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We don’t want them seeing that Florida’s rates are out of line with the rest of the country. It might be more expensive because of our geography but it has to be fair and it has to be reasonable and we want to hold them accountable to that.

Months after an 8-year-old North Florida girl was kidnapped and killed by a repeat sex offender, lawmakers are pushing for change. As Matt Horn reports – if approved, Florida will have one of the toughest sex offender laws in the country.

Violent Sex offender Donald Smith is awaiting trial for the death of Jacksonville 8-year-old Cherish Perrywinkle. Smith is just one of hundreds who has re-offended statewide after being released from prison.

“The Jacksonville case is a perfect example of how the system unfolded,” said Senate President Don Gaetz (R).

In recent years, more than 600 sexually violent offenders, including Smith, have slipped through the system.

“I think it’s fair to say something’s not working,” said Sen. Gaetz.

State lawmakers have introduced legislation to get tough on sex offenders. If passed, it would make Florida’s laws some of the toughest in the country.

“We need to make sure Florida is the most unfriendly environment in America for people who want to victimize our kids,” said Sen. Gaetz.

Because of sexual offenders who slipped through the cracks, 400 children have been assaulted in recent years. 12 died.

Lawmakers have been pushing the Florida Department of Children and Families to keep kids safer.

“We are pleased that more attention has been given to this really important tropic and we plan to continue working with them on the changes,” said Michelle Glady, Press Secretary DCF.

Ultimately, lawmakers would like to keep sex predators behind bars forever, but a court will have the final say over whether a predator can return to society.

Smith’s next pre-trial is set for the beginning of January.

Since the beginning of the year, more than eight hundred thousand background checks have been run on perspective gun buyers here in Florida, which is a new record for firearm purchases.

Jim Delprete was buying himself a Christmas present, his dream gun. “Colt .45, lever action, I’ve always wanted a Henry rifle,” says Jim Delprete, Gun Owner.

Once Jim’s personal information was typed into the terminal and the dealer entered his license, the sale was approved in less than five minutes. “This is the one I’ve been wanting for a long time and thank the good Lord above, today’s the day,” says Delprete.

Behind the terminal are more than 60 analysts. They search criminal records seven days a week. Jayme Chamberlain says the on line approval has made all the difference in the world. “Prior to that, we could be backed up maybe half an hour, 45 minutes on the phone,” says Jayme Chamberlain, Kevin’s Guns and Sporting Goods.

Only once in the last ten years, at the height of the recession, have the number of background checks gone down.

So many people are buying guns the state is actually hiring more people to keep up with background checks.

Last week, The Florida Department of Law Enforcement got the okay to ask lawmakers for the authority to hire 18 more people. “We are only closed on Christmas day and New Year’s day,” says Robin Sparkman, FDLE.

The background checks are paid for by a five dollar fee on each record search. Second Amendment supporters applaud the expansion. “The push at the National level for more gun control has awaken a lot of people. If they want to keep these rights alive, they need to act on them,” says Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala.

The state has been averaging just over twenty seven hundred background checks a day in December.

Unemployment Benefit applicants are continuing to have problems accessing their benefits on the states new web page. Technicians are being called almost daily to fix problems that erupt on the system.

Kenyon Singletary has been looking for work for six months. Her experiences with the new state computer system is spotty. “I skipped a week, then I had one week on there instead of two weeks to claim so I mean a little bit of problems but [In the end you got your benefits.] Yea, I got my benefits. I do have a friend who had a problem where she didn’t get hers and she had to wait another week,” says Keyon Singletary, Job Seeker.

In November the Department of Economic Opportunity was called on the legislative hot seat for the problems. “And when they have problems they don’t call you, they call us,” says Rep. Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater.

The calls haven’t stopped. “We have way to many people coming up to our office and complaining…” says Rep. Irv. Slosberg, D-Boca Raton.

State Representative Irv Slosberg wants an investigation into the 63 million dollar system and its problems. “To find a solution to the problem. These people, you know, you don’t have any money to buy food,” says Rep. Slosberg.

