Cuba Si! Travel No! Rivera's coveted bill passes in the legislature

Ninety miles south of Miami there is a nation harboring "terrorist...drug dealers...cop killers," Rep. David Rivera, told House members Wednesday night in one last plea to approve his bill taking aim at travel agents selling trips to Cuba.

With three days left in the session, Rivera was successful in getting his "Sellers of Travel" bill passed through the legislature Wednesday night. The measure requires travel agencies selling trips to countries deemed "terrorist nations" by the U.S. State Department, to register with the state for a fee of $2,500, and place up to $300,000 in bond money.

Rivera's bill made its way through the session, despite numerous tongue lashings from Miami based travel agents lambasting the measure as "pandering" during committee meetings, and some legislators questioning the need for state regulation of a business already regulated by the federal government.

The senate version of the bill, sponsored by Sen. Carey Baker, a Eustis Republican, passed in the Senate earlier Wednesday afternoon, positioning it for final passage in the House.

Also chiming in on the bill during debate, was Rep. Eduardo "Eddy" Gonzalez, a Hialeah Republican, who was born in Cuba but left the country as a youngster. Gonzalez said the bill was necessary to make it harder on Cuban visitors opting to only stay in the country for a couple of months.

"We should make it as difficult as for those people to go back," Gonzalez said. "People who want to go back after three or four months should stay there."

The measure comes a day after Cuban government officials announced a 15% hike in foreign tourism to the island.

What they're saying about McCain's health care plan - but the campaign isn't telling you

The Democratic party has been running commercials featuring a speech in which John McCain said of the years American troops could be in Iraq: "Maybe a hundred...that'd be fine with me."

What McCain really said:  "That's be fine with me -- as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed."

So for a campaign that has complained incessantly about McCain's words being taken out of context, it took a few liberties of its own when it dispatched rave reviews of his health care plan unveiled Tuesday in Tampa.

What the campaign said The Wall Street Journal said: "John McCain delivered another speech yesterday on health care that offered a sophisticated set of policies that could lead to some of the most constructive changes to the system in decades."

What the Wall Street Journal really said: "For a man whose heterodoxies have no doubt triggered GOP heartburn, John McCain delivered another speech yesterday on health care that offered a sophisticated set of policies that could lead to some of the most constructive changes to the system in decades."

Very subtle. Check out the "maybe a hundred" moment here.

Elections bill could be in trouble because of Robaina

The Florida House unanimously approved an elections bill on Wednesday that eliminates two types of photo ID acceptable at the polls - and lifts a $100 cap on some campaign contributions to candidates for Agriculture Commissioner.

But it was Rep. Julio Robaina's move at midnight on Tuesday - where he amended the bill to lessen the penalties for those who fail to put a disclaimer on some campaign ads - that could scuttle the entire legislation.

Sen. Lee Constantine, the chairman of the Senate Ethics and Elections committee, said on Wednesday that the Senate would not take the amendment on SB 866 and send the bill back to the House. He also said there was nothing in the measure that was desperately needed for the 2008 presidential election.

Secretary of State Kurt Browning wanted lawmakers to change the state's manual recount law in the elections bill, but he agreed to stop pushing for the change after elections supervisors from urban counties such as Miami-Dade raised concerns about it. Browning wanted to require a hand count of all ballots in all close elections. Current Florida law says that manual recounts will only be done of "overvotes" and "undervotes" and not all ballots cast in elections.

The bill now includes the ag commissioner provision, the change in photo ID law, and some tweaking of Florida's controversial "no match" provision that is the subject of a lawsuit.

What's left after the CSX train wreck?

Sen. Carey Baker announced tonight that he was stripping down the most controversial items in his massive transportation bill, leaving only the bare minimum issues and eliminating out CSX.

"We have a lot of important issues in that bill that we’d like to ensure passage,'' he said. "So this will help sort of clean that up to help move through that.”

