have to wait at least 24 hours, and perhaps longer over a weekend, before the procedure can be performed. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, several women who have had abortions made the case for and against the waiting period.

Women seeking an abortion could soon have to make a second trip past clinic protestors. The first to be counseled, the second 24 hours or more later, for the procedure. Sponsor Jennifer Sullivan was asked tough questions at the bills first committee hearing.

Rep. Cynthia Stafford of Miami asked: “ The victims of rape, incest, or human trafficking. Must they wait 24 hours?” “That is not addressed in the bill” responed Sullivan.

Next Kristen Jacobs (D-Broward County) asked: “If a man wants to have a vasectomy, do they have to wait 24 hours?” “No they do not” replied Sullivan.

Pastor Pam Olsen countered in her support of the wait. “24 hours. We make people wait 24 hours, actually I think its three days to get married, to buy a hand gun” says the Tallahassee pastor.

Three women told lawmakers about their personal experiences.

Sherri Daume is a Pregnancy Counselor “I remember I was shaking all over and terrified about what was going to happen.”

Lisa Adams had a more dire story. I’ve tried to kill myself. I’ve had inappropriate relationships. I’ve had problems with drugs and alcohol.”

But Barbara DeVane, reprsenting the National Organization for Women says her long ago abrotion left no mental scars.  “I’m probably the happiest woman you will ever see. I’m hardly ever depressed. I’m not an alcoholic” said DeVane.

Georgia to the north has a 24 hour wait. Alabama to the west has a 48 hour wait.”

Sponsor Jennifer Sullivan, the youngest woman in the legislature, says the wait will keep you women for being bullied into a quick procedure “By  parents, by their boyfriends, by their friends.”

And afterwards supporters prayed with Sullivan for the bills passage.

“Strengthen her”

The legislation has two more committee assignments before a floor vote. The Senate version has yet to be heard. The 24 hour wait is one of three abortion bills this year. Another would ban the procedure altogether, while the third requires doctors to have admitting privileges at local hospitals.

Terminally ill patients would be able to take experimental drugs being tested under legislation moving through the legislature. They would have to acknowledge the dangers of taking the drugs. Sponsor Ray Pilon of Sarasota says many now leave the country for the trials, sapping their strength.

“You can imagine if you or one of your loved ones had no other choice, would you rather have them go to Europe or Mexico, or would you have them get them the choice,, understanding that it could also have adverse effects shortening their lives, be able to try these experimental drugs that are under testing” says Pilon.

Pilon bristled at the suggestion patients would become “Guinea pigs for drug companies. Patients would have to sign waivers before taking any experimental drugs.

Law enforcement, prosecutors, and privacy proponents squared off in a House committee at the State Capitol today over legislation restricting the use of digital technology. Rep. Ray Rodrigues of Lee County had to water his bill down to get it out of committee, but under it, law enforcement would have to seek a warrant before using cell phone receptors know as Stingrays to gather random data.

“And I don’t think our cell ph”one data, whether its the calls we’re making at the time, the texts on our phone, our texts that are occurring because we happen to be in the radius, belong in the domain of the government if they don’t have a right to get that data.”

Provisions on license plate readers were taken out of the bill. It faces heavy opposition from prosecutors who worry gangs will learn of investigations under some of the bills disclosure requirements.

Youth sports are supposed to teach kids about competition, respect, winning, and losing, but what happens when some people cross the line? As Matt Galka tells us, new legislation aims to punish out of control coaches.

This video from South Florida shows the aftermath of a 2012 youth football game.  It shows an assistant coach running up to a referee because he didn’t like his call, and then hitting the ref in the face.

Videos like that one are becoming all too common according to lawmakers. State Senator Jeremy Ring is proposing a crackdown on out of control coaches for youth sports.

“They coach their 8 year old girls like it’s a professional team. And they’re not just hurting their own kids, they’re hurting every other child on the field that, at that point, is seeing that,” said Sen. Ring (D-Margate).

Ring’s bill would effect coaches who are in charge of teams with 12 year olds and younger.  If the coach is thrown out of a game for unruly behavior, they’re banned for the rest of the season.

Lawmakers say that the bill is targeting more than just simple dust ups, but they are hesitant about regulating behavior.

