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The Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence says that in 98 percent of domestic violence cases, abusers use finances as a tactic to keep survivors trapped in an abusive relationship. To combat financial as well as physical abuse, the Coalition has partnered with the state’s Chief Financial Officer to educate people on the need for financial independence. FCDAV CEO Tiffany Carr says the states 42 domestic violence shelters can help people become more financially literate.

“If you are in fear for your life, If you are in an abusive situation, if you fear for your safety. call our statewide confidential hotline at 1-800-500-1119, and we can provide next steps for you, crisis counseling and do safety planning” says the President-CEO.

Florida CFO Jeff Atwater is hosting the financial literacy material on his website and offers this advice:

“Don’t be solely at the mercy of somebody else in your family or relationship that has the credit.  But go ahead and begin to develop that credit relationship on your own, and have some of that a credit experience on your own so that you have something to turn to if in fact you ever need it” says Atwater.

Too view the materials go to www.myfloridacfo.com/YMM/YourLIFE/

You can also to to the coalitions website at http://www.fcadv.org/

College semesters are winding down…but it’s back to school for some powerful Florida lawmakers. As Matt Galka tells us, the man controlling the senate for the next two years is taking a school swing around the state with improvements on his mind.

Incoming Senate President Joe Negron sat with freshman engineering major Sebrenia Coleman in a computer lab on Florida A&M’s campus. He wanted to get a better sense of what the Tampa native was working on in school.

It’s all part of Negron’s statewide university tour.  He and other lawmakers are trying to figure out what school’s around the state need.

“The laboratory that you just saw, that we had that was just remodeled this semester, was the kind of lab we need all over the campus for 10 thousand, nine thousand, eight thousand students, you need more than one modern lab,” said FAMU President Elmira Mangum.

Other lawmakers on the tour were happy that students were honest about some of their struggles. Doctoral student Shamarial Roberson told the legislators that course load and finances were tough to balance.

“It’s very difficult for me to stay up at night, research, and work in the daytime, so I can support my family and go to school here,” she said.

Incoming Senate minority leader Oscar Braynon said he hopes his colleagues are paying attention to what the students at different schools are going through.

“They got the same grades and the same test scores, ye the results are coming back differently, there are some things that are different, and that’s the stuff I wanted to come out today,” said Sen. Braynon (D-Miami).

Negron says he knows that each school is unique and faces different challenges.

“As we’re making budget decisions and determining what’s going to be on the PECO list, I think it’s important to have actual facts about every single university, and that’s why we researched it and that’s why I’m taking notes, specifically, on each university,” he said.

The tour wraps up Thursday, Lawmakers will have seen 12 campuses spanning from the Panhandle to Miami when it finishes.

More than 39 thousand people were injured in Florida last year after being involved in a distracted driving crash. April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and as Mike Vasilinda tells us, distracted driving is claiming almost one life a day in the Sunshine State.

There were more than 45 thousand crashes caused by distracted drivers last year in Florida. 214 people died. Of the dead, 198 were drivers. Sgt. Kim Montes, FHP Spokesperson, says one death is one to many.

“That’s a preventable crash. If someone is distracted and they cause a crash, that’s something preventable, almost like DUI.”

Yet, since Florida’s ban on texting while driving went into effect a year and a half ago, Police have issued just 34 hundred citations, in part because texting is a secondary offense, which means motorists must first have been stopped for some other violation.

“We know that the numbers don’t actually reflect what’s going on out there, because more people are doing it. It’s hard to prove in a lot of these crashes” says Montes.

We saw dozens of people texting in a 45 minute drive around the state capitol, but catching them on camera was difficult.

The good news: We saw a lot more hands on steering wheels  than on cell phones.

One in seven drivers admitted to Virginia tech researchers to texting while driving. Forty-six percent of the 16 and 17 year old’s say they text behind the wheel, while nearly half…48 percent of 18 to 24 year olds admit to violating anti texting laws.

