Welcome to

You know those blue tags that hang on car mirrors, the ones that allow people with disabilities to park up close?

Well, a lot of people without disabilities are using them, sometime taking the tag from a dead relative’s car. A bill to allow random checks on people who’ve been issued a tag and matching the disabled parking tag registration against death records is headed to the governor. Rep. John Julien sponsored the bill and spent two years getting it through the process.

Reporter: These people are taking spots from people who need that upfront parking.

Julien: That’s one of the reasons why instead of it just being law enforcement officers, a police officers, to be able to confiscate a placard being used unlawfully. We also gave the ability to parking enforcement.

Julien was inspired to file the bill after traveling the state with a wheelchair-bound friend.

A challenge tonight to members of the Florida legislature.

Representative Scott Plakon tried to pass a bill last week to ban internet cafes. The bill failed in the Senate and now Plakon says the sweepstakes businesses will continue to grow. Plakon is challenging members to visit internet cafes before they return to Tallahassee for the 2013 session.

“I challenge some members to walk into them, which I’ve been in about 20. It’s really an enlightening experience when you see what’s actually going on,” said Plakon.

Another bill to regulate the internet cafes also failed. Now it’s up to city and county governments to decide where the businesses can operate.

Taxpayers will pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for lawmakers to redraw the senate district map. The map was declared unconstitutional last Friday, so lawmakers have to meet in special session to fix it. As Whitney Ray tells us, if lawmakers would have acted faster, they could have saved taxpayers thousands of dollars.

In an 11 minute special session Wednesday, Lawmakers prayed, pledged and spent your money, including thousands of dollars on flights, meals and hotel rooms. Each member is given 110 dollars a day for lodging and 80 dollars for food and other expenses. There’s also extra cash for staff.

“This could have been dealt with immediately following our regular session,” said State Senator Mike Fasano.

Fasano, stayed home. He says money could have been saved if leadership held the special session Friday night.

“We could have immediately opened the special session taking just five or ten minutes,” said Fasano.

Governor Rick Scott ended up calling the special session, starting five days after the Florida Supreme Court declared the Senate district map unconstitutional.

This could be one reason for the delay and extra cost. It’s the Florida Supreme Court’s 234 page opinion. Senate leadership may have wanted to digest it all before deciding how to move forward.

It’s important to note lawmakers had to come back at some point, but obviously there were options on when to return. The house won’t call members back again until it’s time for a chamber vote on the map. The senate will only have members on the redistricting committee in Tallahassee for multiple days.

We won’t have a final cost on the special session for months, but a one day special session held in 2010 cost taxpayers 67-thousand dollars. This session will likely cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The Florida Senate spent just 13 minutes in session today on the first of a fifteen day extraordinary session called to redraw a map of state Senate Districts. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the session is necessary because the Florida Supreme Court found the Senate defied voters wishes and drew a map favoring incumbents.

When does two come before five but after seven? When does 22 fall between 17 and 19? And what about 33 coming between 38 and 39?

The math is possible only on the map drawing new lines for the state Senate.

The Florida supreme court, in this 200-page-plus opinion, found that the way the senate numbered its districts, was proof that the Senate ignored voters and tried to protect incumbents.

The way districts are numbered is important because it decides who gets a two-year term and who gets a four years. Under the first Senate map, Sen. Arthenia Joyner would have gotten a ten year term, thwarting another constitutional amendment: “eight is enough.”

“I didn’t know how it happened,” Sen. Joyner said. “So, I’m here to serve whatever term I get, and I came knowing it would be 8, and if it’s 10, it’s 10.”

Senator Don Gaetz says the numbering was developed by a professional staff, but he’s willing to try anything to get the court to say OK.

“One way is that we can simply draw lots,” Gaetz said. “Another way is that we can have the department of the lottery run some balls in a tumbler.”

Lawmakers will spend several hundred thousand dollars fixing a map that voters told them to do right the first time.

The public’s only opportunity to comment will be at a March 20th committee hearing or on the web at MyFlorida Senate.gov. If the Senate fails to fix the problems outlined by the court, the court will have sixty days to draw the map.

One year ago this month Governor Rick Scott launched a strike force to help shed Florida of its title as Pill Mill Capital of the World. Today Scott announced statistics showing the state’s progress in the war on painkillers. As Whitney Ray tells us, law enforcement officers are trying to get ahead of the problem enlisting the help of pharmacists and looking for shady weight loss clinics.

Winning the war on pills Governor Rick Scott announced new statistic Wednesday, showing the state is finally getting a handle on the prescription drug trade.

“The strike force is having a dramatic impact getting this off our street,” said Scott.

