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Legislation inspired by the Casey Anthony saga unanimously passed the Florida Senate this afternoon and is about to become a state law. The bill would make it a felony for parents to lie to police about their missing child. As Whitney Ray tells us, if the bill were law during the Casey Anthony Trial, she might be in prison for 20 years.

Caylee Anthony was missing for more than a month before police were notified. She was found dead four months later. Her mom Casey Anthony was tried for her murder. She beat the charges.

“I think it was terrible what she did,” said Paula Parth.

Paula followed the Casey Anthony trial. A mother of two herself, she was confounded to learn that Casey didn’t report her child missing to the police.

“I would want them to help me as fast as they could,” said Paula.

Casey was convicted on four counts of lying to police during their investigation to find Caylee. In Florida the crime is a misdemeanor, but that’s about to change. State Senator Joe Negron has ushered a bill through the process making it a felony for a parent to lie to police about their missing child.

“If you intentionally mislead the police and a child ends up seriously injured or deceased there are going to be severe felony penalties for that,” said Negron.

Paula thinks the change in law is needed. She says if police had known about the missing toddler earlier, things might have turned out differently.

“They wasted valuable time. Maybe she could have been found alive,” said Paula. “She lied. She should be put in jail for that.”

The bill makes the crime a third degree felony, carrying a penalty of five years in prison per charge. The bill was originally hyped as Caylee’s law, but the sponsor changed its name. He wanted to let people know it was being drafted broad enough to protect all Florida children.

Legislation requiring a doctor’s approval before a student athlete can re-enter a game after a head injury is headed to the governor.

Today the Florida Senate unanimous passed the bill. Its purpose is to keep kids who suffer a concussion from risking more serious injuries like brain damage. State Senator Anitere Flores says the bill gives added protection to student athletes.

“If there is even a suspicion of a concussion, that child has to be taken out of the game or practice right away and they can only come back into the game once they’ve received medical clearance from a doctor,” said Flores.

The Florida High School Athletic Association adopted similar rules last year. They say this bill will give them more authority.

Victims of human trafficking will soon have more protection when reporting their captors.

Legislation creating safe havens for people sold in the sex trade passed the Florida Senate today. Another bill creating tougher penalties for people who enslave others for sex or labor passed the chamber. State Senator Anitere Flores’ legislation would protect victims of sex trafficking if they are arrested while prostituting.

“It helps them, it give law enforcement that option and hopefully what happens is the girls will break that cycle and they will go on to become productive citizens rather than go into the incarceration system,” said Flores.

The bills also requires their pimps to register as sex offenders if they’re caught.

Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos gave his farewell speech to the upper chamber today.

After 12 years in the legislature, the Brevard County Republican is term-limited. As is tradition in the legislature, a portrait of him was unveiled during session today. Haridopolos says that even though he didn’t pass every piece of legislation that he wanted, the most important thing is getting people to talk about the issues.

“If you are going to run as a conservative, govern as a conservative. Don’t tell people at election time that you are a conservative and come here and do something different. Govern as you campaign,” said Haridopolos.

The portrait will hang in the senate chamber for 100 years. Haridopolos’ future in politics is uncertain; he abandoned a run for the US Senate earlier this year.

Two families whose children were injured in separate incidents more than a decade ago have been fighting for compensation ever since. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the two families and hundreds of other people injured by government often face what is considered an unfair process to collect what courts have already said they are owed.

If every child riding this school bus were to be seriously injured because of the driver’s negligence, the most parents could collect combined would be just three hundred thousand dollars. Anything more than three hundred thousand dollars has to be approved by lawmakers.

Sometimes the success of a claims bill will depend on, well, which one of these lobbyists you actually hire.

“This process needs to be reformed,” Rep. John Wood (R-Polk County) said.

Eric Brody was seriously injured by a speeding sheriff’s deputy when he was 18. Now 32, his family hasn’t gotten a dime. His Dad says the process has been a nightmare.

“You’re pushed aside for politics like you don’t even exist,” Eric’s father Chuck Brody said. “Like Eric doesn’t exist, like there’s no Eric, there’s no situation.”

