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31 year old Gerald Wright was one of the victims in last years mass shooting at the Pulse night club in Orlando. Today, ,his parents, Fred and Maria Wright joined dozens of other in the Capitol to push lawmakers to stop a handful of bills they believe would expand access to guns.

“And we’re just asking out legislators, please, we need common sense. we don’t need more gun violence victims. Out son was 31 years old. What happened to him was terrible, but we’re having too much gun violence, and more guns in more places, in more hands is not the way to solve this issue” Mafia said, holding back tears.

A study by “Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America” released today shows 75% don’t want guns on college campuses;69% don’t want armed personnel in schools, and 68% are against open carry. The survey also found that only 43 percent are willing to hold lawmakers accountable for their votes.

A day after the Florida Supreme Court said death prosecutions can go forward with a unanimous verdict, the House took up the unanimous jury verdict bill late in the day, but a group of pastors was in Tallahassee arguing for a moratorium and a study of the death penalty.

Darlene Farah’s daughter Shelby was shot and killed during a robbery at phone store near Jacksonville in 2013. Farah is fighting against the death penalty for her daughter’s accused killer.

“Murder is murder…justice..you know I’ve asked so many different people name one good thing that comes out of the death penalty all I hear is justice and closure..justice for who..there’s no justice” says Farah.

Farah has made several trips to the Capitol and last year opposed the legislature’s 10-2 jury verdict bill that was eventually declared unconstitutional.”

A House Committee has adopted legislation prohibiting legislators from lobbying for six years after leaving office. The current ban is two years.If the Senate goes along, voters must ultimately approve the legislation…but State Rep. Lori Berman says the legislation is off to a good start.

“This makes sure that we aren’t becoming a revolving door of lobbyists you know. This is clear that is not the intent of the legislature and not something we want to see in our state” says Berman

The legislation also closes a loophole that let the Secretary of Environmental Protection leave for a law firm he had hired as during his tenure as DEP Secretary.

The oldest surviving officer from the battle of Iwo Jima has died. Lt. General Larry Snowden passed away over the weekend at the age of 95 in the state Capitol. And those who knew him call him a Marines Marine, a Generals’ General, or just hero.

Larry Snowden was a 23 year old Captain commanding 200 men at Iwo Jima.

Snowden told us in 2013 that one of WWII’s most famous battles was far different than the romanticized version.

“I”ve read many accounts that says when the flag went up, the troops all over the island stood up and cheered. No way. Where I was, you stood up, you were a dead Marine” says Snowden.”

Snowden was wounded twice, and went back into action despite having a year and a half old son at home.

“And I had a momentary flash of what it would mean to me is somebody were telling me that my son is dead” he added.

For many, like Col Glen Sutfin, the Secretary of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs.  just knowing him was considered an honor.

“He is skillful and courageous in battle. He was gracious to the defeated. He always took care of his troops, and they necessarily didn’t have to be on active duty with him. It didn’t matter where they were.If they were troops, veterans, he took care of them” Sutfin told us.

Snowden went on to fight in Korea and Vietnam. He thinks returning vets got a raw deal.

After his tour in Viet Nam, Snowden said its okay not to like the war…but “We didn’t win that war to my satisfaction. But that was not the fault of our troops. that was the fault of our political leaders who decided to settle for something less than victory.”

Snowden passed at age 95 over the weekend. He never failed to live up to the Marine Corps motto…Semper Fi, Always faithful.

Lt. general Snowden died a day short of the 71st anniversary of the invasion of Iwo Jima. Until a year ago, when his health started failing, he was an active speaker on veterans issues.

Senator Bill Nelson was in Tallahassee speaking to students at the Humphries Science Research museum at FAMU. Nelson talked to students about the importance of STEM education, the future of the space program, and his experience aboard Space Shuttle Columbia.

Nelson says he’s in favor of a special investigation of the Trump campaign’s alleged communication with Russia leading up to the election. “I think if the American people really want to be satisfied that we know all of the facts when it comes to how the Russians have hacked us” says Nelson.

Nelson says an independent panel is needed.

 

 

Governor Rick Scott has made it a priority to repeal a state law requiring health care providers to prove there is a need for additional beds before they can be built. It is called certificate of need. Today, the state’s nursing home operators said repealing the CON process would be a mistake because there is no such thing as free market conditions in health care.

