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In the last two days committees in the House and Senate at the State Capitol have approved legislation that would move the state to daylight saving time all year round and make the western panhandle pat of the eastern time zone. The latest approval came this morning, when Sponsor Heather Fitzenhagen told committee members the change would be good for the tourism industry.

“Committee members, this is the first great step to putting more sunshine in our lives in Florida. We are the sunshine state. I think its going to improve the health and wellness  across the board. If you think it about it a moment, how many times have you gotten home from work in the wintertime and you would live to go throw the football, maybe drop a line in, or go out to dinner with your spouse. This will give people more quality time, the time when its nicest in Florida” says Fitzenhagen.

If lawmakers and the Governor eventually agree, Congress and the US Department of Transportation would still have to approve the change.

Police being able to stop you for texting while driving without first observing another violation is one step closer to becoming the law of Florida tonight. But s Mike Vasilinda tells us, African American lawmakers worry the change could open the door to harassment by police.

State Senator Bobby Powell used to be a police dispatcher. He told a Senate Committee he was 19 the first time police stopped him.

“tag light was out”

And says he’ been on the wrong end of a police stop at night.

“I was verbally abused, yelled at, cursed at” says Powell.

Powell’s opposition to stronger anti texting legislation prompted Demetrius Branca, who’s son Anthony died after being hit by a texting driver,  to argue the good in the bill outweighs the bad.

“If we hesitate now, people are going to die” says the Dad working tirelessly to pass a primary enforcement bill.

Other parents, like Debbit Wanninkhof, shared their stories.

“He was killed in Oklahoma by a cell phone distracted driver” she said of her son Patrick.

Before a vote, lawmakers added a provision requiring the state to keep track of who is being stopped.

Sponsor Keith Perry says in the end, the legislation will send a message.

“We’re not trying to pull people over. We’re trying to change behavior” Perry told fellow Senators.

Sen Audrey Gibson of Jacksonville was the other no vote. She argues requiring hands free driving takes away the incentive for discrimination to play into who gets stopped.

“It’s very obvious someone is using a phone when you have hands free.”

Discrimination is a problem, acknowledged Florida police chiefs. They say they are working to stop it.

“It’s a valid concern, but law enforcement works very hard to implement the appropriate training” says FSU Police Chief David Perry. He came to the committee representing the Police Chiefs Association.

One of the questions asked, Can we text while’s were stopped at a light? The answer is yes.

But not while you are driving, unless you want to risk a thirty dollar ticket.

The legislation has one more committee before being voted on by the full Senate. Last week, Governor Rick Scott said he favors the tougher law.

Female Democrats in the state legislature say the next logical extension of the #me too campaign is to pay women equally for the same job. They argue they earn between 75 and 85 cents for every dollar a man makes for the same duties. State Senator Linda Stewart is the Senate sponsor of the equal pay legislation.

“If you truly value women and the work they do, the rights they have earned, and the respect they are owed, than hear, then pass this bill” says Steward.

House Minority Leader janet Cruz says women want fairness in all aspects of their lives.

“I think it’s part of the movement, you know a movement to treat women with respect, whether it be in fair pay equity, pay equity, or whether it be in respect equity.”

The legislation is yet to get a hearing by mostly Republican men in charge of the state legislature.

When White Supremacist Richard Spencer was shouted down at the University last fall  one state Senator had enough. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, universities, faculty, students or staff who interrupt a scheduled speaker could be liable for up to a hundred thousand dollars in damages under legislation being heard at the Capitol on Tuesday.

Protestors of any kind wouldn’t be stuck in free speech zones on college campuses under legislation pending at the State Capitol.  Sen. Dennis Baxley (R-Ocala) is the sponsor.

“The very fact that you would be relegated to a free speeches zone tells you you don’t have free speech” says Baxley.

Baxley proposed the “Free Speech on Campus” legislation after white supremacist Richard Spencer was shouted down at the University of Florida last October.

‘We’ve got to get away from this idea that none of us can hear something that we object to.”

In addition to outlawing free speech zones, the legislation allows a court to imposes a minimum five hundred dollar civil fine for university students, faculty or staff for disrupting a previously scheduled activity.

“We’ve got to learn to debate ideas rather than just yelling and screaming” says Baxley.

A Brookings Institute study has found that among college students, 51 percent think its okay to shout down someone with whom they disagree.

“I think most college students, like, actually understand the first amendment. They might just let their emotions get the best of them” says FSU student Sarafina Cruz.

The legislation gets its first hearing in the House on Tuesday. No hearings are scheduled in the Senate.

While passage is a long shot, just hearing the bill is expected to send a message to University administrators that all speech is to be protected.

Bright banners draped the rotunda in the State Capitol this morning. They will be there all week as advocates hope to push children’s issues to center stage for lawmakers. The annual event brings thousands to the Capitol to point out what kids need or are lacking. Josh Talkington of Eckerd Connects says it is a chance for advocates to share success stories.

“So anything we can do to move the needle a little bit, as far making their progress a little bit better, making the world a little better for them, putting them on an even playing field. That’s why we are excited about” says Talkington.

Tomorrow, state officials will read to elementary students during a Storybook Village in the Capitol courtyard. There will also be a teen town hall meeting and a news conference to talk about the heath and well being of all children.

Two FSU Fraternities have been suspended for hazing violations and violating the universities ban on greek activities. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the violations occurred both before and after the death of a 20 year old pledge which resulted in 9 frat members being charged with felony hazing.

Alpha Epsilon Pi was found responsible in four out of five incidents. They include humiliating pledges during a a six week period and not supervising a party in which a woman was found unresponsive at 4:30 in the morning.

The fraternity is suspended for four years.

“I am imposing an indefinite interim suspension on all fraternities” FSU President John Thrasher announced on November 6th.

Four days after the university suspended all greek activity,  FSU police found 50 members of The Chi Phi Fraternity violating the ban. They were in their underwear at 3 in the morning at the fountain in front of the administration building. It is suspended for two years.

Neither fraternity responded to a request for a comment.

At a trustees meeting In Panama City, we asked FSU President John Thrasher if the cases would be referred to prosecutors.

“If the State Attorney or somebody makes a complaint to the State Attorney  , he would would make a decision on whether there would be any criminal charges made, or to make and govern himself accordingly” says Thrasher

Gainesville State Senator Keith Perry, who sits on the Higher Ed Appropriations Committee says they culture has to change.

“So how do we break that, how do we understand, and I’m not sure what the answers are, but I know we need to do more” says Perry.

Attorney General Pam Bondi agrees.

“They’ve got to get their act together and if they are going to be on a campus, they have to abide by the law” Bondi told us.

But apparently the Greek community hasn’t gotten the message.

All organized greek activity remains banned on campus.

Governor Rick Scott, who rarely voices an opinion on pending legislation, today came out in support of making texting while driving a primary offense. The legislation would allow police to stop motorists without first observing some other violation.

“I haven’t seen the bill, but I clearly think that we ought to look at doing something like that, You know, you see too many accidents were people are distracted, so no one should be texting and driving” Scott told reporters.

Anti texting advocates have fought for tougher texting laws for at least the last four years. Lat month, the House Speaker, who had previously blocked the change, said statistics show the danger and he is now supporting primary enforcement.