Mitzi Roden has been fighting a similar battle against Lee Memorial Hospital. A judge found a nurse disobeyed the mother’s wishes and cause a birth defect. For more than a decade the hospital has fought tooth and nail to avoid paying anything.

“Last week was the first time that Lee Memorial tried to negotiate this case,” Rep. Anitere Flores (R-Miami) said.

But even with that vote, awarding Mitzi and her ex-husband ten million now and a million a year for five years, the battle is far from over. Governor Rick Scott must also agree.

“Governor Scott, please pass Aaron Edwards’s bill,” Roden said. “He needs you to do this for him and for his future.”

Wood and others want the law changed. But until it is, if you’re hurt by government, don’t count on collecting anything to be easy.

Legal synthetic drugs, the ones sold in gas stations as incense or herbal blend, are about to be banned statewide. Less than a year after lawmakers voted to outlaw older synthetic drugs, new, slightly alerted products are back on the shelves. As Whitney Ray tells us, those products will soon be banned through a bill with unanimous support in the House and the Senate.

The warning is just a formality. If these products weren’t made for consumption no one would buy them. The packages read herbal blend or incense but the chemicals in these legal drugs are deadly.

A Florida teen learned the hard way. He smoked Jazz in January and was found drowned in a creek hours later.

Hillsborough County Colonel Jim Previtera sees it way to often, dangers drugs being marketed to teens at gas stations and head shops and he can’t do a thing about it.

“It’s frustrating because our obligation is to protect the public,” said Previtera.

Previtera watched Wednesday as the Senate passed a bill expanding the state’s ban on synthetic drugs; adding 92 chemical blends to the current list of five outlawed compounds.

“It’s hard to stay ahead of them because they are constantly remaking the monocular makeup of the actual drug itself,” said Evers.

Lawmakers say it’s all about saving lives. They have a warning for parents. They say talk to your kids about the synthetic drug, because they’ll still be legally sold in stores until the governor signs the bill.

Some law enforcement officers are taking it a step further. They’re calling on a boycott of all gas stations that don’t voluntarily remove the products from their shelves. Both the House and Senate have unanimously passed the bill, but it was amended in the senate earlier today, so now it goes back to the House for a final vote.

The state Senate voted today to give the governor more control of future judicial appointments. Right now the governor appoints five members to the Judicial Nominating Commission and the Florida Bar picks four. The bill passed today would allow the governor to kick his predecessor’s appointees off the commission and pick five new ones. Senate Democrat Maria Sachs says the bill threatens the separation of powers.

“The executive must not have control of the legislative and the legislative and executive should have no undue control over the judicial,” said Sachs.

The Judicial Nominating Commission selects a pool of candidates, then the Governor gets to pick a judge from the pool. Democrats see the move as a way to give the governor more control of the state’s Supreme Court.

Judge Jackie Fulford has declared unconstitutional a 2011 law requiring public employees to contribute three percent of their salaries toward their pensions. The judge is also ordering the Florida Retirement System to refund the money collected since July, But as Mike Vasilinda tells us, legal maneuvering is likely to put the refund on hold.

560 Thousand public employees have been contributing three percent of the salaries toward their pensions since July.

Judge Jackie Fulford found lawmakers violated a 1974 law that gave workers a fully funded pension as part of their employment contract. The Florida Education Association, which brought suit, was ecstatic.

“The court today said that a promise is a promise, a contract is a contract,” Ron Meyer, attorney for the FEA, said.

Private attorneys paid nearly half a million by the state to argue the case had nothing to say.

“I really don’t have a comment at this time,” Doug Hinson, attorney for the state, said.

And for employees like Paul Brewer, living on three percent less has been painful.

“Close to two thousand dollar a year is what we lost last year, and anybody in this economy knows what two thousand dollars can buy,” Brewer said. “That’s like your groceries and gas money.”

Lawmakers are labeling the judge an activist even though she was appointed by a Republican Governor.

But the teachers union president who brought the suit says the ruling sends a message to lawmakers and the Governor.

