Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Friday, January 9
Jan 9, 2009
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Bill introduced asking for $2.35 billion to improve hurricane research
U.S. Representatives Alcee L. Hastings, D-Miramar, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, today introduced a bill authorizing $2.35 billion to improve hurricane research.
Florida Not Out of Woods Yet with Wildfire Threat
Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson is advising residents that below-average rainfall for the last four to five months has significantly increased the state’s wildfire risk.
Medicaid slashed as demand soars
Part of the Florida Legislature’s prescription for weathering the worst recession in three decades amounts to this: If you’re poor, don’t get sick.
United’s Cover Florida plan wins approval
State regulators late Wednesday OK’d United Healthcare’s individual health-insurance plan for Cover Florida.
Crist policy director promises big effort on Cover FL
Early miscues that bedeviled the Cover Florida kickoff this week were only to be expected in a new program of this magnitude, the governor’s health care point man said in an interview Wednesday. David Foy, policy director for Gov. Charlie Crist, promised a big push in coming weeks to let uninsured Floridians know about the plans and help them get signed up.
Miami clinic owner admits to $5.3 million Medicare fraud
A Miami man who co-owned two clinics has pleaded guilty to defrauding Medicare of $5.3 million by billing the national health insurance program for bogus services.
Senate begins its budget debate; House rejects Dem’s cigarette tax
The Republican-dominated House began debating nearly $1 billion in budget cuts this morning by snuffing out a Democratic attempt to raise taxes.
Lawmakers eye housing fund to help cover budget shortfall
House and Senate plans would use tens of millions of dollars from the trust fund
Proposals to raid an affordable housing trust fund to help cover a $2.3 billion budget shortfall are prompting concerns about further roiling the battered construction market and cutting off help for Floridians who have lost their homes.
Crist promises to pay back Chiles fund
While Gov. Charlie Crist will not back off his plan to take $600 million from the Lawton Chiles Endowment to plug the state’s budget deficit, he has agreed to pay back the money with the first payment of the anticipated federal stimulus package, according to attorney Steve Yerrid of Tampa, who met Crist on Thursday afternoon.
Patterson files papers to run for state Senate
State Rep. Pat Patterson, R-DeLand, filed papers this week to set up a possible 2010 election battle in a state Senate district that includes part of western Volusia County.
Posey, Kosmas reject pay raise
Annual increase totals $4,700
Congress got an automatic $4,700 pay bump this week, but not everyone plans to pocket the extra cash.
In political game, Buchanan holds the first domino
The jolt from Jeb Bush’s decision not to run for the U.S. Senate could lead to one of the biggest political shake-ups in Southwest Florida’s recent history.
Florida GOP chairman likely to be reelected
Some Florida Republicans are still grumbling about party Chairman Jim Greer, but he’s expected to win another term because he has an important ally — Gov. Charlie Crist.
Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer appears a slam dunk away from reelection, with endorsements from every top GOP official and facing only two token opponents who worked for fringe presidential candidates Ron Paul and Duncan Hunter.
Florida Democratic Primary Lawsuit Hits Appeals Court
A Tampa political consultant continued his challenge today to the way the national Democratic Party penalized Florida for holding its primary earlier than the party wanted.
Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Petitions
A lawyer for the state tried Thursday to persuade the Florida Supreme Court to reverse a lower court decision that struck down a law allowing voters to revoke their signatures on petitions for citizens’ initiatives.
Sixteen more suitors show up to offer U.S. Sugar a deal
U.S. Sugar Corp. says 16 other suitors are interested in buying some or all of the Clewiston-based sugar giant – each representing a potential spoiler to Gov. Charlie Crist’s landmark, $1.34 billion deal to buy its farmland for Everglades restoration.
GAO Financial Regs Report Says Congress Should Look At OFC
The Government Accountability Office today released a study highly critical of the current financial services regulatory structure and said proposals for updating regulation should focus on accountability of regulators and cover all activities which pose risks or are otherwise important to meeting regulatory goals.
Mississippi Insurance bill of rights hearing held
The Mississippi Insurance Department held a public hearing on proposed changes to its policyholder bill of rights Wednesday and it expects little opposition from the industry.
New Program Promises to Improve Lightning Detection
A new program promises to will significantly improve lightning detection worldwide.
Vaisala has developed a solution which, through the use of a location algorithm, improves the lightning detection location accuracy by a factor of two — improving the precision range from 500 meters to 250 meters or less.
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