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The families of people who have died at the hands of texting or otherwise distracted drivers are unhappy state lawmakers did noting this year to prevent deaths. But as Mike Vasilinda tells us, one distraught father is using his hurt and anger to keep pushing for change.

Anthony Branca was 19 when he died just before thanksgiving in 2014.

“He slowed down to take a left turn on his motorcycle and the guy behind him didn’t because he was distracted by something” says Anthony’s father Demetrius.

Dad Demetrius has turned his anger and hurt into action. He’s been a frequent advocate for tougher texting laws at the state Capitol.

“46 other states have enacted primary laws against distracted driving” he told a rally in April.

But legislation that would have allowed obviously distracted drivers to be ticketed never got a hearing in the House.

“There’s a lot of people ho are gonna die between now and next legislative session that we maybe could have rescued” says Demetrius.

The Department of Highway Safety says there were more than 50 thousand accidents caused by distracted driving in 2016 alone.

That’s one hundred thirty-six accidents a day; or almost six an hour. every day and a half, somebody dies.

And the prognosis for changing the law in 2018 isn’t much better says the Senate sponsor Rene Garcia (R-Miami).

“It’s going to be hard to get that passed through the House of Representatives” concedes Garcia.

The problem is the man next in line to be Speaker. Rep. Jose Oliva, readily agrees that there is a problem,  but he worries about infringing on  civil liberties. Demetrius agrees with Oliva on that point.

I”don’t want the police to be able to pull me over and look in my phone. But they don’t need to look in my phone to see what I was doing to know that I was driving distracted” Demetrius told us.

The tenacious father, relentless in telling his son’s story, says Anthony would be doing the same for him if the death had been his instead.

In addition to continuing to lobby for tougher penalties for texting, Demetrius Branca says he’s also pushing the idea of requiring hands free devices if someone needs to talk while driving.

Florida’s Board of Governors were told statistics show women graduates make less than their male counterparts a year after leaving school.

During the Tuesday meeting, board member Ed Morton suggested teaching salary negotiating skills for women, but also said the gap may be genetic.

“The women are given, maybe some of it’s genetic, I don’t know. I’m not smart enough to know the difference, but I do know that negotiating skills can be something that can be honed and we can improve,” said Morton.

Morton, appointed by Governor Rick Scott, was quickly condemned by the Governor in a statement issued by his press secretary: “As a father of two daughters, the Governor absolutely does not agree with this statement.”

Morton has since apologized, issuing a statement but refusing interviews. He says in part, “I chose my words poorly. My belief is that women and men should be valued equally in the workplace.”

The controversy comes after legislation failed in the 2017 regular session that attempted to close the wage gap between men and women.

More women than men graduate from Florida universities, still women’s median starting salaries are $5,500 less than men.

Dr. Wayne Hochwarter a professor  of Organizational Behavior at FSU says the gap is more likely a result of women choosing professions that pay less.

“Whereas you still have a large section of young men who are also in the business school and engineering and in medical areas, as well as the legal profession,” said Dr. Hochwarter.

Dr. Hockwarter also says research shows women often times are better prepared and better equipped for situations like negotiating salaries.

The report presented to the Board of Governors also revealed African American graduates make $3,500 less that other graduates in their first jobs.

When you go to your doctor, most people sign a form allowing the doctor to bill the charges directly to your insurance company (if you are lucky enough to have one). The same thing often takes place when it comes to home repairs, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, claims of abuse in the assignments are about to raise insurance rates in Florida.

Water remediation and remodeling contractors likely paid a finders fee to get the work to repair these flooded homes. The extra fee drives up the overall bill.

The contractors are doing what doctors do. They ask you to sign a form so the insurance company pays them. It’s called assignment of benefits or AOB.

When an insurance company balks at repair costs, contractors sue. If they get a penny more than the company originally offered, the insurer, by law, must also pay their attorneys fees.

The problem is primarily in South Florida, but spreading north. The States Insurance Commissioner says those law suits are going to cost you more, soon.

“Rate increases could be as much as ten percent if this is unaddressed” says Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier.

On average the owner of a hundred fifty thousand dollar new home will be paying 65 dollars more for insurance next year…by 2022, that number jumps to 350 dollars a year.

”Well, I think it’s manufactured crisis” says  Jeff Grant of the Florida Assn of Restoration Specialists. He has been calling for his industry to be regulated.

“I think if you regulate us, gets rid of all the riffraff in our industry. You have to be background checked, and the majority of these issues goes away” says Grant.

The number of AOB lawsuits has skyrocketed. From 400 a decade ago to more than 40 thousand this year.

In addition to water remediation and remodeling contractors, insurance regulators say they are seeing fraud in windshield and roofing repair.

Nearly three years after an FSU law professor was killed in an alleged murder for hire plot, a trial date has been set for the accused triggerman. As Mike Vasilinda tells us documents given to defense attorneys show the investigation is still ongoing.