Those statistics show a drop in the number of pain clinics; 800 statewide when Scott launched the Florida Drug Strike Force a year ago. Now there are 500, most of them legit.

In 2010, Florida was home to 90 of the nation’s top 100 oxycodone dispensing doctors. Today just 13 are still writing prescriptions in Florida. A promising sign, but according to Attorney General Pam Bondi, there’s still work to do.

“We are fighting it from all fronts and we are here today to tell you we will continue that fight, said Bondi.

Half a million pain pills have been seized and 34 doctors arrested. FDLE Spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger says with the state striking such a huge blow, people in the prescription drug trade are running for cover.

“Bad guys don’t stop they just change their business model or move in to other areas,” said Plessinger.

The new front for pill mills may be weight loss clinics or fitness centers. Investigators are on the lookout for businesses with good names, dispensing bad medicine.

And the number one statistic law enforcement officers want to see improve is the death count. In 2010, before the strike force was launched, more than 12-hundred 50 Floridians overdosed on prescription drugs; that’s about seven people a day. The number has fallen by almost a hundred… so some progress but it’s clear more needs to be done.

In a 15 minute gavel and go special session this afternoon the Florida House took time to recognize FSU head Basketball Coach Leonard Hamilton.

Members who attended FSU gathered around Representative Jimmy Patronis to announce the coach’s presents and wish him luck in the NCAA tournament. Even Gator graduates wished the coach success. Hamilton says he’s not looking past the Nole’s first round game against St. Bonaventure Friday and he doesn’t seem to mind his team’s third seed placement.

“It doesn’t really matter how high of a seed you get, as long as you are going to the NCAA tournament. You’ve just got to go out there and play and perform and see what happens from there,” said Hamilton.

Hamilton lead the Nole’s to their first ACC Conference Title in school history this weekend, beating Duke and North Caroline to grab the title.

Warning an on coming driver there’s a speed trap ahead by flashing your headlights is legal in Florida. But between 2005 and 2010, 24-hundred drivers were wrongfully ticketed for flashing their lights. Drivers filed suit. The Florida Highway Patrol stopped pulling drivers over for the practice and now, as Whitney Ray tells us, lawmakers have passed a bill making sure no one is pulled over for flashing their lights.

Bob Reese and his wife Betty cover a lot of asphalt in their RV. Every year they drive from Ohio to winter in Florida and when they see a speed trap, they let everyone know.

“I let them know that they are going to get a ticket if you don’t slow down,” said Bob.

Bob’s sister June has been on the receiving end of a speed trap warnings.

“It brings you consciousness of what’s going on and you look down to see “am I speeding,” said June.

Neither driver has ever been ticketed for flashing their lights at oncoming traffic, but others haven’t been so lucky. Between 2005 and 2010, 24-hundred drivers were fined, under a law banning drivers from mounting emergency lights on their cars.

“I’m sure that they frown on it because they can’t catch the person that’s doing wrong,” said June.

Drivers sued, and the Florida Highway Patrol stopped writing tickets.

Drivers flash their headlights for a whole host of reasons. Flashing your lights is a common way to let another driver know their headlights are off or their brights are on. It also signals truck drivers to let them know they have enough room to safely move over.

Karen Cater has been driving a truck for 12 years. She says it’s the code of the road to warn a fellow truck driver.

“Because they are hiding and if we see something we let the other ones know. We look out for each other. We are family,” Karen.

State lawmakers passed a bill on the last day of session forbidding police from ticking drivers for flashing their lights. It’s a warning to cops, telling them they can’t stop drivers from blowing their cover. The legislation awaits the governor’s signature. And as for those tickets that were written before FHP stopped the practice, they were for 115 dollars plus court costs.

Florida’s unemployment rate continues its downward trend. Unemployment numbers released today show the state’s jobless rate fell from 9.9 percent to 9.6, marking 11th time the rate has declined in the past 13 months. 894-thousand Floridians are still looking for jobs. David Hart with the Florida Chamber of Commerce says even though the rate is slow to drop, it’s still a good sign.

“I think Florida is poised for success. We have a governor that is very focused on job creation and that really helps set the tone to do the right things for Florida to succeed,” said Hart.

Governor Rick Scott’s released this statement in response to today’s news.

