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Hospital Executives from across the state met in Tallahassee this afternoon to urge lawmakers to protect the certificate of need. The certificate of need sets strict standards for hospitals. If the certificate was eliminated, a company could set up a limited service hospital. Members of Florida’s Hospital Association say if the standards are lowered new hospitals wouldn’t have to live up to a higher standard of service. Texas is one of a few states that eliminated the certificate of need. A Tracy Spivey from the lone star state told reporters she tried to save her husband’s life but no one at the limited service hospital was able to help her.

“When the surgeon came around a few minute later he demanded to know why I was the one doing CPR. He assessed the situation and exclaimed, ‘is there nothing in this room to help this man,’ when he was told no he ordered the staff to call 911,” said Tracy Spivey.

Governor Charlie Crist recommended eliminating the certificate of need as part of his proposed health care package.

Anyone who has purchased a ticket on a cruise since November is likely entitled to receive some cash back. Two lines, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, have agreed to a 21 million dollar refund based on hidden fuel surcharges that were added on after customers booked their cruise. Attorney General Bill McCollum says more cruise lines are under scrutiny.

“And what it boils down to is that there have been retroactive charges for fuel on these cruise lines without the proper notice, in the judgment of the Attorney General’s office, to the public before they did this. And so they’ve agreed, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, to refund to all of those who were retroactively charged these extra fuel charges, that money.”

Exact amounts are not available, but up to 3 hundred thousand cruise bookings may be entitled to either a refund, or a credit against a ticket if the cruise has not yet sailed. Customers should be contacted within the next month by Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, and if they are not, they should contact the Attorney Generals office.

Today is the day Floridians would have voted in the presidential primary had lawmakers and the Governor not changed the date. Tonight  new cost estimates suggest a mail in Democratic primary could cost the party as much as ten million dollars.  As Mike Vasilinda tells us options and time are running out.

As Many as 4 point 8 million Democrats may soon be voting by mail.  Democrats have two options left: the mail vote or the Clinton and Obama campaigns cutting a deal to allot Florida’s delegates. The latest cost of a mail-in election is now estimated at between 8 and ten million dollars. State Senator Steve Geller says a decision must be made by Thursday.

“This is really, according to federal law and all the court rulings, the Democrats can conduct the vote anyway we want to,” Geller said.

Latest plans now call for no state involvement in a mail in vote what so ever.

Democrats still have more questions than answers. Questions like whether to send one ballot or two and who will pay.

There are a host of other questions to be answered as well.

Governor Charlie Crist continues to call for the January 29th vote to be honored. Few now think it will be. Still he doesn’t regret moving the primary up.

“It certainly has put Florida in the forefront,” Crist said. “And Florida continues to be there and I think that they did exactly the right thing.”

One option being floated is for the candidates to agree on splitting Florida’s delegates, And while the governor has no say, Charlie Crist says he doesn’t like the idea.

“It doesn’t seem to me that that honors the will of the people,” Crist said.

No matter what democrats do, they risk handing the GOP ammunition to use against them in November.

Democratic Party leaders in Florida are racing against the clock to come
up with a game plan to have the state’s delegates seated at the national
convention. Florida was stripped of its delegates for moving up its
primary. As Whitney Ray tells us, democratic lawmakers said a decision
about whether or not to hold a mail in election should come by Thursday.

Hear it here: Time Running Out For Democrats Seeking a Mail-In Election

For more than four hours Monday, Democratic lawmakers met with the
Democratic National Committee, state party leaders, and lawyers, trying
to decide how to get Florida’s 210 delegates seated. State Senator
Steve Geller said the party only has two real options; ask the nation
committee to seat the delegates based on the result of the January 29th
election or call for a mail-in ballot.

“To overseas and our military, you have to mail the ballots 45 days in advance, before that there’s a thirty day comment period which is required under DNC rules,” said Geller.

The deadline to have Florida’s delegates seated is June 10th. Florida Democratic party leaders aren’t speaking publicly about a redo election, but sources said a decision is coming in the next couple of days. With the cost of a mail in election estimated at up to 6 million dollars, super delegate Allan Katz said another election of any kind isn’t worth the money. Katz suggests splitting the delegates.

