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Governor Rick Scott will sign the state budget tomorrow at the Villages. The 70 billion dollar spending plan reduces spending, cuts corporate income taxes, lowers education spending and eliminates 45-hundred state jobs. Scott says it will spur economic growth. A Quinnipiac poll released today says just one in four voters approves of the budget. Poster Peter Brown says even if Scott vetoes some spending items, which he is expected to do, it’s won’t make a big difference on how people view the spending plan.

“You can certainly make the case that he is going to offend more people. You can also make the case that if he does makes these cuts that he’s been consistence in how he’s handling his job. He’s cut every place he doesn’t think is absolutely necessary,” said Brown.

Scott has been reviewing the budget for two weeks now. Using line item vetoes he’s expected to cut tens of millions of dollars from the spending plan.

Five hundred Department of Children and Families employees are losing their jobs due to state budget cuts. The layoffs come as DCF searches for answers in child death cases that happened on the department’s watch. As Whitney Ray tells us, child advocates say now is not the time to cut.

The warning signals were sounded, but they weren’t loud enough to save the life of 13 month old Ezekiel Mathis. Mathis died from wounds investigators say were inflicted by his mother’s boyfriend.

Abuse had been reported, but the attorney general’s office had authority over the case, and choose to keep Ezekiel and his mom united.

Now the Department of Children and Families is asking for all questionable cases to be brought before their investigators. But they’ll be taking on the extra work with a lighter staff.

Because of state budget cuts, 500 DCF employees will lose their jobs next month.

“People who directly relate to clients and act as first line responders for families and children in need, we are not going to touch those positions,” said DCF spokesman Joe Follick.

“We’re trying to talk investigators and other front line workers repeatedly to say how can we make your job easier, how can we make it more efficient,” said Follick.

The department says the cuts will have no impact on its child protection services, but children’s advocates say that’s not good enough. They say the front line needs to be beefed up and point to a dead of a south Florida girl as evidence that the department needs more staff.

10 year old Nubia Barahona was killed in February, after reports of abuse by her adoptive parents made it to DCF administrators.

“That was at an administrative level, at a supervisory level. I don’t know how you are going to improve that if you are reducing the number of people who can participate in that supervision,” said Woodall.

In response to the Barahona death DCF has added 80 case workers. The layoffs will be spread through out the state and finalized by the end of June. Many of the positions eliminated will be at three state mental hospitals in Gainesville, Chattahoochee, and Macclenny.

Four hurricanes hit Florida in 2005 and experts are warning that the 2011 hurricane season could be just as bad. The prediction comes as Florida has a new governor and a new leader at the state Division of Emergency Management. As Whitney Ray tells us, Hurricane season starts in nine days… and the new leaders are fine-tuning the state’s emergency response plans.

Dennis, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma rocked Florida in 2005. Hurricane experts are saying 2011 could be just as bad. They’re predicting 18 named storms half of them hurricanes. To prepare, Governor Rick Scott is meeting with agency heads at the state’s Emergency Operations Center and participating in a mock hurricane drill.

“We have a strong experience team and is ready to respond to any disaster or crisis,“ said Scott.

This will be Scott’s 1st hurricane season as head of the state. His pick to head up the Department of Emergency Management, Bryan Koon is also a new-comer.

Before coming to Florida, Koon headed up Wal-Mart’s emergency response efforts. Wal-Mart is actively involved in delivering food and supplies to storm ravaged areas around the world.

“When I was at Wal-mart, I didn’t get the opportunity to work on disasters at all 50 states as well as internationally,” said Koon.

The main concern for Koon and the Governor is apathy after six years without a major storm they worry Floridians are not prepared.

Most people already know to keep a three day supply of water and food in their hurricane preparedness kit as well as a flashlight with extra batteries, extra clothes, and a weather radio. The emergency manager says, “don’t forget about the family pet, they say keep the pet medication on hand as well as the vaccination papers in case you have to drop off your pet at a kennel, and of course the family dog or cat has to eat or drink so bring extra water and extra food.

Being prepared also involves knowing the emergency evacuation routes. The state has dozens of electronic billboards to help folks find their way out if a storm is coming. For more information about evacuation routes and hurricane preparedness kits visit Floridadisaster.org.

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is in… Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels is out. Last week several other big names dropped out of the pool of GOP candidates looking to challenge President Barack Obama in 2012. Some within the Republican Party are questioning if they’ll produce a candidate that can win in 2012. Governor Rick Scott is more optimistic about the GOP pool, so much so, he’s not going to challenge any of the candidates.