“They don’t think it’s that big of a deal” says Montes, “until an emergency happens. Until that car pulls out in front of you; a motorcycle pulls out in front of you.”

Five texting bills, including primary enforcement, were introduced in the 2016 legislative session. Not one of them got a hearing.

28 pages from the U-S Governments report on what happened on 9-11 remain classified. They were written by then U-S Senator Bob Graham. Graham says the public has a right to know what’s in the censored material, and he’s been on a campaign to get the missing pages released. Graham says it’s important the public know who are America’s friends and enemies.

“That chapter releases to who financed 9-11. I think that’s a critical issue,a nd the American people need to know so they can make an assessment on who are our friends and allies, and who are the people who are willing to stab us in the back” says Graham.

Republican Presidential front runner Donald Trump also believes the missing pages should be released.

The Saudi Government, which is reportedly implicated in the funding of the 9-11 terrorists, is threatening to remove more than a trillion dollars in assets in the U-S if the censored 28 pages from the 9-11 report are made public. Former U-S Senator Bob Graham (D-FL) says the threat should be ignored and the material released,

“And now the Saudi’s are saying they’re going to dump almost a trillion dollars of their assets  in the United States if the Congress passes such legislation. It’s outrageous and out to be labeled as that. and it just adds another question mark: why are the Saudi’s so worried about having a jury decided if they were complicit in 9-11” says Graham.

President Obama said before his election that the material should be made public. He recently said he is still considering the release, but won’t decide for several months.

Travelers both in state and out of state renting from the popular Air BnB will be seeing the company collecting taxes in more places throughout the state. As Matt Galka tells us, local governments view the taxes as vital revenue streams.

You’re going on a trip and might want to skip the hotel. Popular alternative Air BNB offers rooms or even whole houses in local neighborhoods. But some Florida counties are missing out on tourism taxes. Leon County is one of them.

“Our budget, 100% comes from the tourist development tax, and that’s the tax that our guests pay who are staying in our commercial lodging establishments,” said tourism director Lee Daniel.

Air BNB started collecting taxes for 22 counties in December and just added another four

“AirBnB is being, to their credit, a good corporate citizen and reaching out to all counties in Florida collecting a tourism development tax,” said Daniel.

In Tallahassee the rentals are popular during legislative session and Florida State football games. AirBNB says new agreements around the state could add up to new tax revenues in the millions.

One of the hold ups is that there are 67 counties with varying tax rates.

Florida TaxWatch says a legislative fix could help to even the playing field between Air BNB and hotels that pay the taxes already.

“We want to make sure that they’re paying taxes and they’re properly regulated, and it’s an innovation, and it’s a cool innovation, it’s a wonderful thing. But they ought to be treated similar across all 67 counties in Florida, with an eye towards encouraging this kind of innovation at the same time,” said TaxWatch CEO Dominic Calabro.

Florida is one of only a hand full of places in the country where the tax is collected.

While Florida lawmakers made sure they started to try and clear the state’s well documented rape kit backlog this year, the new law meant more to a survivor of the brutal crime. Matt Galka talked to her.

Kellie Greene told her story to a group of victims advocates at the Capitol this week. Greene was a rape victim at the hands of David Shaw in Orlando. But then she became a victim again – this time because of a rape kit backlog in the state. It took three years to process her sexual assault kit.

“When I got the phone call from my detective that my kit had been processed after three years, and they identified the suspect, who the offender was, I broke down in tears because it meant I didn’t have to look over my shoulder anymore. I didn’t have to study the faces in the crowd to figure out if the rapist was still around,” she said.

Florida took steps towards ending that backlog this year. Greene hopes it helps prevent other people from becoming victims.

“If they decide to make the report to law enforcement, that sexual assault kit is going to be processed. There’s timelines for when law enforcement has to submit it to the crime lab,” said Greene.

The legislation was one of the top priorities for Florida attorney general Pam Bondi. Bondi says it’s another step forward for victim’s of the violent crime, something that wasn’t always the case.

