Welcome to

Kids as young as five can now get a state issued ID card.

Parents are being encouraged to sign their kids up as a way to help law enforcement identified lost children. Today Ann Howard, bought a card for her son Vincent, just one day after his fifth birthday. Howard says knowing Vincent has the card will help her rest a little easier.

“We travel a lot because we have family in Virginia, we’ll be getting on planes and things like that. Its just some comfort to know that he has identification with him,” said Howard.

Howard is also a spokesperson for the Florida DMV. The cards cost 25 dollars and hold
the same information as a drivers license as well as emergency contact information.

Last night the House passed an elections bill many Democrats and voter groups say will cut down on voter participation. The Senate is scheduled to take it up next week. The Senate’s version is expected to shorten early voting by a week. Traditionally more Democrats vote early than Republicans. Republican Governor Rick Scott says some changes are needed to ensure the integrity of Florida elections, but he’s not for any measure that would curb voter turnout.

The bill would also force people to cast a provisional ballot if they update their voter registration information on Election Day. In 2010, just half the provisional ballots cast were counted.

Fresh off his fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico, Governor Rick Scott toured Florida Fish and Wildlife and applauded their work. The trip was part of the rookie governor’s plan to visit every agency and department to better understand their mission and their budget. Scott took questions from Wildlife employees and spoke about his plans to one day shoot an alligator.

“Anything that we can do to promote what you do, well do it. I like, I love fishing, I’ve never shot an alligator but I’m receptive to that…or hunted alligators is a nicer way of saying it,” said Scott.

To shoot an alligator you must have a state license and a special gun. Only 50 permits are awarded every year.

The House is poised to pass legislation aimed at reducing voter fraud this afternoon. The bill forces people who update their voter registration information on Election Day to cast a provisional ballot and as Whitney Ray tells us, college student fear that change would keep their vote from counting.

Dozens of college students from three Florida campuses marched to the state capitol, angry over how their elected officials are representing them.

“We vote for our representatives and expect them to do a good job,” said Rachel Walsh, a FSU Senior.

The students came with a laundry list of changes being pursued by the governor and state lawmakers; among them a bill they say would make it harder for college students to cast a traditional ballot.

These students come from all corners of the state and many of them are still registered to voter in their hometowns, not in Tallahassee. Because of the statewide voter database right now they can change their address and vote on the same day. The election bill would stop that.

It would force students who update their information the same day they vote to cast a provisional ballot. The students fear those provisional ballots wouldn’t be counted.

“This is a Democracy. If you are making it harder for people to vote I don’t see the point in that,” said John Saullo a TCC Freshman.

“It’s a blatant effort to silence the voter base for progressive candidates,” said Patrick Shepard a FSU Senior.

The bill’s sponsor, Representative Dennis Baxley, says the changes will cut down on voter fraud and says if students want to make sure their vote is counted they should update their information sooner.

“It’s very easy to change your address. You can call in. You can do it online. But you need to be doing these things during the registration period, not during the voting event,” said Baxley.

The students are also worried about a measure in the Senate version of the bill that would cut early voting in half. They say the change would silent the youth vote.

An emergency ban on bath salts is running out, but today the Florida House moved to make the ban permanent.

Bath salts are synthetic drugs similar to PCP. For years they’ve been sold in convenient stores and head shops until early this year when Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an emergency order outlawing the drugs. State Representative Jimmy Patronis took the torch from there, and today his bill to permanently outlaw the drugs passed its final committee stop.

“The Attorney General and my own Sheriff Frank McKeithen in Bay County have been on top of this and thank goodness the Speaker of the House and the Senate President understand the magnitude, the significant and importance of passing this and codifying it in law,” said Patronis.

Right now selling or possessing an ounce of bath salts carries the same penalties as carrying the same amount of cocaine. The full House will take up the bill next week.

Pregnant inmates may soon be guaranteed the ability to wave their arms or grip a bed post while they give birth. Right now prison guards, if they see fit, can handcuff the inmates while they’re in labor so the women don’t try to escape. Representative Betty Reed is sponsoring legislation that would prohibit guards from handcuffing in labor inmates unless there was a serious escape risk.

“I can imagine what it’s like to be handcuffed and not be able to move around freely because that’s what you need. You need to hit somebody or something. Just kidding, but you need to be able to have your hands and your feet free to move around,” said Reed.

Every year there are an estimated 80 babies born in prison. Since 2001 there have been no complaints from pregnant inmates about being restrained while giving birth.

Just weeks after the worst oil disaster in US history, support for coastal drilling in Florida dropped to 40 percent. Today, one year after the beginning of the disaster, drilling support has climbed to 60 percent. As Whitney Ray tells us, the fear of four dollar a gallon gas has changed minds.

If gas were cheaper, Don Heath might be running his air conditioner. But to save money he’s changing his habits.

“I don’t just ride, you know. I go do what I have to do and stop my vehicle,” said Don.