Florida Health Care Association Executive Director Emmett Reed is not in favor of the CON process. “There will be an influx of Taj Mahal type nursing homes that come in and take the private pay and Medicare payment, and leave Medicaid only nursing homes” says Reed.

Two bills have been filed to repeal Certificate of Need requirements.

Doctors in Florida can now talk to their patients about guns after a federal appeals court struck down key provisions of the so-called ‘Docs vs Glocks’ law.
The law kept physicians from asking their patients about firearm ownership.

Pediatrician Louis St. Petery was one of the lead plaintiffs in the suit. He’s happy this long legal challenge appears to be over. “Well I think they made the right decision. We were not happy when this passed the Florida Legislature.
Because there are so many children who get injured or killed inappropriately, a lot by handguns that are improperly stored” says St. Peterey.

The doctor says he thinks the ruling will make kids safer. The 8-3 decision by the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned an earlier decision by a divided three-judge panel that upheld the Florida law. The opinion only applies to portions of the law that restricted doctors from inquiring about firearms.

The decision could be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Thousands of families of people who died from smoking may benefit from legislation being considered at the state capitol that could speed up settlement payments from big tobacco, and as Mike Vasilinda tells us at issue is a 2009 law that treats tobacco differently than the industries.

Florida receives between 350 and 400 million a year in tobacco settlement dollars. Because of that, Lawmakers gave the industry a special law in 2009: they are not required to put up as much cash as other industries when they lose a lawsuit and appeal.  But now there is a move to require the same bond as everyone else. Jimmy Gustafson of the Florida Justice Association says tobacco has been dragging its feet settling cases.

“This statute gives those companies an incentive to just eep on appealing until the last dog has died” Gustafson told lawmakers.

Significantly more people have sued big tobacco in Florida than any other state. The reason,  a 2006 Supreme Court  ruling.0

But Keith Teel, who represents Altria, told lawmakers without the special treatment, it could have to pay so much to appeal it could be out of business.

“The problem with a bankruptcy is that all of the payments would have gone away.”

Then Rep. Sean Shaw (D-Tampa) asked: “Are you suggesting that if this bill passes, it will affect your ability to make settlement payments?”

“No” Teel responded.

The Committee approved the bill 14-1.

We tried to ask Teel  about the apparent conflict.

Q:”What happens to you…”

“I have no comment. You heard my testimony.”

Jay Fant of Jacksonville was the only no vote.

“And we have an expectation on our funding that we will get those settlements from the tobacco companies, and there is a balance to that. I just don’t want to upset the balance” reasons Fant.

Tobacco does say that every judgement again ti has been paid quickly…the trail bar says its because they drag out the appeals as long as possible.

The hearing before the House committee was the only committee assignment in the House, so the legislation is ready for a floor vote. The legislation has yet to be heard in a Senate committee.

The war of words over incentives to luring businesses and tourists to Florida is heating up in the State Capitol. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, Governor Rick Scott is making it personal.

When lawmakers passed a bill abolishing the states economic development and tourism promotion agency, Governor Rick Scott hit the road, scheduling stops in House members districts who voted for the abolition. Here’s what he said in Panama City.

“And one of them is your state Rep. right here, Jay Trumbull, who voted to abolish Enterprise Florida and abolish Visit Florida. How can anybody do that” asked Scott.

He did the same thing to Rep. Paul Renner of Palm Coast. Renner is the sponsor of the legislation.

”How did that feel?” we asked.

“You know what, I think we agree with the Governor on many many topics, and I’m going to continue to talk about those we share in common” Renner told us.

Scott chose the Brevard Zoo to announce tourism numbers Thursday. Rep. Randy Fine represents Brevard.  He wrote Scott suggesting the two talk in person..not through the media. Fine wouldn’t say anything more to us. “The letter speaks for itself.”

”You know, I view it as being on one big team” say rep. Chris Latvala, who tweeted

support for Turnbull and others in the Governor’s crosshairs.

“You know I was sad to see them targeted the way that they were,”

Of the Governor’s tactics, one House member who wouldn’t go on camera told us : I was bullied as a kid, I’m not going to be bullied now.

And now House Speaker Richard Corcoran has released a video of news clips criticizing the agencies Scott is fighting for.

“The market place contains incentives enough to warrant continuing these activities without a government subsidy” boomed a clip from Ronald Reagan to end the video.

Scott and the House Speaker are reportedly not speaking to each other. A bad omen weeks before the legislative session begins.