As one problem was fixed another pops up. Executive Director Jesse Panuccio has assed a million and a half dollar fine against the contractor. “And so, the one point five million was a recognition that the system was not delivered the way we wanted it at the time we wanted, so we are committed to holding the vender accountable,” says Sot: Jesse Panuccio, Dept of Economic Opportunity.

The latest penalty is on top of a million dollars contractor Deloitte gave up before the system was launched.

In 2011 State Lawmakers required all jobless benefit seekers to apply online, that’s something the new computer system has made all the more difficult.

Every year tens of thousands of inmates are released back into mainstream society. As Matt Horn reports – a new facility in North Florida will help those inmates adjust to life in their community.

Behind the razor wire at the Gadsden Re-Entry Center – inmates will be taught crucial life lessons to help them assimilate from prison back to communities around Florida.

“The majority of those who are going to be here are going to be here to get the programming they need to help them when they get out,” said Michael Crews, Department of Corrections Secretary.

The 432 bed facility is the first in the state. The goal is to reduce repeat offenders. Over the last five years recidivism has dropped from 33 to 27 percent. Warden Walt Summers says the state has a unique opportunity.

“It is an outstanding opportunity to teach theses guys, to give these guys a skill when they come through so they’ll be productive citizens when they get out,” said Summers.

87 percent of prisoners will eventually be released from prison. Which means 30,000 per year will return to Florida’s communities.

The facility was ready to open last year, but money was tight. Two other re-entry prisons are ready and waiting for funding. Representative Dennis Baxley says the new facility is a part of change on helping inmates and society.

“Change comes at a tipping point and the opening of this center I think is an indication that we’re at a tipping point, that this will truly be a priority,” said Representative Baxley.

The re-entry program is intended to help inmates with 3 years or less on their sentence.

“When they get out we’ve done everything we can to maximize their opportunity for successful re-integration back to society,” said Crews.

The Gadsden Re-Entry facility will open January 1st.

A decade ago Florida made a conserted effort to make sure third graders could read. Now as Matt Horn reports – that effort is paying off.

Only seven of every 100 third graders have to repeat the grade. That’s down from 10 of every 100 in 2003.

“Florida has made a commitment both in school districts, legislature, Department of Education in focusing on early education,” said Stewart Greenberg, Leon County Schools.

Since 2003 127-thousand third graders have been held back because they didn’t pass the reading portion of the F-CAT.

“I think the numbers would continue to go down with time,” said Juhan Mixon, Florida Association of School Administrators. “Simply because we are on an earlier basis of identifying students with problems.”

Mixon says the drop isn’t surprising. “You would be doing something wrong if you did everything we’ve done and you’re not improving.”

Greenberg has worked on improving literacy with students across the country.

“Teachers have made a commitment in Pre-K all the way through third grade and beyond to focus on making sure students know how to read, read well, think well and then support their answers in writing,” said Greenberg.

Since Florida adopted the law concentrating on students passing the third grade reading portion of the F-CAT – more than a dozen other states and the District of Columbia have adopted similar laws.

“It you can’t read its going to be very difficult to get a job, its going to be very difficult to pass math or science or any other subject,” said Mixon.

The success doesn’t come cheap – Florida spent 130 million dollars on reading improvement last year alone.

There are six exemptions for students – two of those include students with disabilities and English language learners with less than two years in a specialized English class.

Foreclosure rates nationwide have fallen to the lowest since 2005. But, as Matt Horn reports – Florida still has the highest rate in the country.

For another month – Florida ranks number one for foreclosure rates.

“It doesn’t surprise me just because again the number of foreclosures that still need to get through the system, they’ve just been sitting there,” said John Sebree, Florida Realtors Association

Sebree with the Florida Realtors Association says there is a silver lining. The foreclosure rates in the state have dropped 40 percent since November a year ago.

“The number of foreclosure filings, which are brand new foreclosures that are entering the market are down significantly across the country and even more in Florida,” said Sebree.

Eight of the top 10 cities with the highest foreclosure rates are in Florida – legislation that took effect in July has changed the process.

That’s when Governor Rick Scott signed a Republican-driven bill to speed up foreclosures, but also require better loan documentation from banks.

“It’s going to help make sure we have a timely foreclosure process, so our families make sure they can keep their homes,” said Governor Scott.