Don Heath used to work on an oil platform. Today he’s owns his own taxi business. He says gas prices could be cheaper if drivers conserved more, and some offshore drilling bans were lifted.

“Any way that we can break the price will help,” said Don.

Don’s not alone. Poll numbers show 60 percent of Floridians support offshore drilling. But one year ago, the BP oil spill had people singing a different tune. At that time, just 40 percent supported drilling.

The spill changed Clara Hampton’s mind. She’s struggling to pay high gas prices, but says drilling is not the answer.

“I don’t believe in offshore drilling anymore; I just don’t trust it,” said Clara.

Governor Rick Scott isn’t looking to lift a state ban on drilling anytime soon. Make sure we take care of our beaches; we need to take care of our environment so we’re not going to be doing drilling here unless we can do it safely.

Leaders in both the House and the Senate have promised not to take up drilling legislation for at least this year and the next, but they’re not willing to put a ban in the state constitution.

They’re also not moving quickly to expand alternative forms of energy or issue rebates for people who put solar panels on their homes. A petition to put a drilling ban amendment on the 2012 ballot is being circulated by the Florida Wildlife Federation. If they can get enough signatures it will make the ballot, but as of right now, getting the 60 percent needed to pass the measure may be tough.

Florida’s election laws are under major scrutiny at the Capitol. In an effort to rewrite the rules, lawmakers may make it harder to vote. The bill inhibits the ability to correct address information at the polls which opponents say targets voters with low incomes, military, and students. Vice President of Florida College Democrats Erin Murphy says if the bill is passed the youth vote will suffer.

“The legislature as a whole is looking at 2012 and they’re anticipating you know, Obama, and you know others really working the youth turnout. And they want to suppress that and I think that’s tragic because first off not all students are Democrats,” said Murphy.

Those who change their address on Election Day will have to cast a provisional vote. In 2008, 50% of those votes were not counted.

Three bills aimed at stopping abortion in Florida are headed to the House floor.

The bills would require women to get an ultrasound before they could have an abortion, criminalize stem cell research, and would only allow doctors who own clinics to perform abortions. House Democrat Mark Pafford says the bills are only moving because the GOP has a supermajority.

“We’re doing this, this year because we can. Again, it’s not necessarily that it’s great policy, it’s that this is a grab like so many other things that we’re doing,” said Pafford.

Representative Liz Porter, the sponsor of the ultrasound bill says abortion doctors aren’t giving their patients all the information.

“Clinics are not going to be inclined to share the kind of information that may and will affect their bottom line,” said Porter.

The bills are just three of 18 filed in Tallahassee that would change the way abortion doctors and clinics do business.

One year ago tomorrow a busted oil pipe in the Gulf of Mexico killed sea life and scared tourists away from Florida beaches. Today, Florida’s fishing and tourism industry is starting to rebound and as Whitney Ray tells us, the governor and state cabinet are trying to spread the word that Florida’s beaches are safe.

Business is booming at Eastern Ship Building. The panhandle company received five new contracts to build cargo ships. Things weren’t looking so good last year after the BP oil spill placed the contracts on hold.

On the eve of the one year anniversary of the spill, Governor Rick Scott toured the company and highlighted their recovery story.

“The good news is from the downturn of the oil spill to where we are now, this shipyard is adding jobs,” said Scott.

From the shipyard, the governor headed here to downtown Panama City where just one year ago these store owners jobs were in jeopardy because of the oil spill. People stopped buying rods and reels at Ronnie Groon’s sporting goods shop.

“Our fishing business has been down and we felt the effect of it, but things are picking up,” said Groon.

Tuesday Ronnie met the governor and sold him a fishing license. Down the road, Scott bought a chocolate cupcake. The cupcakery opened its doors in the midst of the oil spill. The owner says business has been great and is getting better.

“Opening up your own business is the American dream and if you have a dream and what to open your own business, I say go for it,” said Owner Stephanie Morrison.

For lunch, Scott sucked down Apalachicola oysters at a local seafood restaurant. Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam joined him. They want people to feel safe eating Gulf Coast seafood.

“We have found absolutely nothing for the public to be concerned about and so today is an opportunity to show that off,” said Putnam.

The elected officials hope the tour will convince tourists to return. Helping the cause is 30 million dollars from BP for marketing. The governor’s tour continues tonight with a fishing expedition until seven and a fish fry at eight o’clock central time.

More than half of all votes in the two thousand eight election were cast early or by absentee. But legislation to be considered this week in Tallahassee would cut early voting down from two weeks to six days.

In 2008, long early voting lines from one end of Florida to the other caused then Governor Charlie Crist to keep polls open not eight…but twelve hours a day. In making the announcement, Crist said “Early voting sites will be open from 7am to 7pm.”

More than half of the votes cast in 08 were cast early or by absentee. Current law allows local supervisors to set the days, locations, and times of early voting over a two week period. But pending legislation sponsored by Rep. Dennis Baxley would cut early voting down to just 6 days before an election.