“Recognizing what the outcome would be, are democrats not better off spending their money to elect members of congress, or elect a democratic justice,” said Katz.

The governor has said Florida taxpayers won’t pay for a do over. That
leaves the cost up to the state party or the candidates to pay. Still
there are some concerns hosting the state’s first mail-in election on
such short notice.

“Do we have the state help us, do we just go out and hire a private accounting firm,” said Geller.

If a mail in election is held, Party officials are looking at June 7th
as the deadline for the ballots to be counted. If a mail in do over election is held and the DNC recognizes the results, Florida Democrats would get about 60 more delegates as a bonus for holding its primary after May 10th.

Efforts by the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission to add a sales tax to some services is likely to bring opposing from powerful groups said former Florida Governor Bob Martinez. Martinez should know. He was governor in 1987 when the state passed a sales tax on service, only to repeal it six months later after advertisers and home builders mounted campaigns against the tax. Martinez said the TBRC would be better off going after a tax on internet sales.

“There’s no reason to protect, in my view, internet sales against those that are paying taxes here in the state of Florida with buildings, hiring employees, while I go buy a product at their store I pay the same sales tax. If I buy that same product on the internet I don’t pay the sales tax,” Martinez said.

Because the state had already spent the money from the services tax, it was forced to raise the general sales tax by a penny when the services tax was repealed.

A Florida Environmental group claims companies disguised as eco friendly recycling plants are trying to set up shop in Florida. Floridians Against Incinerators in Disguise held a press conference in Tallahassee Monday, to announce a plan to keep two solid waste companies out of the sunshine state. The companies want to build plasma arc plants. The plants dispose of trash by heating it and releases syngas, which is suppose to be safer than regular omissions. Members of the organization say syngas is dangerous.

“Dioxin is one of the most toxic substances known to science,” said Bradley Angel with Greenaction. It’s been linked to cancer, birth defects, reproductive, hormonal changes, and many scientist saying we don’t need more dioxin, we need less.“

Discussions to build Plasma arc plant in Tallahassee and St. Lucie County are underway.

There is a battle underway in Tallahassee over who controls the state university system. State lawmakers are unhappy the Board of Governors is attempting to raise tuition without their approval. As Whitney Ray tells us, lawmakers have fast tracked a bill that could change the university system’s governance for the third time in less than a decade, and weaken the Board of Governors.

Hear it here: Board of Governors on the Chopping Block

In yet another attempt to keep the University System’s Board of Governors off the cutting room floor, Chancellor Mark Rosenberg pleaded his case to an education council. His attempt failed. Council members approved a resolution that would cut the Board of Governors from 17 to 6 and take away some of its authority.

“It will reduce the accountability of our universities,” said Rosenberg. “We’ll return to an earlier era, where we go back to university verses university.”

In 2002 voters approved an amendment that created the Board of Governors. The idea was to give the board independence from the Legislature, but once the board starting to raise tuition, lawmakers got mad. A lawsuit is currently underway to sort out how much control the board really has. Rep. Joe Pickens says he doesn’t want to wait for the courts.

“The fact that we are in court, trying to decide what the people intended, I think is the best reason of all to go back to the people and get the clarity from them. As apposed to going to a court of law and hoping it turns out okay,” said Pickens.

The Board’s Vice Chair said what lawmakers ought to be focusing on is the students.

“This is about students. It’s not about us. It’s not about administrators. It’s also about faculty because they have to teach those students. Really it’s about giving a quality education to the most number of students that we can,” said Sheila McDevitt the Board of Governors Vice Chair.

If there is a change, it would be the third time in a decade the university’s leadership has changed. What happens with the resolution next is up to Speaker Marco Rubio, who could choose to put the bill on the house floor or take it to another committee.