Anthony DiMarco with The Florida Bankers Association says the court process delays a foreclosure from beginning to end.

“Here it’s taking 800, 900 days when you go through the court system,” said DiMarco.

As foreclosure rates drop, housing prices continue to increase.

Upwards of 20-thousand foreclosures a month, but, there are still around 275-thousand that need to be processed.

A proposed plan to let the military train in state forests is receiving harsh criticism. As Matt Horn reports – the military and state says if approved – the environment will come first.

Emotions ran high as people questioned why the military needs to use state forest lands for training..

“When I learned of the military wanting to use Blackriver State Forest I was very very upset as I seem to be now because my voice is breaking,” said John Veasley, Opponent to the training.

The Pentagon describes the proposed plans as low impact. But the people at the meeting didn’t buy it.

“I’m very concerned about the process and the way it has happened,” said Cheryl Sanders, Franklin County Commissioner.

The state and military say any maneuvers would be monitored by the state. Then promised the environment wouldn’t be hurt if the training takes place.

“Like I said it wouldn’t be like we’re rolling in there,” said Mike Penland, Pentagon. “It’s basically to kind of use when the other areas we have are bunched up with other operations.”

Opponents disagree.

“That could be a problem if you have heavy machinery, ammunition and other exercises going on those properties,” said Julie Wraithermell, Audobon Florida.

Although the state forests impacted are in the Florida Panhandle, opponents at the meeting Thursday morning say this could have a statewide impact.

“These are people’s livelihood at stake, so not just the economy but also the ecology of Florida,” said Wraithermell.

A likely vote on Friday will outline the future of military exercises in forests.

“Identify all of the impacts associated with those and determine what may or may not be compatible in the forest,” said John Browne, Florida Forest Service.

While there are promises of the environment not being hurt…An environmental impact study by the Pentagon isn’t expected until next summer.

Officials say this is in the early stages, and its unknown of the impact military exercises will have on the parks.

Governor Rick Scott outlined a partial rollback of 2009 fee hikes on most vehicle transactions.  (3:30 in Tampa). State lawmakers appear ready to agree.

In 2009, the cost of renewing your driver’s license went from twenty seven dollars to forty eight. getting a title for your car went from twenty to 70 bucks. A mid size car tag went up eight dollars to thirty dollars and fifty cents.

In October, A State Senate Committee voted to cut the fees by a total of 233 million dollars. “It reduces that increase by- right around 50 percent,” says Sen. Joe Negron, Bill Sponsor,   R-Stwart.

Now Rick Scott is upping the ante suggesting an even bigger cut.

We ran into Chuck Pollock, he was registering a new trailer. He knows any saving will be modest. “That would be more money in my pocket, we could of ate lunch I guess,” says Chuck Pollock, Motorist.

In 2009 perhaps the biggest increase was the cost for adding a new car for your teenager or a new car to your business fleet. It went from 100 dollars to 225.

Cutting the fee for newly registered vehicles is on the top of the Senate President’s list. “If the funds were there, if the dollars were there, you could take a whack at that origination fee too,” says Sen. Don Gaetz, Senate President.

Florida will have at least one point two billion more than it did last year. House Speaker Will Weatherford says rolling fees back isn’t something usually done by Government. “Tag and title fees are too high,” says Rep. Will Weatherford, House Speaker, R-Pasco County.

If approved, the fees would drop July first, which is just fine with Ray Williams. “There is reason to celebrate then,” says Ray Williams, Motorist.

FSU Quarterback Jameis Winston wasn’t charged after an investigation into a year old allegation of rape. The family is set to issue a statement Friday morning, and newly released recordings of investigators interviews paint a widely varying view of events.

Two hours after the accuser left  this off campus bar with FSU’s quarterback, campus police got a 9-1-1 call.

Phone call: “And you said she was raped?” Asked the police officer

“Yea,” replies the young lady.

“Is that her I hear in the background?”

“Yea”

On the other end of the line, a friend of the accuser, Jenna Weisberg. She told investigators this past November of a friend who was reluctant to report what had happened. “She was like afraid to call the police because she didn’t want anybody to be mad at her,” says Jenna Weisberg in an interview.