“Many years ago, even rape victims would have to go through the process and some would even find out that the case was dropped, or a plea was entered, and they didn’t even know about it,” she said.

There are more than 13,000 untested rape kits in Florida – meaning there could be an unknown number of suspects free because of the backlog.

The video showing a Florida woman shouting at the Governor and calling him a bad word in a Gainesville Starbucks has brewed up plenty of controversy.  As Matt Galka tells us, she’s gained a few fans on the internet who planned to rally in support of her…but it ended up being a dud.

On the steps of the Capitol, where the people’s voice is meant to be heard, supporters of Cara Jennings – the woman in the viral video who certainly made her message clear to Governor Rick Scott came together to stand with Jennings. It was an army…of two.

Vietnam Veteran Frank Day travelled two hours from Walton County to the Capitol to show his support for Jennings. He says the Governor should have listened to her, and should listen to more people around the state.

“Our Governor, rather than approach the lady and calm her down and listen, he turned his back, and that would anger any constituent with valid concerns. Valid concerns,” he said.

He was joined by retired Department of Health employee Fred Williams who says the current administration isn’t listening to the needs of state workers.

“People have got to be paid appropriately, but the state employees here are not appreciated at all. The Governor is just like I can do what I want with and to you, you know? I’m in charge here,” he said.

The two men hoped their small yet mighty showing makes an impact – they said that Jennings alone has already made one – her video has more than two million views on YouTube.

The Governor’s political committee released their own ad against Jennings – the video has almost a million views.

When crimes are committed and criminals are put behind bars, many might think the story is over. But as Matt Galka tells us, the victims of those crimes may never be the same – and the people who help them were honored by one of Florida’s top officials.

While the Jacksonville community scrambled to try and find out what happened to 21 month old Lonzie Barton last July, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Chief Tom Hackney was a rock for those looking for answers.

“He was a victim that touched just about everybody in Jacksonville,” said Hackney.

Lonzie’s remains were later found and Hackney and the community grieve together.  But his efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Hackney and five other victim’s advocates were recognized by the state’s Attorney General in a ceremony at the Capitol Wednesday.

“Holding on to the picture is making sure the focus is where it belongs, the focus is on him, it was on him from the beginning, and in Victim’s Rights week here, the focus is on the victims,” he said.

Dozens of law enforcement and victim’s services professionals showed their support for those impacted by crime around the state by taking part in National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

“We all remember there was a time when we didn’t have advocates, and it’s unbelievable to me how these families were able to get through these very trying times without advocates,” said Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Bondi says that the state has made great strides in getting rid of victim shaming.

“Now victims have the legal right and authority to be in court every step of the way, and that’s a huge advancement for our state and for our country,” she said.

Many in attendance that victim’s rights aren’t just a one week thing – they’re a 24-7 focus. The honorees included men and women from Hillsborough, Wakulla, Duval, and Leon counties.

Help wanted: Individual who works well under pressure, even tempered, willing to work 12 hour shifts with murderers, rapists, armed robbers and others. Below market pay. Uniforms provided. That’s how a want ad for the Department of Corrections might read, and as Mike Vasilinda tells us, it’s no wonder the the Department has 1300 openings on any given day.

The Department of Corrections took some of the deepest cuts of any agency during the recession. Its budget this year is still 200 million less than it was in 2010.

Corrections Secretary Julie Jones says the cuts have created problems.

“We cut too deep in core areas in critical positions” says Jones.

The result: short staffing.  DOC had a vacancy rate of 10 percent last year. Its Down to just under 7 percent now.

“I lose them to retirement” says Jones, “I lose them to disciplinary reasons. I lose them to other agencies. So, there is a need at any one time for thirteen to fourteen hundred.”

The agency plans to hire 4 thousand corrections officers this year. It will do it by holding job fairs like this one.

“This is a supplemental application” one applicant is told.