“They have decided in this state over and over again to provide tax relief to big corporations,” FEA president Andy Ford said. “The people who put contributions into their campaigns, and it needs to stop.”

This decision isn’t likely to be the last word on the pension contributions. The case is certain to be appealed, with the final decision coming from Florida’s Supreme Court.

The judge has ordered the state to refund the nearly 900 million dollars it has collected so far. The refund will likely wait until all appeals are finished.

The ruling does not affect pension contributions by employees hired after July first.

You’re home insurance rates would increase under legislation moving in the last week of the 2012 legislative session. The bill would cut two billion dollars from the state CAT fund and force private insurers to buy more expensive reinsurance. Those higher costs would be passed on to consumers, but as Whitney Ray tells us, how much your premium would increase is different depending on who you ask.

A move to reduce the state’s financial risk means you would pay more. Lawmakers want to cut the CAT fund from 17 billion to 15 billion. The bill’s sponsor Steve Oelrich says it’s needed to protect Florida from bankruptcy if a major storm hits.

“Hopefully in the case of a big disaster we would not have a catastrophic bill due,” said Oelrich.

Cutting the CAT fund would force private insurance companies to buy more expensive reinsurance in the private market. The cost would be passed on to consumers through higher premiums.

“We are looking at probably less than one percent a year,” said Oelrich.

State Senator Mike Fasano disputes the prediction.

“What the proponents say is just a couple of percentage points, but there’s no guarantee. No one knows what reinsurance is going to cost,” said Fasano.

Another bill to reduce the state’s risk was weakened Monday. It allows unregulated, out-of-state insurance companies to take policies out of Citizens.

The original bill called for Citizens to notify policyholders by mail 30 days before their insurer was switched. It would then be up to the policyholder to fight to stay in Citizens. If they ignored the letter they would be automatically taken out of Citizens.

“Individuals have the right, when those policies come due, to review those policies and determine themselves if they’d like to keep them or not,” said Sen. Thad Altman.

Senator Thad Altman amended the bill. Now Citizens’ customers must opt in if they want to be insured by the unregulated, mostly more expensive insurers. The bill’s sponsor says the amendment all but ruins his legislation.

Supporters of both proposals say they’re simply trying to protect all policyholders. They say if Citizens continues to support 1.5 million policies and the CAT fund isn’t reduced, when the big one hits all Floridians will be paying more through increased assessments.

Legislation drafted after a Hernando County Deputy lost his life in a car chase would toughen penalties for people who flee police.

The John Mecklenburg Act would require a murder charge for drivers that lead police on a chase that kills someone. State Senator Mike Fasano sponsored the bill in honor of the fallen deputy.

“This legislation that we passed and is on its way to the governor to be signed will include that in first, second, and third degree murder, meaning that if someone is convicted for murder under eluding and fleeing, you are going to get life in prison,” said Fasano.

Currently drivers who kill people in police chases face a third degree murder. If the governor signs the bill drivers could be charged with first or second degree murder.

There are 36 claims bills worth more than 100 million dollars awaiting legislative approval. Yesterday Governor Rick Scott rushed to sign legislation to pay restitution to a man who spent 27 years behind bars for a murder he didn’t commit. As Whitney Ray tells us, the claims process can take years because after the judge decides the victim is owed money, state lawmakers still have to sign off on the deal.

Speechless, William Dillon could barely utter a word for minutes after Governor Rick Scott signed a bill making the former convicted murderer a millionaire.

Dillon spent 27 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. He was released in 2008 after DNA evidence proved his innocence.

“Just to tell people not to ever give up, don’t ever give up,” said Dillon.

Dillon, now 52, was an athlete and a musician when he was thrown in jail in 1981.

Since his release he has played a charity baseball game and recorded an album. He says the 1.3 million dollars he’ll receive from the state won’t make up for lost time.

There are 36 other claims bills still waiting to be heard. With just a week left in session, the families are praying for a miracle. Aaron Edwards, spells out words for him mom to interpret.

While still in the womb a nurse at a Florida hospital gave his mother the wrong dosage and when Aaron lost oxygen, there was no one around to perform an emergency C-section. Aaron suffered brain damage.