Sigfredo Garcia got a court date. January 22, three and a half years after he’s accused of shooting FSU law professor Dan Markel point blank in a hundred thousand dollar murder for hire plot.

Co-defendant Katherine Magbanua is the mother of Garcia’ s children. She’s accused of arranging the murder with the law professors ex wife’s brother and mother. Prosecutor Georgia Cappleman had asked for a November trial date.

“I don’t have any plan to make any arrests at this time, additional arrests” says Cappleman.

Two cell mates of Garcia have told investigators that Garcia confessed to them.

“He got drunker and drunker.” says Nicholas Atteridge. Atteridge says Magbanua’s arrest hit Garcia hard.

“That He would do life in prison for here. He wants to get word to her to do what ever she has to do to get out, testify against him, give up the Adelson’s” Atteridge told investigators.

A second cell mate said Garcia told him the ex-wife’s family paid for the hit.

“The Don Adelson are the people who provided the money to Garcia” said cellmate Jason McNair in a recorded interview.

Garcia’s attorney, Mutaqee Akbar, says the testimony is worthless.

“Jailhouse snitches are not reliable, and anybody can tell you that” Akbar told reporters.

The January 2018 trial date is not set in stone. The defense says its likely going to need more time.

Prosecutors have also released several hours of undercover video, showing the ex brother in law meeting with Magbanua, then his father and mother. The video adds no conclusive evidence, but it does show the efforts law enforcement is making to close the case.

Rain fell across most of north Florida all day long and is expected to last through Thursday. The Governor’s office is warning of flooding and says “Affected counties have not reported any unmet needs and every county emergency operations center (EOC) remains in monitoring status. Tropical Storm Cindy is expected to make landfall west of Florida and so far the state’s Emergency Operations Center remains at a level 2 status, the same status it was at when wildfires were covering the state. The center is not expected to fully activate for Cindy.

Legislation making major changes to Florida’s building code got bundled with more than a dozen other changes in construction law this past session, and as Mike Vasilinda tells us, a coalition of building officials and insurance interests fear the legislation could lead to a patchwork of requirements and higher insurance costs.

House Bill 1021 is on the Governor’s desk. Florida Homebuilders CEO Rusty Payton pushed for the legislation, which he says streamlines future changes to the building code.

“It doesn’t weaker the code in any shape, form, or fashion. All it does is change the process by which we adopt future changes” Payton told us.

The legislation would allow Florida to pick and choose what new items it wants to add from the code. Building officials and Leslie Chapman Henderson of the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes call it a disaster waiting to happen.

“If it becomes law, it will take Florida back to a system that lead to death, billion dollar losses, and certain destruction” says Chapman Henderson.

Home builders disagree.

“We can not weaken water intrusion, can not weaken wind loads” says Paton emphatically.

Chapman-Henderson counters: “This isn’t a streamlining. This is an abandonment. This is an abandonment of a system that has created the strongest building code in the country.”

The legislation contains about a dozen other changes to building and permitting laws, forcing the Governor to weigh the overall impact of the legislation.

Florida’s emergency management director lobbied against the change, which was sponsored by lawmakers who in their private lives are homebuilders and roofing contractors.

Approximately Ten thousand convicted felons have applications pending to have their voting or firearm rights restored, but the process can take five years or more, and only about 2000 cases are disposed of each year. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, a pending constitutional amendment could streamline the process.

Four times a year, the Governor and Cabinet listen to pleas for mercy from convicted felons.

“Yes, I was convicted of manslaughter, and I did it” said one convicted felon.

Thursday, there were 85 cases on the agenda.

“I wish you the best of luck. I want to think about it. I’m gonna take it under advisement” Rick Scott after one case.

But prior to 2011, before Rick Scott and Pam Bondi took office, restoration of rights was near automatic for felons who’d paid their debt to society.

“I never harmed anybody.” Datravicious Smith told the Governor.

Datravicious Smith started the clemency process in 2012. he asked for and got his right to vote back.

“I don’t think just given to you back automatically. You never know” said Smith afterwards.

Jai Jurawan wasn’t so lucky.

“Tell me about the charge of cultivation of cannabis in 2013” Scott asked of him.

Jurawan came with hopes of a pardon.

“Not getting it…it sucks” he told us afterwards.

The Florida Supreme Court has cleared an amendment for the 2018 ballot that would automatically restore non violent felons rights.

Richard Greenberg is the President Elect of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

“They get released, get off off probation or get out of prison and they can’t vote. It makes no sense” says Greenberg.

If the amendment gets on the ballot and if it passes, it could automatically restore the rights of well over a million felons.

That’s a big if. Organizers still need to collect another seven hundred thousand signatures, and they’re trying to it will all volunteer labor.