State lawmakers are considering a bill to deny a ballot position to any presidential candidate whose party refused to seat Florida’s delegates at its national convention this summer. Questions remain about the ideas constitutionality, but in an effort to force the national Democratic Party to count Florida’s delegates, Governor Charlie Crist said the idea is worth studying.

“Anything’s worth consideration when you’re talking about protecting your right to vote and the exercise of democracy. I saw that and read it in some news accounts this morning. Certainly it’s something I would be willing to look at.”

If such a scenario were to unfold, the task of allotting the state’s 27 electoral votes would likely fall to the state’s GOP controlled legislature.

Governor Charlie Crist wants to raise awareness for Autism and Floridians who suffer from the disorder. Crist signed an executive order Friday, to create a taskforce on Autism Spectrum Disorders. The task force will review the efforts of state agencies and organizations that help people suffering from autism. They’ll also set up a website to help families with early diagnosis and finding treatment.

“We’re suppose to serve with a servant’s heart and do everything we can to help our fellow citizens and that’s why this is so important to me, because I’ve seen our challenges that many of our citizens have had to face as a result of this,” said Crist.

The taskforce, made up of members of victim’s families, autism advocacy groups and health care leaders will submit a report to the Governor next year.

An apparent tornado knocked down trees and damaged several homes this morning in Captola, a small town 10 miles east of the state capitol in Tallahassee. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, at least three resident there had a near brush with death.

This house was blown two feet off its foundation. Dian Chase was in bed at the time.

“You could feel it,” Chase said.  “It was like a vacuum, just poof, the air just went like that. And I ran and the windows were breaking and we got in the bathroom.”

This huge tree narrowly missed Dian’s home, even though spared by the tree, the 100 year old house is heavily damaged.

“The house is creaking,” Chase said. “I don’t know if it’s going to collapse or what.”

Initial reports of injuries and fatality turned out not to be true. But looking at the damage, it’s almost a miracle.

Skid marks in the mud show how just how far Krista Norton’s car was blown off the road

“Limbs and trees and stuff coming towards me, water,” Norton said. “And my car, the wind and stuff just shifted my car and pushed it down the hill.”

Krista’s mom, Vivian, was right behind her and is even luckier. A three foot long, 8 inch think limb crashed through her rear window as she followed her daughter. It went through the back of the drivers seat and shoved it forward off its tracks.

“My hip is hurting in the back and something punched me on my arm,” Vivian Norton said.

The shed that housed this horse was completely destroyed.  A gash clearly visible on its chest.

The storm cut a path 2 football fields wide and six football fields long…shaking the nerves of hundreds of people and animals.

A study released Thursday claims smokers cost the state of Florida 20 Billion dollars a year. A statewide institute wants employers and insurance companies to pay the cost to help smokers quit. As Whitney Ray tells us some companies already offer free quitting options, but not every smoker uses them.

Hear it here: Study Claims Smokers Robs Florida of 20 Billion Dollars A Year

Kimberly Piwinski and Kimberly Crowe share a first name, share a boss and on occasion, share a cigarette.

“We do need to quit,” said Piwinski.

The women work in marking at Costco. Their company offers free quitting programs.

“Whatever we need to quite smoking they’ll give it to us,” Crowe said.

Still, both Kimberlys continue to light up. They say they want to stop smoking, but like 60 percent of smokers nationwide, it’s just a plan. The Florida Institute for Smoking Cessation announced its plan to break Floridians of the smoking habit. Three million Floridians or about 17 percent of the state’s population, smokes and its costing taxpayers.

“If every smoker in Florida’s Medicaid program quit the state would save 346 million dollars in badly needed revenue over the next five years,” said Chuck Yaros with the Washington Economics Group.

People who quit would also save. A pack of smokes cost about four dollars but experts say the toll cigarettes take on the body, plus time missed at work can actually cost the consumer more than 17 dollars a pack.

Representative Gayle Harrell is joining the institute to ask employer to help their employees stop smoking. She says it will save companies in the long run.