Two witnesses say the accuser jumped in their cab and immediately went into a room with Jameis Winston. Winston’s roommates says he went into the bedroom while the two were having sex. Ronald Darby watched from outside. “Yea like, she was like get up, she was like get up,” says Ronald Darby, witness in the police video.

But in her interview with police, Jenna Weisberg said the accuser thought the witnesses were trying to stop Winston. “Did she describe that like was she saying something or did he physically try and get him to stop?” Asked the investigator.

“No he was saying it,” replies the young lady.

Another friend of the accuser, Monique Kessler, say she didn’t seem drunk. Marcus Jordan, who supplied the liquor, says it was unusual for the accuser to have left with strangers. “Though it’s just out of character for her to just let some random guy pick her up and take her home,” said a young lady.

Marcus Jordan agreed, “Yup, way out of character.”

A recording of the accusers interview was not released. Doing so  says the state might help identify her. That they say would violate Florida’s rape shield law.

One witness told investigators should would have remembered more 11 months ago right after the rape allegedly occurred.

Last week state officials allowed a nativity scene to go on display in the state capitol. Now as Matt Horn tells us, another less secular exhibit has been put up in protest.

Standing nearly 6-feet tall – beer cans are on display at the Florida Capitol…mocking a Christmas nativity scene put on display last week. Chaz Stevens was granted a permit for the Festivus display.

“All this shouldn’t be here; the government shouldn’t be in this business of allowing the mixture of church and state,” said Chaz Stevens, Festivus.

The idea of the Festivus was created by a fiction writer and popularized by the TV sitcom, Seinfeld.

The Festivus pole was put up feet away from the Christmas Nativity… just on the other side of the state seal in the capitol rotunda.”>

The beer cans a sparked a heated discussion between Stevens and the woman behind the nativity scene.

“I’m going to pray they take care of that thing, remove it,” said Stevens. Nativity coordinator, Pam Olsen responded, “It won’t be removed because we have freedom in America, remember that.” “We also have the separation of Church and State,” said Stevens.

The display’s causing mixed reactions from Capitol visitors.

“I think it’s entirely out of place, it shouldn’t be here. This doesn’t show any respect for the capitol,” said Maynard Hellbusch, visitor.

”I think its great,” said Dave Spore. “Think its an example of American freedom and I think we should have the airing of grievance in honor of Festivus.”

Pam Olsen – says she welcomes other displays this holiday season…but has this message for them.

“I told the guy that I’m praying for you because he has a right to put it up there, but I think its mocking Christianity,” said Olsen.

The “Festivus” pole will be on display through January 3rd.

If you are stopped by a police officer for speeding or anything else, one of the first requests you’ll hear is “ show me your proof of insurance.”  Usually the paper card is in your wallet or lost somewhere in your glove compartment, but soon, you may be able to keep that proof on your phone.

At any given time, as many a million drivers in Florida are on the road without insurance. Decades ago, the state made it a ticket able offense not to carry proof your car is insured. The fine is a hundred dollars..It drops to ten if you prove you were insured when you were stopped.

“ Any comments or discussion? Hearing none, the motion carries.” said Governor Rick Scott.   With a vote by the Governor and Cabinet, Florida will become the eighth state to step into the electronic age by allowing motorists to carry proof of insurance on their smart phones. Highway Safety Director Julie Jones told reporters afterward “This way you have proof of insurance no matter what vehicle you are driving.”

Getting ticketed for not having having that little insurance card made news this past year when it was learned state troopers gave out bogus tickets to speeding lawmakers..citing them for not having insurance instead of speeding

There is one drawback to the proposal, if you hand your device out the window to the officer, and it falls you’re responsible, not the officer.

You can scan the form into your phone, take a picture, or download it from your insurance company. Next on the horizon…digital drivers licenses.

Highway Safety’s Jones says a pilot project is underway to allow digital licenses. “The fraud issue is key to the drivers license. We will have to figure out how to encrypt it, and then have some kind of a smart phone bump, maybe, to validate that it is indeed an encrypted drivers license” says Jones.

New digital license could be out on the road and in your phone by the middle of 2015.