Candidates trickled in. Two applicants, including Curtis Pride, were former officers who left for greener pastures and want to come back.

“The position I was in as a correctional officer gives me a chance to supervise the inmates and enable them to help themselves” says Pride.

Others, like Sarah Spell, were first time job seekers.

“Like, I’m harsh, I’ll be harsh if I have to. But, I love the human race, even if sometimes they don’t love me back” say Spell.

“Even if an applicant is accepted here today, about one in five  don’t make it through the process. That’s because they fail a background check, or some other flaw.”

To cope with the shortage of job candidates, Corrections plan to close some prisons where finding good staff is tough. then open work camps and a mothballed prison in a more populated area. In the end, it will still need to pay more than most local jails, which it doesn’t do today.

Starting salary for a corrections officer is just over thirty thousand a year. DOC also provides inexpensive health care, and paid vacations.

Backers of a utility friendly solar amendment that will be on November’s ballot are shifting into campaign and education mode.

The utility backed group Consumers for Smart Solar kicked off their “Yes on 1 for the Sun” campaign Tuesday.  Their ballot initiative will be featured as Amendment one for voters this election season and is being pushed as an expansion of solar that won’t put non-solar customers on the hook for subsidizing the utility grid.

“We want to see solar thrive, there’s a lot of potential for solar here in the state of Florida, and unless we create a stable and welcoming environment making sure that there are consumer protections I think that we are going to kind of hinder that potential growth,” said Jim Kallinger with the group.

The group was competing with another amendment that would have allowed Floridians to purchase private solar power away from utility companies. It ultimately failed.

Florida is home to the most endangered river in the entire country according to a newly released report. As Matt Galka tells us, it’s another chapter in the ongoing water wars between Florida and our neighbor to the North, Georgia.

It’s bad news for the biggest river in Florida.

“We’re here today to announce the number one most endangered river for 2016, the Apalaichicola, Chatahoochee, Flint River Basin,” said Ben Emanuel with American Rivers.

The Apalachicola is part of a basin that tops the nation as the most threatened – in large part thanks to water wars between Florida and Georgia – with not enough water flowing south from Atlanta.

Oyster fisherman Shannon Hartsfield says his community in Franklin County that relies on the river and the Apalachicola Bay is fading fast.

“The industry is suffering because the spouse has to go out of town to work, somes even packed up and moved their whole families. We’re down from less than half of what the industry used to be,” he said.

A coalition of riverkeepers and state and federal officials called for action now to try and settle the three decades old feud over water.

“The ramifications of potentially losing another section of the Gulf of Mexico will effect us across the nation,” said U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham (D-Tallahassee).

The water flow battle could ultimately end up being decided in the U.S. Supreme Court later this year.

But many are hoping that Florida, Georgia, and Alabama can come to a mutual settlement out of court that benefits the people of each state.

“Problems are going to exist after that court case unless the Governor’s come together for an open, transparent, citizen based solution that is grounded in science,” said Flint Riverkeeper Gordon Rogers.

Florida sued Georgia over the water hogging in 2013. Currently, Florida and Georgia are in mediation for the case filed in the Supreme Court over the lack of water flowing into the basin from Atlanta.

Two competing press conferences, one for and one against alimony reform, clashed at the state capitol today. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, both sides were peaceful, but loud.

The day began with alimony reform supporters chanting their hopes for the alimony bill on the Governor’s desk.

“Sign the bill”

Tarie MacMillian of Hillsborough County told the crowd  “I pay sext-five percent of my income to my ex-husband who has a degree in business, but chooses not to work cause the court mandated that I support him. Is this fair?

“No.”

Womens’ groups who don’t want the change  got help from a retired Polk County Judge.

Sot: Bob Doyel

Retired Polk County Circuit Judge

“the focus of this bill changes the focus of the judge from what;’s best for the children to what the parents want, and that’s not we as a state should be promoting.

After the two competing groups made their way to the Governor’s office it got loud.

“sign the bill, sign the bill, sign the bill.”