“I’m pleased Florida’s unemployment rate has gone from 9.9 in December 2011 to 9.6 in January 2012. Florida’s unemployment rate has now dropped for 11 of the last 13 months and this is the second consecutive month the unemployment rate has been below 10 percent. It’s great to see Florida’s economy is trending in the right direction and our unemployment rate is the lowest in three years,” said Scott

Florida lawmakers begin a once a decade “extraordinary” session tomorrow because the state Supreme Court found the maps they drew for state senate districts were invalid. The court found problems with the way eight districts were drawn, as well as the way they were numbered in an effort to protect incumbents. District lines in North Florida were drawn east to west. The court says north to south lines would have made the districts more compact. Senate Redistricting Chairman Don Gaetz of Niceville says he’s ready to listen to the courts.

“And we are pleased that thirty-two of our forty districts have been approved by the court, and we’re going to go back and make the adjustments the court asked in the other eight districts. We don’t plan to be involved with changes in any districts that have been approved by the court,” said Gaetz.

The court also found problems with two districts in Northeast Florida and four districts in South Florida. Lawmakers have two weeks to correct the problems pointed out by the court. If they fail, the court will have sixty days to draw the maps.

Architects both dead and living will be competing in a statewide competition this spring. Today, standing on the steps of the historic capitol in Tallahassee, the American Institute of Architects launched a contest pitting 100 Florida buildings in a battle for best in the state. The historic capitol is in the contest. Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll was on hand to help launch the voting. She says architecture enhances Florida living.

“They are free to have their artistic creativity and their talents to provide a variety of eye candy and sky beauty with an array of architectural design for us to marvel over,” said Carroll.

Pictures of the 100 buildings are listed on the competition’s webpage, www.aiaflatop100.org. That’s also where people can vote for their favorite Florida structure.

Governor Rick Scott has eleven days (until March 23) to decide if he agrees with lawmakers who want children as young as five to be able to give inspiration messages in school. The plan is optional for school districts, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, Rick Scott is already getting pressure to both sign and veto the legislation.

At this Baptist church, preschoolers start each day with a prayer. So do the dozens of children at this Jewish Temple across town. And at this high school, the Fellowship of Christian athletes prays each time it meets.

Three out of four students who attend this Jewish preschool are non-Jewish, but the Rabbi says their parents knew what they were in for when they signed up.

But legislation on the Governor’s desk would allow school boards across Florida to set policies for “inspiration messages” to be given by children as young as five. Rabbi Jack Romberg is urging the governor to veto the bill.

“The so-called inspirational messages are only going to be written by those who are trying to convert people who don’t believe their way, to believe the way they want them to. Jewish children have been facing this kind of thing all the time,” Rabbi Romberg said.

The pastor at this Baptist church points out that prayer was in schools when he was growing up.

“It was not a problem in the communities where I have ever lived, but I understand that there is a lot of diversity and we need to be sensitive,” Pastor Dan Sowell, of East Hill Baptist Church, said.

High School Senior Chelsea Williams has been to meetings where there has been prayer.

“Nobody wants to be made uncomfortable in school,” Williams said. “I feel like as long as its a personal thing for them, or if they want to have group prayer, that’s fine.”

The legislation sets no age limit, nor does it define at which school events messages could be given.

If the Governor does decide to sign the bill into law, one thing is certain: lawsuits will soon follow.

Florida college students are taking their fight against tuition increases to Governor Rick Scott. They failed to convince lawmakers not to raise tuition. A five percent increase awaits Scott’s approval, so does a plan to allow UF and FSU to raise tuition as much as they want. As Whitney Ray tells us, Scott has spoken out against tuition increases and now students are asking him to back up his words with action.

One month before session began Governor Rick Scott spoke out against tuition increases.

“With level funding of the universities they shouldn’t be increasing tuition,” said Scott on December 7th.

But lawmakers didn’t keep funding level, they cut 300-million… still students want Scott to veto a five percent tuition increase in the state budget.

“No one wants that. Especially in the state of the economy,” said Jennifer Staplefeld, a FSU Senior from Jacksonville.

At FSU Monday, students railed against the five percent increase.

“In January he said he would veto any legislation which had tuition increases,” said FSU Senior Jennifer Staplefeld.

They also asked students to call Scott and ask him to veto legislation allowing FSU and UF to raising tuition as much as they want.

“I pay myself through school right now. I pay my own bills. There is nothing else I could do to pay more than I do pay,” said Megan Hays, FSU Sophomore.

The increases would be used to replace state budget cuts. The cuts come on top of back to back years of reductions.

And the cuts are having a noticeable impact. Here at FSU’s College of Business five professors have been lured away by higher paying jobs. Three of them left for public universities in other states.

Private universities are also head hunting Florida professors. Students are noticing the changes.

“Las semester I had five classes, four of which were taught by graduate assistance. I only had one professor,” said Cherry Smith and FSU Junior.