Taken out was the agreement to pay CSX $450 million to buy 61 miles of rail line for an Orlando commuter rail, limitations on liability for CSX, the $2-a-day rental car surcharge to expand and avoid service cuts.

Left in was a plan to allow Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami the ability to regulate mural-sized advertising on high-rise buildings; a bill to penalize drivers charged with Road Rage, and a 25 percent increase in state-run toll roads; and $500 million to lease Alligator Alley .

Sen. Dan Webster, the chief sponsor of the CSX deal in the Senate, said the decision to abandon the commuter line deal was borne of pragmatic politics. "Time is running out,'' he said. "I don't know if there's enough time even now.'' He admitted he wouldn't get the two-thirds vote needed to put the House CSX bill on the calendar. He said he still wants the Alligator Alley lease and toll increases. "I hope we can get them.''

The debate isn't quite over. Sen. J.D. Alexander said he will propose an amendment to Baker's transportation bill that will strip the sovereign immunity protections from Tri-Rail as well as the $45 million in state funding to "talk about the issues and balance the debate,'' he said.

His point: if giving Tri-Rail immunity from lawsuits is good enough for South Florida's commuter rail, it should be good enough for Central Florida's rail line. "I hope we build commuter rail, first in Orlando then in most of the urban areas of our state,'' he said. "They policy should be the same everywhere.''

It's Humpty Dumpty Fall Apart Day

Orlando's coveted commuter line has had a train wreck. The Senate has packed together so many education reforms into one that the House appears unwilling to take it in one swallow. House and Senate leaders have spent the day trying to piece together the ailing insurance bill and it's now on life support. And the budget, well, that may be all they get done this week.

Then again, it is Wednesday and, as any capital observer knows, important legislation always falls apart -- sometimes very theatrically -- before it comes together.

That's the view from the 5th floor of the Capitol at this reading. Stay tuned. More to come.

Short truce in voting registration lawsuit

The showdown between the League of Women Voters and Secretary of State Kurt Browning will be on hold until this summer.

Both sides filed a statement in federal court in Miami on Wednesday that states that Browning has promised to not enforce a new voter registration law until at least July because the department is drawing up a rule. Because of that attorneys for the League say there is no need to ask for a federal injunction against the law, which imposes penalties on third-party groups that fail to turn in voter registration applications within 10 days after someone fills out the form.

Jennifer Krell Davis, a spokeswoman for Browning, said the agreement is not that big a deal because the Department of State did not intend to start enforcing the law anyway until it had passed a rule.This does not, however, deal with the underlying lawsuit in which the League wants the voter registration law declared unconstitutional.

Packing heat in the park

The US Interior Department is asking for public comment on a proposal to let parkgoers carry loaded firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges.

The proposed update is available for comment at www.doi.gov. Interior notes there'd still be limits on poaching and target practice -- and a prohibition on carrying firearms into federal buildings.

Under the changes, no one would be allowed to openly display weapons, but people with concealed weapons permits could carry loaded guns. Others could possess them in parks if they are secured in a case or container inaccessible to minors.

National Park Service rules already allow guns -- but only unloaded and stored so they are not "readily accessible." Gun-rights advocates argue that restriction infringes on their ability to defend themselves.

The government is giving everyone 60 days to voice their opinion. So fire away.....

McCain scoops up $5 million in 48 hours

Republican presidential contender John McCain's Sunday-night-to-Tuesday-night fundraising spree in Florida collected about $5 million, according to organizers.

Not too shabby for a candidate who at one point last summer, couldn't even raise a quarter of a million dollars over three months.

Among the reasons for the big bump: McCain is wearing the mantle of the presumptive nominee. Major donors for his former rivals are coming on board. And he has set up "victory fund'' that allows donors to write checks for as much as $70,100, even though individual contributions are capped at $2,300.