“I’m not running for president and I don’t intend to run for president. There are a lot of great candidates and you know, it looks like there’s likely to be more,” said Scott.

Besides not entering the race, Scott is also holding out on endorsing any of the GOP candidates.

Law requires people receiving unemployment pay to actively look for a job, but until now the state didn’t check to make sure they were. The Agency for Workforce Innovation is now questioning 6-thousand different benefits receivers every week to make sure they’re looking for work. Governor Rick Scott says accountability is important.

“It’s only fair to the people that are paying for those that are unemployed that anybody that is receiving any unemployment benefits that are making sure they are looking for a job,” said Scott.

The checks will be at random. People caught lying about businesses they’ve applied to will lose their benefits.

146 Years ago today, Union soldiers read the Emancipation Proclamation for the first time in Florida. A reenactment in the state Capitol comes one day after Governor Rick Scott signed massive changes to election law, that as Mike Vasilinda tells us, could make voting more difficult.

On May 20^th, 1865, Union soldiers read President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in Florida for the first time. The event is reenacted each year in Tallahassee.

But many African Americans believe that a 158-page elections bill signed into law Thursday will do them more harm than good.

“I think that the Justice Department is going to weigh in on this because basically what you’re doing is taking away citizens’ rights to actually vote,” former state Senator Al Lawson said.

Despite claims to the contrary, the legislation allows county supervisors to cut early voting in half, to as few as eight, six-hour days. Secretary of State Kurt Browning says that will save small counties money.

“I do not see that as a reduction of early voting,” Browning said. “I see that as a good, common sense approach to being able to not use this whole one-size-fits-all mentality.”

The legislation is being described as a proactive approach to fighting election fraud. But in recent years, only four cases have been prosecuted.

Still another provision would give lawmakers a second chance if they write misleading ballot information for constitutional amendments. Elections law expert Ron Meyer successfully argued against several amendments last fall.

“What this legislation tries to do is take away from the court the right to make sure that the people understand what they’re voting for,” Meyer said.

The new law also makes it harder to chance your address on short notice.

Florida’s unemployment rate has dropped again. Labor statistics released today put the jobless rate at 10.8 percent. This is the fourth straight month Florida’s unemployment rate has dropped but as Whitney Ray tells us, the free fall is likely to stop as state worker layoffs and budget cuts begin.

There are 80-thousand more jobs in Florida now than there were a year ago. Labor statistics released Friday show the state’s unemployment rate dropped .3 percentage points to 10.8, marking fourth straight months of decline. There are now fewer than a million Floridians looking for work.

“This is the lowest unemployment rate since September of 2009,” said AWI Chief Economist Rebecca Rust.

The celebration will likely be short lived. Thousands of teachers were told they were losing their jobs this week because of a billion dollar hole will be left unfilled when federal stimulus dollars run out.

“You see in Broward they are talking cutting 1,400 positions. In Pasco County, a much smaller county they are talking about cutting 500 positions,” said Mark Pudlow, with the Florida Education Association.

8-thousand construction jobs could be eliminated if Governor Rick Scott signs off on a 150 million dollar legislative raid on the transportation trust fund.

“We just got the good news today that the jobless rate in Florida has declined from 11.1 percent to 10.8 percent. We are heading in the right direction, the absolute last thing we should be doing is throwing a wet blanket on the flickering flames of Florida’s economic recovery,” said Doug Callaway, with Floridians for Better Transportation.

And thousands more will lose their jobs if the governor vetoes school construction projects to save more than 100 million dollars. Another 45-hundred state jobs are eliminated in the budget lawmakers sent to Scott. What he does with the spending plan next will determine, how far the job loss will go.

Governor Rick Scott has promised to veto some items in the state spending plan. At the same time he believes cutting government jobs will help create jobs in the private sector.

With less than two weeks until the 2011 hurricane season, the state is testing its response equipment and retraining staff. A mobile system helping to bring food and cash assistance to hurricane victims was tested today to make sure its ready to respond. As Whitney Ray tells us, the system was adopted after Hurricane Wilma. It’s been tested a dozen times, but never used.

In 2005, Hurricane Wilma left thousands of South Florida residents hungry and thirsty. 600-thousand asked for help from the state. During Wilma, applications for cash and food assistance were filled out on paper. It took days, sometimes weeks for assistance to arrive.