“People who are sick don’t perform as well on the job and if you have somebody coming to you hacking away, they’re not paying attention to what they’re doing on the job and you can have all kinds of other things happen as well,” said Harrell

Regardless of what programs are offered and who pays for them the hard part will be left up to smokes, who have chose to put down their cigarettes or suffer the consequences. Experts say it takes between 6 and 9 attempts for a smoker to stop.

Experts say counterfeiting goods and piracy cost the national economy 250 billion dollars every year. Counterfeiting is also responsible for the loss of 750,000 American jobs. State Attorney General Bill McCollum announced his support of a bill to increase the penalty for making or selling counterfeit goods. A representative from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce joined the attorney general and lawmakers for the announcement. The group told reporters rip-offs don’t just hurt the nations economy, they can also kill.

“We see it every year, we’ve got faulty break-pads, we see fake batteries in smoke detectors, we seen electric cords the catch fire, these are being sold during the holiday season and being used to plug in a Christmas tree. And a Representative Gardiner mentions they can immediately catch fire. We’ve got surgical mask found during surgery that aren’t sterile that almost caused someone to die,” Caroline Joiner with the US Chamber of Commerce said.

The proposed legislation also increases the penalties for repeat offenders.

A proposed bill would make it harder for some first time DUI offenders to get behind the wheel. Right now Floridians who are convicted of multiple DUIs can have a machine put in their cars to keeps them from drinking and driving. The ignition interlock device requires someone who hasn’t been drinking to blow into the gadget in order to start their vehicle. The device is meant to keep people who are under the influence from starting their car. Now Representative David Simmons wants the device installed in the vehicles of some first time offenders.

“People who blow greater than a .15 on a blood alcohol test typically are persons who have a real problem with alcohol. They’re substance abusers,” said Simmons.

A bill in 2002 required the ignition interlock device to be used in the cars of people convicted of more than one DUI. Since then, DUI arrest in the state have declined.

Interest in a do-over primary is gaining momentum as the race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama appears to be at a stalemate. Democratic insiders say pressure will continue to build until three is a resolution, and as Mike Vasilinda tells us, Florida’s legislature may get involved.

Hundreds of mobility disadvantaged Floridians were in Tallahassee to draw attention to the obstacles they confront. Not having their Primary vote count isn’t something they want to face.

“A lot of times we struggle to get in to vote when you’re disadvantaged, “ veteran David Lowe said. “And to go to the trouble to do it and not have it mean anything.”

Conversations are now taking place about whether or not the legislature should get involved when sorting out who won the primary.

One idea has lawmakers playing a very high stakes game.

“It would say that any national party that did not seat the delegates from the state of Florida would not be able to have their nominee on the ballot,” Sen. Nan Rich said.

Similarities to the contested election in2000 are building. House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber says the pressure isn’t going away.

“If we don’t do a complied event that the DNC has blessed, whether you like it or not that’s where we are, then we’re not going to have the chance to have our delegates counted,” Gelber said.

A Tampa Activist who is already in Federal Court wanting to make sure the January 29th vote stands and says he will do everything he can to block a redo.

“I’m sure the New England Patriots would love a do-over Super Bowl, if they had another 15 minutes or maybe another chance at it. But it’s over, it’s done with, ” Victor DiMaio said.

The Federal Appeals Court hearing is Monday the 17th. Activist DiMaio says if he loses there, he will go to the US Supreme Court.

If Florida’s delegates were seated based on the January 29th results, Hillary Clinton would pick up about 50 delegates against Barak Obama.

Legislation being considered in Tallahassee will encourage elders to be screened for Alzheimer’s. The bill would set up a mechanism for future research funding and to pay for the tests…but because this is a tight budget year, sponsor Rep. Elaine Schwartz of Hollywood says  the initial thrust of the bill is to encourage screening.

“If you’re like me, you know that as those numbers of birthdays keep increasing, you get a little worried that we’ve misplaced our keys or forgot our appointments,” Schwartz said.  “And now, with a five-minute screening, we can feel at ease that things are probably OK.  And if they’re not, we’ll be able to go further and get further medical testing.”

Florida set up an Alzheimer’s research institute at the University of South Florida in 2003.