Here's how it works: The first $2,300 of the check goes to the campaign, while the rest is spread between a federal election compliance fund, the Republican National Committee and accounts set up in four other states with limited fundraising networks.

Reflecting Florida's strong fundraising network and its must-win status in November, McCain has also set up a separate account in the state for future fundraising swings.

But, you say, I thought McCain was a crusader for campaign finance reform? Yeah right, says a Democratic-leaning watchdog group, the Public Campaign Action Group. Check out their talking points here: Download background-on-McCain-Loophole_002.pdf

So long Steve...

Senators said good-bye to Sen. Steve Geller Wednesday, as they paid their respects to their departing Democratic leader with a few compliments -- and a bit of ribbing.

As they said farewell, Geller's fellow senators joked that Geller, of Cooper City is a loyal friend known for his dedication, gaming law know-how and his enjoyment of "holding court."

"If you've never done a fundraising call with Sen. Geller it's actually pretty interesting," joked Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, recalling Geller's help during his campaign. "You call up someone, 'Hello this is Sen. Geller. Can I please speak to Howard? Howard, hey, there's a young man running for office here, Aronberg. He's a good guy. He needs your help. But enough about him..."

But it wasn't all jokes. Senators also praised Geller for his hard work, knowledge and the legislation he had sponsored on behalf of children. Geller passed a bill as a freshman state representative to regulate amusement ride safety, and this year, in the Senate, he is sponsoring a bill to mandate health insurance coverage for autism treatment -- which was being debated on the House floor while Geller said his good-byes.

"I think it's fitting that the first bill the you filed in 1988 was about helping children," Senate President Ken Pruitt said. "And here we are 20 years later, and the final bill that you filed in your last session was about helping children. I think it's a perfect way to summarize your service."

Geller came to Tallahassee as a state representative in 1988. He plans to run for the Broward County Commission when his term ends this year.

"Giving this speech if probably the hardest things I've ever had to do," Geller said. "One of the reasons it's one of the hardest things I've ever had to do is because I'm not ready to go yet."

"Howard the coward! Count our votes!"

Six busloads of Floridians protested in front of Democratic National Committee headquarters this morning, calling on DNC chief Howard Dean to restore Florida's role in the presidential nominating contest.

"I'm one of those senior white women and we're not invisible anymore," said Carolyn Greer, 59, of Ocala, a registered independent who said she had hoped to vote for Hillary Clinton in November. Greer, like Clinton, says she wants Florida to count "before there's a nominee, not after.

"If they wait til after, what does it matter?" Greer said. "If he waits til after a nominee's been picked, then this old gal is going to vote Republican. Because (John) McCain is at least a patriot."

Dean wasn't in town, but DNC staffers met with several protestors and handed out flyers in English and Spanish noting that "on April 2nd, in front of this very building," Dean vowed to ensure that the Florida delegation is seated at the convention in Denver.

The Republican Party of Florida didn't waste time in poking fun at the Democrats' debacle. (Florida Dems lost all their delegates for participating in an early primary; GOP'ers lost only half their delegates.

Photo: Courtesy a RPOF press release.

Organizers said 352 people boarded six buses from several Florida cities for the 20-hour plus trip to DC.

Here's some video from the event: Anyone look familiar?

Will the House "liar's lobby" kill Truth in Government?

Miami Republican Sen. Alex Villalobos' measure to make it tougher to lie to legislators while giving testimony just unanimously passed the Senate. Last year, the same thing happened and it died in the House, promptiong Villalobos to wonder if the "liar's lobby" killed his legislation. This year, the measure is stuck in a House committee.

The "Schiavo Nine" become the Ultrasound Seven

The Republican state senators who banded together in 2005 to help defeat legislation in the Terri Schiavo affair largely stuck together Wednesday in voting down an ultrasound abortion measure on a 20-20 vote that they said was too much government.