Now the Department of Children and Families has a mobile application system. Victims are given debit cards when they apply. Using a satellite the applications can be approved over night and the cards activated.

“The amount of money the card depends on how many people are in your family,” said Terry Durdaller, a spokeswoman with DCF.

DCF tested its Food for Florida Program, Thursday. State workers played hurricane victims with no where else to turn. Some played scam artist.

And of course it was just a drill. In the event of a real disaster the crowd would be hundred times this size and more than fill this entire parking lot.

But that has never happened. The new system has been in place since 2007 and has never been needed. But with just two weeks until hurricane season DCF is testing the equipment and once again hoping they won’t have to use it.

During a disaster, most people affected would qualify for emergency assistance. Excluded are people who already receive cash and food assistance and people who still have a lot of money on hand after the storm.

Effective today Florida’s Elections laws have changed. Governor Rick Scott signed a controversial elections bill this afternoon.

The new law shortens early voting from two weeks to eight days, forces people who change their registration information the day they vote to cast a provisional ballot, and decreases from 10 days to two the amount of time third party voter registration groups have to turn in voter applications. Lawmakers passed the bill and Governor Rick Scott signed it saying it would help curb voter fraud… Yet there were only four arrest warrants issued for voter fraud over the last four years. Secretary of State Kurt Browning, held a news conference to discuss the new law today… he says it’s about being proactive.

“I’d much rather address problems before they rise, then get hit in the face with a full-blown problem and not have a plan to solve it,” said Browning.

Governmental watchdogs, like Brad Ashwell with Florida Public Interest Research Group, say the bill is really about keeping Democrats from voting.

“The governor had a change to say he wasn’t a politician as usual, he wasn’t just another party player and he passed a blatantly partisan bill. If you look all the different piece of this bill that are controversial, they all benefit one political party, the party in power,” said Ashwell.

The US Justice Department will review the changes to see if they violate the Federal Voter Rights Act.

Governor Rick Scott is expected to sign a bill that would drastically change Florida’s election laws. The bill would limit early voting, make it harder to register voters and set a deadline for voters to update their registration information. As Whitney Ray tells us, the US Justice Department has been asked to review the changes.

Last year Carley Sattler helped register hundreds of voters at Florida State University.

“A lot of students weren’t even aware that there were elections,” said Sattler.

Carley is the Chapter Chair of FSU PIRG… and regularly participates in voter registration drives. But she may stop signing up voters because of changes in Florida’s elections laws.

“I wouldn’t be shocked at all if a lot of organizations stopped doing registration. The fees were scary enough the past semesters, now fees and deadlines are even more restrictive,” said Sattler.

The changes shorten the time voter registration groups have to turn in forms from 10 days to two… For each form turned in late… a 50 dollar fine would be levied.

It would also force volunteers to registrar with the state before signing up voters. Those changes have volunteer groups like the League of Women Voters crying foul.

“That could be an undo burden for people who really do this as a labor of love, something they are committed to and see as their civic duty,” said League Spokeswoman Jessica Lowe-Minor.

Other changes include shortening early voting from two weeks to one and require voters who change their address 30 days before Election Day to cast provisional ballots.

The controversy surrounding the changes has already reached Washington… A delegation of Democratic Congressmen sent a letter to the Justice Department asking for a review. The Justice Department responded with this letter promising to “Carefully Consider” the changes to see if they violate the Voter Rights Act.

Supporters of the changes say it’s all about fraud prevention…. But there’s only been 31 reports of voter fraud in Florida since 2008… and in only four of those cases arrest warrants were issued.

Besides third party voter registration groups and supervisors of elections… Democrats oppose the bill. They say the changes would have a major impact on their voters… because Democrats are more likely to voter early. They’re also more likely to register to vote with a third party registration group.

Thirty-two states ban texting while driving, but not Florida. A bill banning the dangerous practice hit a road block during the legislative session. But, As Whitney Ray tells us, lawmakers did pass a bill to educate new drivers about the dangers of texting from behind the wheel.

18-year old Alex Bishoff admits, she sends text messages from behind the wheel, but only at stops.

“At stop-signs and stop-lights, not while in motion; it scares me,” said Bishoff.

It’s not the safest practice, but it’s better than texting while the car is moving. Drivers who text are 23 times more likely to wreck. 32 states have texting bans, but not Florida.