A spokesman from Scott’s office says the governor is reviewing the budget, the tuition increase legislation and his options. If the governor signs the UF, FSU tuition increase bill, the schools will have until the end of May to submit their tuition increase request to the University System’s Board of Governors.

Legislation authorizing random drug testing of state employees is on its way to the Governor for approval. The measure cleared the state Senate by a vote of 26 to 14 today, but the drug testing is a long way from becoming reality.

Up to 50 thousand drug tests could be given to state workers a year under the legislation. The tests are optional agency by agency, and to prevent retaliation, a computer would have to decide who is tested.

Senator Evelyn voted yes on the bill, despite saying this. “I think there is something really wrong with this bill.” What’s wrong says Lynn is that lawmakers themselves are exempt from the tests.

Senator Bill Montford of Tallahassee asked “The old advertisement, where’s the beef? Where’s the problem. I don’t see where we have a problem.”

Republican Joe Negron called the tests invasive. “The police can’t come and take your urine without getting a search warrant.”

“26 yeas, 14 nays”

Supporters say drug testing will make the workplace safer. They were forced to make the bill less punitive than the original version. It will now be tougher to fire someone who tests positive.

“If you have a positive test, before any action can be taken, it has to be confirmed with a second test. And then we have a series of steps that can be put into place for them to enter a rehab program,” says Senator sponsor Alan Hays of Lake County.

The bill now goes to the Governor, and he is almost certain to sign it. that’s because he tried to implement drug testing with an executive order last year, and backtracked when the courts got involved. Civil liberties groups say courts have already ruled the random testing is unconstitutional. They plan a challenge as soon as the bill is signed.

Last year, lawmakers passed legislation requiring welfare recipients to be drug tested. Initial results found two percent testing positive, but the Federal courts stopped the testing within months o fits implementation.

The Florida Supreme Court has found state Senators didn’t listen to the voters wishes when they drew themselves new district lines. the court rejected eight of the forty Senate districts. Voters passed new constitutional standards that require compact districts that obey political boundaries as much as possible and don’t protect incumbents. Now they will have to come back and redraw the maps. Senator Alan Hays says he just wants to get it over with.

I’m here to serve the public and say if the voters want to put me back up here, I’d be honored to serve. If they don’t, them I’ll give my blessing to who ever succeeds me. Just draw me a district and let me get out there and run,” says Hays. Democratic Leader ron Saunders may not like the house map, but that doesn’t matter.

“One of the things they looked at was the difference between the House and the Senate map, where the House map paired incumbents and the Senate map did not, so I think that was one of the things they looked at. In the end it’s whether the map is valid, not whether its a good map or bad map whether you agree with the map or not, the Supreme Court has spoken and said the House map passed the constitutional standards and the Senate map did not, so we have to come back in a special session to deal with the senate map.”

Lawmakers will have fifteen days to redraw the maps. If the court still doesn’t like them, the court can draw them themselves.

A legislative plan to give parents the authority to turn their child’s failing school in to a charter school was narrowly defeated this afternoon. The option to petition to turn over the school is called the parent trigger. As Whitney Ray tells us, the bill was buried under mounting questions about who would own the school buildings taxpayers built if a charter took over.

The parent trigger bill, legislation to allow parents to sign a petition to turn their kid’s public school into a charter school took center stage in the Florida Senate.

“It has turned parent against parent,” said Senator Evelyn Lynn.

The Parent Trigger targets failing schools. If 51 percent of parents signed a petition, they could ask the Department of Education to turn the school over to a charter company.

“If we’ve got a bill called the Parent Empowerment Bill, then why is the PTA against the bill,” asked Sen. Nancy Detert.

Right now Florida has 18 schools bad enough for parents to pull the trigger. Supporters of the plan say they need that option.

“Who is standing up for the parents at these 18 schools. The parents at these 18 schools, where you’re right, the mechanisms we have in place haven’t worked for them,” said Sen. Anitere Flores.

The debate got heated after questions arose over who would own the buildings taxpayers built if a charter school took over.

“I know the bill talked about a few parents sign a petition, but these schools are the assets of all the public,” said Sen. Dennis Jones.

“The charter people will walk right in and take over our buildings and I don’t know how you are going to explain that to your taxpayers back home,” said Senator Detert.

Once the smoke cleared, the parent trigger bill died on a split vote, but opponents worry leadership will try to reload before session ends. The president of the Florida Education Association was watching as the bill was defeated. He was excited, but says he’s not ready to celebrate just yet, that’s because any member on the prevailing side could ask leadership to reconsider the bill anytime before session ends. As of right now session is scheduled to end at 10:00 EST.