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Legislation requiring parents to be responsible for damages caused by their children cleared the House Judiciary Committee at the state Capitol today. Sponsor Dane eagle says the concept originated with a constituent.

“A constituent I have, his home was burglarized. I think there was up to ten thousand dollars in damage on the home. The juvenile could not pay, so this would ask the parents to help pay. The judge does have to take into account their financial situation, and if they can’t pay make payment plans or they can do community service, helping out the victim fixing up the home. Whatever the judge prescribes.”

Eagle also says requiring parents to pay might make an impression on a juvenile that results in less repeat offenses.

A day after pro choice voices were stifled in a Florida Senate abortion debate, the House got an earful. As Matt Galka tells us, the result was the same.

A heated abortion debate boiled over on the second straight day in the Florida Capitol.

The House’s version of an abortion waiting period bill drew an expected crowd. Under legislation from 23 year old freshman Representative Jennifer Sullivan (R-Mount Dora), women would have to meet a doctor for a face to face visit before an abortion, then wait 24 hours to go through with the procedure if they still want to.

“I know in my community, the people I’ve worked with the ones I’ve referenced, a lot of women haven’t taken time, a lot of women, especially younger women, being young myself, have seen that they’re very much pressured in the decision,” said Sullivan.

Many of the people speaking were the same people who got shut out from a Tuesday discussion in the Senate.

Outbursts in Tuesday’s Senate made way for emotional testimony in the House.

“I had a friend of mine that took me to get an abortion illegally,” said Dian Alarcon through an interpreter.

Melisa Maderas says she had an abortion at 17 and went on to earn her doctorate.  She says the waiting period is all about trying to talk women out of going through with the procedure.

“We’ve already thought about it, women already spent time talking to their families, friends, having thought about it for themselves, deciding that abortion was the right choice for them and their futures, so we don’t need 24 hours to wait. What they want is for us to change our minds,” said Madera.

The third House committee for the legislation didn’t change its mind. They passed the bill 12 to 5 along party lines.

The waiting period bill now awaits a floor vote from the House. The Senate version has two more stops.

Florida lawmakers are doing battle over providing health care to a million working poor Floridians. Not expanding health care with Federal money could end up increasing health insurance costs for everyone with insurance.

Florida currently gets one point two billion in federal money to pay for emergency room visits and hospital care for people who can’t pay. Its called the Low income pool, or LIP.

The Feds told lawmakers last year that without an expansion of Medicaid..part of the Presidents plan…the money would go away. US Senator Bill Nelson was in the State Capitol telling lawmakers, the feds aren’t blinking.

“The Federal government will not renew LIP as it is now because they told them over a year ago that its not going to continue” says Nelson.

The State Senate has a plan…the House doesn’t. Kim Williams of A Healthy Florida Works says it is time for the House to get off the dime, or everyone is going to pay higher insurance.

“And when you bring down the uncompensated care, you take away the need to raise the rates on private insurance holders in Florida, like ME as a business owner and like  my employees who pay a part of their insurance coverage.”

Joe Negron is the point man for the Senate . Publicly…he is optimistic.

But so far the Governor has been mum on any Medicaid expansion.

House leaders are sticking to their guns. Rep. Tom Goodson of Titusville says

“you know, we have another whole month, anything could happen.”

Q:”So there is room for negotiation?”

“I didn’t say that. I said anything could happen.”

And while bridging the health care gap is possible…It’s looking more and more like it won’t happen before May first, when lawmakers are set to go home. Anchor Tag: Without a budget, legislators will have to go into special session at a cost of $65,000 a day.

Today is the halfway mark in the Florida Legislative session and both the House and Senate debated their differing budget plans. Both chambers, to the dismay of environmentalists who pushed the land buying and conservation amendment approved by 75 percent of voters last November, about 200 million dollars from last years budget is being included in spending for conservation lands. Aliki Moncrief says the spending isn’t honoring voters intent.

“It’s a bit of a shell game, unfortunately, and certainly not what the voters intended. The voters expect to see more land protected. People don’t want to see their neighborhood parks paved over. People want to be able to go out and and enjoy the amazing nature features out state supports.”

Both budgets use Amendment One money to fund managerial positions that were already in last budgets and do not represent an expansion of environmental programs.

The Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence is partnering with Allstate Insurance to help domestic violence survivors learn more about financial literacy. FCDAV President Tiffany Carr says surveys of domestic abuse victims came to a clear conclusion.

“98 percent report that their finances were controlled as part of the abuse. 98 percent have told us they need help rebuilding their credit, and they need help rebuilding their lives.”

Florida has 42 certified domestic violence centers where last year survivors and their children spent more than a half million nights.

State lawmakers spent the day asking questions about the state budget. The two chambers disagree over health care funding for the poor, but they are in general agreement when it comes to funding schools. House Education Budget Chairman Erik Fresen of Miami told House members that schools will see a historic increase.

“The FEFP budget increases the funds per student by 3 point one one percent, which is a two hundred and fourteen dollar and 74 cent per student increase. This increase provides a historic level of funding per student, exceeding the highest level of funding previously funded, which was in 07-08.”

While there is more money for schools, it isn’t coming from state coffers. The increase is based on higher property tax collections at the local level due to increased property values.