The state is taking a different approach to the deadly problem. An outright texting ban has failed in Tallahassee several years in a row, so this year lawmakers compromised.

They passed a bill requiring new drivers to learn about the dangers of texting while driving when they apply for a learners permit.

State Farm already educates its young drivers. They show videos and issue a safety test. Alex saw a similar video last year, it was an eye opener.

“It made me feel incredibly responsible for all of my actions on the road,” said Alex.

State Farm Agent Kathy Fain meets personally with all of her young drivers to make sure they understand the severity of the situation.

“They can get hurt in an instant, and it could be something that we can’t undo. So, as a State Farm agent, that’s my main thing: to keep them safe on the road,” said Fain.

And even though the state isn’t giving drivers a reason not to text, State Farm is. Young drivers who pass their safety course and stay out of trouble with the law can receive a discount until they’re 25.

The bill requiring educational courses for people applying for a learners permit is on the governor’s desk. He’s expected to sign it.

Pink Slips are starting to flow in school districts across the state as districts grapple with a five hundred and forty-two dollar per student cut come August. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, for many schools, it will mean fewer teachers and staff.

PE classes in most middle and elementary schools have already doubled. More kids are   being crammed into art and music, thanks to cuts in education over the last five years. Now districts are facing one point three billion less next year. This High school has already let six staff members go. Principal Rocky Hanna says seven more are on the chopping block. “Where as an educator do you draw the line. I’m pushing all these kids to take core classes, math and science on line, so they can take drama and art, and the classes they enjoy, elective classes here in school,” says Hanna.

Mark Pudlow says the same scenario is being repeated in districts across the state. “In Broward, they are talking about cutting 1400 positions. In Pasco County, a much smaller county, they are talking about cutting 500 positions.”

With an average of just over 550 students, this elementary school can expect to have about three hundred thousand dollars less next year. Governor Rick Scott defends the budget cuts saying districts should not have relied on Federal money that kept more than 20 thousand teachers employed last year. “I think like every family in this state, every business in this state, probably, Everybody is having to rethink how they do their job, and how they’ve tightened their belts” says Scott. “Our schools are doing the same thing.”

The end result will be larger non academic classes in August, fewer staff in the lunch room, and less supervision before and after school.

Other choices districts are considering include fewer bus routes or closing some schools. The cuts come as the amount of state money being diverted to private schools in increasing by 35 million dollars.

At a bi weekly news availability today, Governor rick Scott told reporters he expected state surplus funds to grow, thanks to items will veto from the budget. State lawmakers put at least 156 million dollars in hometown project in the budget. Scott declined to say how much he would ax from the spending plan. “I’m going through line by line, so I did not come up with a target number. So I am looking at each project, each line, and my job is, um, I have a constitutional authority to veto things, and the legislature has the opportunity to act in their constitutional authority” Scott told reporters.

Scott expects to sign the budget before Memorial day. officially he has not yet received the 400 page document from state lawmakers. Once he does, he will have 15 days to act.

The state Department of Transportation is spending 88 hundred dollars to put Governor Rick scott’s name below the welcome to Florida signs on 35 roadways coming into Florida. Scott appeared uncomfortable when asked if the signs were a good use of taxpayer money. “I saw a picture on the front page of the paper today…I hadn’t seen what they look like. I think they look nice. But um, my job is to promote the state. that’s what I’m doing every day. I’m traveling the country promoting the state. It’s part of promoting the state,” says Scott.

Few Florida Governors have exercised the option to have their name on the signs. Scott’s office says the signs will help in the states economic development efforts.

50 students from Pasco County schools traveled to the state Capitol today to support the creation of a new park in the northwest part of the county. The county had negotiated a deal with a private landowner who was mining the property over the last six years. It will eventually provide beach access, boating access to the gulf for up to 250 boaters, and potential jobs through development. The Governor and Cabinet gave approval today for the dredging of a canal and some beachfront in the Gulf of Mexico. Asst. County Administrator Michelle Baker says the approval will turn what could have been a lemonade. “Through this partnership, now we have a way to turn a mine that could be abandoned into a resort community, a public park, and a boating access point for the public. So , it turns what could be a very ugly scar on the land into a beautiful amenity for the state of Florida” says Baker.

Money remains a problem, although money for the development of the first state..a park, is already in the bank.  The addition of boating access and beach front access will depend on future funding.