The intention, really, is less days with more complete hours, and I think that’s the direction we’ll see this move”, says Baxley.

The bill also says students could no longer change their address from one county to another on election day.Under the proposed changes, neither the media, party activists, or a candidate could talk to any voter in line, anywhere.

As the anniversary of the worst oil spill in US history approaches many coastal businesses are still hurting. Along with the oil came a stigma that scared tourists away from Florida and forced some businesses to close or downsize. As Whitney Ray tells us, it’s been a slow recovery.

Just weeks before oil began gushing into the Gulf of Mexico Jimmy Mosconis expanded his business.

He built a new bait and tackle shop at his fishing lodge. Then business dropped more than 20 percent as news of the worst oil spill in US history began to dominate the airwaves.

“The oil spill just really threw a lot of people on their heels last year. A lot of people,” said Jimmy.

Jimmy filed a claim with BP last year. They’ve yet to pay.

Spring break provided a boost for businesses along Florida’s gulf coast… But things are a long way from normal. Some people are still afraid to eat seafood caught in these waters.

Not Brownie Parkman. The fishing guide caught two Monday. His business dropped off 40 percent after the spill. Things are still slow.

“Cancelations were on the books and they just decided not to take the risk of getting oiled on,” said Parkman.

The oil didn’t keep Irl Long away last year. He’s back again and ready to eat his catch.

“Been eating a bunch of them since the oil spill and I haven’t noticed any difference,” said Irl.

Lawsuits from the state and people who lost business in the spill are still a possibility… Whether or not things get that far will depend largely on how much BP is willing to pay. Tomorrow Governor Rick Scott will tour parts of the panhandle and talk to business owners still feeling the effects of the oil spill.

Florida’s unemployment rate has fallen to 11.1 percent, a 16 month low. Since Governor Rick Scott took office it’s down almost a whole percentage point, but as Whitney Ray tells us, it may be too early for the jobs governor to take credit for the falling unemployment rate.

Governor Rick Scott hurried into the room, made this announcement.

“Florida’s unemployment rate for March is 11.1 percent,” said Scott.

And left without taking one question about his role in lowering the unemployment rate.

Florida’s unemployment rate is down almost one percentage point from the time Scott took office. He seems to be taking credit for the drop… but even the chief economist for the state’s unemployment office can’t identify his contributions.

“It’s certainly it’s been the beginning of additional hiring by employers and all of those factors we don’t have the reasons why they’re all increasing,” said Rebecca Rust, AWI Chief Economist.

State lawmakers say the rate would have dropped no matter who was in office.

“This is something that would have happened whether Rick Scott or Alex Sink or whomever would have been governor,” said Sen. Mike Fasano.

“To attribute it to the first 100 days of Governor Scott is probably a little premature,” said Rep. Alan Williams,

The good news is more than 50-thousand jobs have been created since March of last year and the unemployment rate is at a 16 month low.

But a million people are still looking for a job… Scott recognizes he has his work cut out for him.

“We still have more than a million people out of work. That’s why I’m working everyday to create job and grow Florida’s private sector,” said Scott.

Scott promised to create 700-thousand jobs in seven years time. Economists say a million will be created in the same period as the state recovers from the recession. Scott says his jobs will be in addition… to the million… it’s just not clear yet how to separate the two.

The Governor’s Press Office says it’s too early to tell how Scott’s policies have affected the job market. But they believe some of what Scott’s has done so far has helped create a jobs friendly environment. They also point out that Scott has plenty of time to reach his goal of 700-thousand jobs.

After two weeks on pins and needles, disabled Floridians and their caregivers are breathing a sigh of relief. Governor Rick Scott cut funding for agencies providing in-home services to disabled Floridians April 1st. But after protests, phone calls, and letters decrying the cuts… Scott changed his mind. State Senator Mike Fasano says Scott never should have cut their budget to begin with.

“Governor Scott, sometimes will make a decision without realizing the true impact and the impact would have been horrendous for those with disabilities throughout the state of Florida. I’m thankful he stepped up to the plate, our leaders stepped up to the plate and these individuals will not be sacrificed,” said Fasano.

Scott made the cuts because the Agency for Persons with Disabilities was 170 million dollars in the hole. He restored the money once lawmakers found a way to cover the deficit using money from next year’s budget.

Against the outcries of supervisors of elections and nonpartisan voter registration groups state lawmakers advanced a bill changing Florida’s election laws. Under the legislation voters who update their registration information on Election Day would have to cast a provisional ballot. There would also be a shorter deadline for voter registration groups to turn in voter registration applications. Leon County Supervisor of Elections Ion Sancho says the changes will cut early voting in half.

“The fact now that the Republicans have the gall to try to remove 50 percent of the access to it, just underscores the political motivation which is motivating the Florida legislature today,” said Sancho.

The elections bill passed a Senate Committee this morning. Supporters, mostly Republican lawmakers, say the changes will deter voter fraud. Little to no voter fraud has been reported during the last two statewide elections.