Senator Nancy Detert supported the proposal.

“I have seen the Mom’s jump behind home plate on the fence,” said Detert (R-Venice).

But she admitted she was concerned lawmakers have to step in and do this at all.

“I think Senator Ring is just trying to fire a cannon out there to say “stop it.” We notice bad behavior we could legislate if we want to.  I think it’s more of a threat than a law,” she said.

Ring’s bill would allow coaches to appeal the season long ban.

The bill cleared its first committee unanimously, however there was a call to strengthen the required background checks for coaches in charge of the youth teams.

A wide variety of distracted driving laws will be debated in Tallahassee before session finishes, but as Matt Galka tells us, a group of people personally effected by traffic tragedies is telling lawmakers why they need to seriously consider the proposals.

Boca Raton Democrat Irv Slosberg dedicated his time at the Capitol to road safety after a personal tragedy

“This is like the worst phone call you just never want to get that call…that your kids dead. But that’s what happened to me,” said Rep. Slosberg.

The Representative’s 14 year old daughter, Dori, was killed along with 4 others in a high speed car accident.

The Dori Saves Lives foundation now helps to campaign for road safety laws. Dozens of teenagers took to the capitol with the group to tell lawmakers stiffer distracted driving penalties are needed this year.

“It’s very sad to see young people die early for not following the rules, and I just hope that we will follow the rules and we will make a move with driving safety,” said Gainesville High School student Caleb Ross.

Slosberg is pushing bills that would not only stiffen penalties on texting while driving, but other forms of distracted driving as well.

A primary texting while driving ban hits home for mom Trish Viccaro.  Her son Garrett and a friend were both killed while fishing on the side of a road in Melbourne. A driver was texting and hit both men.

“How many more victims is it going to take before you realize how important no texting and driving must become a primary law,” said Viccaro.

In 2012, the legislature passed a bill making texting while driving a secondary offense. There’s a push this session to move it up to a primary offense – which would allow law enforcement to pull someone over if they spot them texting.

Other bills that have been filed include stiffening penalties for texting in a school zone, and a ban on all cellphone use behind the wheel.

Local school districts may soon be able to decide if they want armed employees at elementary, middle and high schoolsin Florida. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, as controversial as the idea has been since Sandy Hook, no school organization spoke against the bill.

Since Sandy Hook, the call has been to arm teachers, principals and even maintenance and  cafeteria workers. Legislation allowing just that is back before lawmakers for the third year. Sponsor Greg Stube of Sarasota told his collegues that  bill now requires far more training than every before.

“All these people would have to go through background checks, all these people would be required, if they are requested, to go through mental health screenings. They would have to go through a rigorous training.”

No one from the public spoke against the bill. In part because it is now voluntary, not mandatory that district arm people in schools. Rep. Joe Geller was the only no vote. He worries about mental health screening.

“I don’t think an American sniper approach is the way to protect our kids” Geller said in committee, Later he elaborated.

“We need a trained, sworn law enforcement officer at every school in the state.

Afterwards teacher Joy Jackson from Miami Dade thanked Geller for voting no.

“Its so imperative that we have more men like you”

We asked her why.

“Because guns and schools and our children do not mix. We do not want someone that may be trained and maybe not trained to the fullest” she responded.

Hillsborough County Schools lobbyist Connie Milito says districts opposed the bill last year.  “Our board hasn’t taken a formal action, but generally we don’t think its a good idea” says Milito.

“Rural districts are expected to be much more receptive than urban districts.

Thats because urban districts generally have more money for school resource officers.

The lack of opposition doesn’t mean everyone is embracing the idea. Some suggest allowing guns at schools will raise the cost of liability insurance.

Greyhound owners brought some of their racing dogs to the State Capitol today. They want lawmakers to require safety measures at tracks including covering exposed wiring that electrocuted a dog last November in Palm Beach. Crystal Carroll, the dog’s trainer,

says the death was needless.

“And so the race had ended and she followed the lure, which continued. She got in the rail and it electrocuted her. It was devastating to everyone who worked in that kennel. Absolutely devastating. She was there one minute and gone the next…for no reason”m said the near tears trainer.

Chrome, show here as a puppy, would have turned two in July. The owners also want break away arms for the lures dogs chase and better maintained track surfaces.