Of the Schiavo Nine, only Sen. J.D. Alexander of Lake Wales voted for the legislation. Sen. Nancy Argenziano is gone. The rest of the Schiavo Nine: Lisa Carlton of Osprey; Mike Bennett of Bradenton; Paula Dockery of Lakeland; Evelyn Lynn of Ormond Beach; Sen. Dennis Jones, R-Seminole; Sen. Jim King, R-Jacksonville; and Burt Saunders, R-Naples.

The reward for the Schiavo vote: An Old-West style flier activists circulated that said "Wanted the Republican 9." As then, the de facto leader was former Senate President King as we told you about here.

Other votes of note: Sen. Gary Siplin or Orlando was the only D in favor. Sen. Mandy Dawson actually made it for a vote. And Sen. Jeff Atwater of North Palm Beach voted yes, despite much chatter that he couldn't afford a hardline conservative vote while running for re-election in his D-leaning district.

Pre-abortion ultrasound bill fails in tie

A proposed law requiring all Florida women seeking an abortion to have an ultrasound -- then have a chance to view the image and have it explained to her -– failed in a tie vote Wednesday, after almost 90 minutes of impassioned debate about privacy, pregnancy and women’s rights that crossed party lines.

Key to the defeat were most of the Republican senators known as the "Schiavo Nine" for their role in joining Democrats in 2005 to block a measure to insert the Legislature into the Terri Schiavo euthanasia case. Only one of them, J.D. Alexander, of Lake Wales, voted for the measure. Another is no longer in the Senate.

Those lawmakers again chastised supporters for interfering with private choices, saying the decision to perform an ultrasound should be left to doctors and the decision to have an abortion should be left to the woman.

”My feeling is unless you ovulate or have ovulated, you have no business regulating female decisions on reproduction,” said Sen. Jim King, a Jacksonville Republican. “That decision should be honored. She should not have to go through more hoops imposed by government to give her a constitutionally granted right.

“I would hope that when a woman presents herself at that facility, she has already made up her mind…And I think if you change her mind, I’m not so sure you’d be doing the right thing for her or for the child that she would bear.”

The bill, which is sponsored by Sen. Dan Webster, a Winter Garden Republican, requires doctors to perform an ultrasound whenever a woman comes in for an abortion. The doctor then is required to show the scan to the woman and explain it to her, unless she signs a form saying she does not want to see it

A woman would be automatically exempt from having to see the scan if she can prove she is a victim of rape, incest, domestic violence or human trafficking. A woman would also be exempt from viewing it if delaying the abortion would cause bodily harm.

But no woman would be exempt for having the ultrasound performed.

House lawmakers approved a similar bill in a largely party line earlier this year. And Senators have spent the past few weeks counting (and recounting) every vote. Supporters have said the scans are necessary so doctors know how old the fetus is and so women can make an informed medical decision. Webster also said most Florida abortion clinics already require ultrasounds as part of their clinic procedures.

“If good medical practice dictates screening, what does no screening mean?” Webster asked. “Fill in the blank. It’s bad medical practice.”

But opponents have said the ultrasound provision is a veiled strategy meant to create another hurdle for abortions

Critics also said the bill would make the procedure more expensive by requiring women to pay for the scans, which can cost several hundred dollars, and that could leave poor women unable to afford the abortion.

“This bill places a financial burden on them and it places an undo burden on them,” said Sen. Nan Rich, a Weston Democrat. “This is an anguishing, heart-wrenching decision for women. And I would suggest that they do not take it lightly. And I would suggest that they do not need the state to tell them what information they need.”

But supporters admonished opponents for arguing it would be bad for a woman to decide against having the abortion after seeing the ultrasound.

“God forbid a woman might change her mind,” said Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, a Miami Republican. “God forbid.”

Current Florida law requires ultrasounds for abortions during the second and third trimesters. The proposed law would extend that requirement to the first twelve weeks of pregnancy, when most abortions are performed.