The Florida Housing Finance Director resigned recently after spending 52 thousand on a steak dinner for staff and the board. The Inspector General for the agency, who’s job is to catch and report misspending, got a  twelve thousand five hundred dollar bonus. Now a House committee has approved a bill prohibiting bonuses to inspector generals in all agencies. Rep. Scott Plakon says the bonus could keep IGs from doing their job.

“The inspector general got a twelve thousand five hundred dollar bonus. It’s like I said. I don’t think that’s right. Compensation should align with the duties of the job, and in that , it  seems the compensation could be contrary to what their job is to do, to hold these agencies accountable” says Plakon.

Inspector Generals in agencies report to the Governor, not the agency head.

Lawmakers are mulling over a Veterans Day sales tax exemption holiday. The idea is to honor those who served in our armed forces by letting them buy footwear and clothing under $60.00 tax free. Representative Mel Ponder of Destin says the legislation would make it a one-day offer on Veterans Day, November 11. “If anything we could start with this $60.00 or less for one day and get the ball rolling and just start honoring the veterans in that regard” Ponder says. The bill would cost the state $1.4 million. The legislation is shorter than the three days the governor wants.

 

 

 

A tax credit could be on the way for victim’s of last year’s storms. Under the proposed disaster relief tax credit bill owners of property made uninhabitable by the hurricanes in 2016 could petition their property appraiser to lower taxes. Representative Colleen Burton of Polk County says this is temporary relief. “That piece of legislation takes into account that homes are inhabitable often times for a couple of months” says Burton.

The legislature has provided tax relief for the victims of natural disasters on at least four occasions.

Michael Chmielewski, who supervised pages and messengers for the Florida House of Representatives Clerk’s Office has been arrested on two counts of Obscene Communications and travel to meet a minor.

Chmielewski was arrested Monday. The House Speakers office says he was terminated immediately, his computer locked and given to the Dept of Law Enforcement. In addition to supervising pages and messengers, he gave tours of the House Chamber and was active in a civics education program. Anyone with pertinent knowledge is asked to call the Department of Law Enforcement or the House Sergeant of Arms at 850.717.5700.

Fewer better tests is the goal of legislation introduced by some of the legislatures heavy hitters in education at the state Capitol today. But as Mike Vasilinda tells us, it comes too late to help students and parents this year and likely next.

As students and parents prepare for this years high stakes Florida Student Assessment test, a group of state lawmakers says they have heard parents. The legislation would move the test to the end of May, which Sponsor Chris Sprowls says students would have a years worth of knowledge before being tested.

“A survey of over four hundred teachers, nearly eighty percent said it would be helpful if we had  this calendar moved back to the end of the year” says Sprowls.

Parents and teachers have voiced complaints for more than a decade, but lawmakers have refused to budge..until now. What’s changed is the questionable validity of a test developed in Utah, and online technology that makes grading faster. Patricia Levesque from the Foundation for Florida’s Future praised the depth of the testing ability.

“If you’ve seen the questions, they are really interactive. They re able to test and measure at a much deeper level in a much quicker amount of time” says Levesque.

While Florida is considered a model for testing, it’s unique test has been apples and oranges when trying to compare results to other states. Rep. Manny Diaz (R-hialeah) says the  legislation would begin looking at standardized national tests.

“If we were to decided we wanted to change the test, could we use the SAT and ACT effectively?” asks Diaz.

The current test contractor has another year left on it’s contract. Then it will be rebid, which means change will not come quickly.

Sen. Anitere Flores (R-Miami) says change before the 2017-18 school year is unlikely.

“It might be a year before we see some of these real work effects to in. I’d love for it to be sooner.”

The legislation also seeks to lower the number of tests given by local districts in an effort to give teachers and students more time learning and less time prepping for a test.

If the change is approved, grades would be available in the summer, and given to teachers for the fall school year.

Legislation has cleared a house committee in the state Capitol that would allow parents who lose a child after 18 weeks of gestation to apply for and receive a who lose a non viable fetus certificate from the Department of Health. Sponsor Bob Cortes says it’s an effort to help families grieve…something he knows first hand.

“For those of us who have lost a child like myself, we all grieve in different ways. And one of the ways that parents want to grieve is to memorialize  their children. the fact that they can actually see and they lost it under state records. they have the documents that they had a child and lost it, and they grieve in different ways” say Cortes.

The legislation caps the cost of the certificates at five dollars. Cortes says as many as fifty thousand families might apply each year.