“Ever extra penny I have goes to things Medicaid doesn’t cover,” said Mitzi Roden.

A judge awarded Aaron 30 million dollars. Mitzi says the money is needed for special schooling, technology to help Aaron communicate and to take care of him after she is gone.

Among those bills still awaiting approval is a two million dollar pay out to the family of an FSU student killed in a botched drug sting and 10 million dollars for a man paralyzed in a car accident with a speeding Broward County Deputy.

Important news tonight for parents of high school seniors.

If your kid plans to attend UF or FSU next year, it might cost way more than expected. Today the Florida House passed a bill giving the two universities the authority to raise tuition as much as they want. Currently tuition increases are limited to 15 percent a year. Representative Eric Fresen says allowing the two universities to raise the price to market levels will make them more competitive.

“If we are not trying to create a university system that’s going to elevate to excellence our economic development in the state is going to be dwarfed and we will be losing the battle on competition,” said Fresen.

The bill still has to be approved by the Senate. If it is then it goes to Governor Rick Scott who told lawmakers at the start of session he didn’t want any tuition increases.

Florida House Members start your engines. Legislation to make Auto-racing the official state sport crossed the finish line in the Senate today and is speeding to the House. Opponents of the bill say golf or baseball are more important sports, but senate sponsor Evelyn Lynn says Florida’s rich history with NASCAR makes it clear auto-racing should be singled out.

“It brings in millions and millions of dollars and they are all new dollars to the state of Florida. They are dollars from people who live outside the state so there is no other sport that compares to that,” said Lynn.

No word yet on when or if the House will take up the bill or if the chamber will give it the green flag.

Black lawmakers say Florida’s new elections laws make it harder for minorities to vote. They’re trying to amend a new election bill to bring back voting on the Sunday before elections. They say the Soles to the Polls Campaign that organizes blacks to vote after church can’t work under the new rules. State Senator Chris Smith is asking legislative leaders to restore early voting.

“It forbids them from exercising their Souls to the Polls. It has stopped early voting on that last Sunday. I don’t know why. If fraud is going to happen it’s not going to suddenly happen that last Sunday,” said Smith.

The new law cut early voting from 14 days to 8 days. Counties can still host early voting on Sunday, just not the Sunday before the election.

For the second year in a row, state lawmakers are treading on questionable ground in voting to test for drugs. The state House today approved random drug testing for state employees, but lawmakers and the Governor are zero for two when it comes to sniffing out illegal substances.

The legislation would allow ten percent of the state’s work force to be randomly drug tested four times a year. That’s fifty thousand tests. Rep. Carlos Trujillo says it will make the workplace safer. “I think it improves the quality of life of public employees”
Trujillo told his colleagues.

But Rep. Rick Kriseman says initial evidence has found few positive tests. “The Department of Transportation, with more than six thousand employees, only had two positive tests of over five hundred that was done,” says the St. Petersburg representative.

The idea unleashed a triad of opposition. “You don’t want to do it to the Governor, you don’t want to do it to us. I tell you, what you are doing, you’re being bullies” said incoming Democratic Leader Perry thurston. Rep. Irv Slosberg of Palm Beach took a more compassionate approach. “It’s all about forgiveness. People make mistakes in life and we have to forgive them and we have to try and work with them” say Slosberg.

Last years legislation ordering drug testing for welfare recipients has been put on hold by the Federal Courts. So too has a plan by the Governor to order state employee testing by executive order.

The legislation made Florida the brunt of a national joke on a comedy news show.

Lawmakers say they don’t care. Rep. Scott Plakon says interpreting the constitution is not the legislature’s job. “It is our job to make good public policy that we think benefits all Floridians, and that’s what this is” said Plakon.

And there is little doubt that if the random tests are signed into law, it’ll go straight to court. ACLU Legislative Coordinator Ronald Bilbao says court rulings are clear. “Random, suspicion less drug testing, absent a safety sensitive position, by the government, is unconstitutional under the fourth amendment” says Bilbao.

While ordering the tests, lawmakers gave agencies no cash, forcing them to cut elsewhere to carry out the law.