326 thousand tickets were written for failure to provide proof of insurance last year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After complaints of mismanagement and wasteful spending at Citizens Insurance, Matt Horn tells us the state’s largest insurer will now have someone looking over their shoulder.

Citizens’ top managers were accused of spending like drunken sailors on trips and conferences. Governor Rick Scott ordered his inspector general to take a look.

“So that we could find a watchdog for Citizens’ that would help bring integrity, accountability and honesty,” said Melinda Miguel, Florida’s Chief Inspector General.

Once the abuses were uncovered Governor Rick Scott started calling for an inspector general after reports of sexual harassment and financial irregularities at the state’s largest insurer.

The new watchdog was named Tuesday by the Governor and Cabinet. A thirty year veteran of state government will become Citizens first inspector General. Meeks was not at the meeting.

Meeks will report to the Chairman of the Board for Citizens on day to day operations. He can only be removed from his position by the Governor and the Cabinet.

“The Inspector General is going to hold Citizens’ accountable. I proposed this earlier this year and I’m glad the legislature went along with it,” said Governor Rick Scott. “Look, we have to hold Citizens’ accountable, watch how they spend their money.”

88 people applied for the position. 12 were interviewed. The newly-created position was authorized by the Legislature during the 2013 session.

Meeks will negotiate with Citizens on his salary and a start date for the position.

For the first time since 1999 Florida State University will play in the BCS National Championship game. As Matt Horn reports – the university will be winning on and off the field.

For the first time since 1999 – Florida State will play in the B-C-S National Championship game.

“I’m just glad that Florida State is there,” said Jimbo Fisher, FSU Coach.

FSU clinched its chance to play for the national championship when it won the ACC Championship game on Saturday. It’s estimated the university will bring in millions of dollars because of the championship game.

“It will be a boon for the economy of Tallahassee, certainly for the institution in terms of the brand and logo-ing and exposure,” said Rob wilson, FSU Athletics Communications.

FSU will take on SEC Champion Auburn. The last time the two teams met was in 1990.

“We not looking at them and saying, ‘oh, they Auburn.’ Or we not look at them and saying, ‘they come from the SEC or whoever it may be.’ We go out there and compete against ourselves,” said Telvin Smith, FSU Linebacker.

The Seminoles will be making its fourth appearance to the BCS National Championship tied for the most of any college football program in the country.

For the last seven years the National Championship trophy has gone home with an SEC team. Fans hope FSU will end that streak.

“Everything that we’ve gone through,” said Truly Long, FSU Sophomore. “You know they have the fight, the will to win.”

This is the last year for the BCS National Championship game. Starting next year the College Football Playoff will replace the single-game championship format.

“Just the ambiance, just like the energy coming from the school spirit, it’s just great,” said Hernan Bater, FSU Freshman.

FSU has an overall record of 4 wins, 13 losses and one tie against Auburn.

After four public hearing from one end of the state to the other, State lawmakers are about to have serious discussions on expanded gambling, and there’s a 50/50 chance voters will have the final say.

Florida voters have said no to expanded casino in 1986 and again in 1994.

The State Senate has been holding hearings across the state. There are proposals for mega resort casinos and dog tracks say they need slots or other gambling to stay alive.

The Committee Chairman says the odds of something comprehensive passing are “Probably no better than 50-50, at the best,” says Sot: Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples

Enter the House Speaker. He’s suggesting lawmakers rewrite gambling laws this year, then require a vote of the people to make any changes after that, but he’s opened the door for sending the whole question on gambling to the public. Gaming committee member Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine says “Anything is a possibility in this process, you know and I think there are a lot of people who think maybe we ought to freeze things in stone so that we don’t have to come back every year.”

Back in 1994 after spending 16 million dollars, pro-gambling forces only got 38 percent of the vote.

Pat Roberts ran the 1994 pro-gambling campaign. He believes voters could say yes this time, if new casino’s were limited to Southeast Florida. “My gut is that’s an easier thing to get done with this legislator, because they could say we gave the people a choice in November instead of them doing it,” says Pat Roberts, 1994 Gambling Initiative.

Roberts may be right. In 2004 voters statewide, by a narrow margin, allowed Miami Dade and Broward County to have their own votes on slot machines.