Police were called in…just in case.

Sot: Glenn Broga

Tallahassee

“there’s not much fairness here, but greedy women that don’t want to work.”

Opponents felt they were being shouted down at their own event.

Sot: Barbara Devane

Natl. Organization for Women

“They are rude and they are bullies and now we know why they are divorced and probably lost custody of their children.”

So we asked the loudest heckler.

Sot: Glenn Broga

Tallahassee

“Are you not being rude to this group?”

A:”You know, I’n not being rude. I’m making eight hundred dollars a month. How much do they make? How much does an alimony recipient make?”

Mike Vasilinda Standup

Rick Scott has until the 19th to sign or veto this legislation. that’s a day before his forty-fourth wedding anniversary.”

Scott, who was out of town during the rally, A spokesman says he’ll keep listening.

Nearly half a million Citizens Insurance Policy holders can expect rate increases of close to ten percent in the coming year. Water losses in south Florida are driving the increase. A third of those Citizens customers facing hikes are being asked if they want to leave Citizens by private companies, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, there’s no guarantee a private company won’t hike your rate far beyond what Citizens is charging.

6 insurance companies have been authorized to take over more than 167 thousand Citizens policies between now and the end of June. The decision to change is up to Citizens customers, but Spokesman Michael Peltier says those customers shouldn’t make the decision lightly.

“And in many cases, a private offer may include many things that Citizens policies don’t. So its real important, we think,  for people to speak to their agents” says the Citizens Spokesman.

One reason to leave Citizens: In the case of extreme losses, homeowners could see surcharges of up to 45 percent.But one reason to stay is that Citizens rate increases are capped at ten percent.

This year and last,  State  Lawmakers tried to cap private take out company increases at ten percent after they heard dozens of horror stories.

State Senator Anitere Flores (R-Miami) told her colleagues on March 11th “What do we tell constituents that are in a traditional take out offer that their rates end up going up exorbitantly?”

But capping take out company increases did not pass. Consumer advocate Brad Ashwell says not limiting take out rate increases was a major failing for consumers.

“Well, the real issue is that consumers are getting hit after they leave  Citizens and go into these private policies. if they con’t realize  they’re getting pushed into these is even worse.” And that’s something the legislature failed to address” says the legislative director for the Florida Alliance for Consumer Protection.

Citizens customers who do leave, only to get stuck with higher rates in the private market can go back. But only if the available polices being written by private companies cost at least 15 percent more than Citizens is charging at the time.

One Citizens bill awaiting the Governor’s signature requires Citizens, not private companies to notify policy holders that they are subject to being taken out of Citizens unless they act to start in the insurers of last resort. Currently the notice comes from the take out company is and often viewed as junk mail.

The saga involving Florida’s Governor and a shouting Starbucks patron got even more personal over the weekend. As Matt Galka tells us, the governor’s political committee released an attack ad against the woman, baffling political consultants.

The clip continues to live in internet infamy. Florida Governor Rick Scott was screamed at by Cara Jennings in a Gainesville Starbucks.

The viral video has now been viewed over two million times…but the Governor’s political committee didn’t just sit around take it.

Let’s Get to Work launched an attack ad at the woman over the weekend, complete with its own insults.

Political strategists say both sides are in the wrong. Democratic strategist Steve Schale says nothing’s been accomplished because of the video.

“This is the kind of discourse that just drives people away from the process, gets people frustrated, I think in the end they needed to be better people. She needed to be more respectful, he needed to not respond,” said Schale.

And Kevin Cate – who helped lead Charlie Crist’s failed bid against the Governor in 2014’s election – says the attack ad is even more embarrassing for Scott than the original video.

“I think the only comparison you can make, as far as the vitriol is concerned, is Donald Trump. We know Rick Scott loves Donald Trump, maybe this was his trial of a new persona where he’s going to attack every day citizens,” said Cate.

The Lets Get to Work Committee didn’t immediately return our calls for comment.