In 2006, roughly 96,000 abortions were done in Florida. About 90 percent of those abortions were performed during the first trimester. If approved, Florida would join 12 other states that require ultrasounds for abortions during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

The Florida House approved a similar bill sponsored by Rep. Trey Traviesa, R-Tampa, in a largely party-line vote earlier this session.

Obama in Florida, sort of

Democrat Barack Obama hasn't campaigned in Florida since August and has only two or three staffers here to raise money. But the nation's largest swing state will be included in the campaign's "50-state registration and mobilization drive'' starting May 10.

The campaign -- which has recruited hundreds of thousands of new voters around the country - will be registering people in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Palm Beach County, Ft. Myers, Sarasota, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Tallahassee and Pensacola. For times and locations, go to  http://my.barackobama.com/voteforchange.

Pray for evolution and abortion bill urges group

Saying the two pieces of legislation are their "top two priority bills," Florida Family Policy Council is urging people to "pray for the Evolution Academic Freedom Bill and the Abortion Ultrasound Bills during the final week" of the session.

The group said that "both of these historic bills face unique and sensative challenges." "At this point in the session, most of the grassroots lobbying efforts have been completed and we continue to work with individual legislators as necessary. Both these important measure hang in the balance over the next three days. We call upon you to join us in praying for the passage of these two critical bills...You have done great work contacting legislators when we ask you to do that. Now the remainder is out of our hands."

The group also asks that people "pray" that the House and Senate resolve differences in the evolution bill and that the Florida Senate will bring the abortion bill to a vote and that it will pass. The Senate is debating the ultrasound bill this morning.

Battle of the leader good-byes

What's a devoted lobbyist to do? Wednesday night the good-bye parties of two of the longest serving senators -- both of them party leaders -- will be happening simultaneously.

Senate Democratic Leader Steve Geller's is 7:30-10 p.m. in the SunTrust building. Senate Republican Leader Dan Webster's is 6:30-8:00 in 212 Knott Building. Download gellers_goodbye.htm

Maybe this will help torn attendees make the decision which one to get to first. Geller's will feature what is touted as "the One and Only Senator Bullard singing 'Neither One of Us Wants to be the First to Say Goodbye.''

Teacher union: Crist and legis gave "empty political promises"

The Florida Education Association's Andy Ford took a swipe at Gov. Charlie Crist and state legislators who said schools would be "held harmless" under property-tax cut plans. But their tough-on-schools state budget suggests otherwise.

Likely counter: The economy is bad and everyone (except prison builders) took a hit.

GOP budget: More $ for prison beds than new classes. SoFla schools whacked hardest. The alligator turkey lives

Of the myriad losers in a state budget that cuts a record $4 billion in spending, public education will lose the most -- with Miami-Dade and Broward schools getting hit hardest of all.

The two biggest counties together will shoulder more than a third of the $332 million in cuts to K-12 classroom spending in the proposed budget lawmakers will approve when the legislative session ends Friday.

Those school cuts are a fraction of the total slashed from education: $2.3 billion -- 55 percent of the total cuts -- which will reduce spending on everything from construction to class programs in kindergarten through graduate school.

But classrooms won't be the only ones feeling the pinch of a $66.2 billion budget that represents the largest one-year drop in state spending. In the next few months, Floridians will pay more for boat registration, driver licenses and court fees as well as drunken-driving fines and college tuition.

Meanwhile, reimbursements for hospitals and nursing homes are decreasing, as is money for foster care and financial aid for students at private colleges.

The biggest budget winner: prison builders. They'll get $305 million to build one private and two public lockups. By the end of the budget year on June 30, 2009, the prison population is anticipated to swell to 107,000.

''If you build them, they will come,'' fretted Sunrise Democrat Sen. Nan Rich. She said higher prison spending was tough to justify, even though the social-services budget she helps oversee had the lowest percentage decrease: 1.9 percent, or $451 million.

All in all, Florida's schools, colleges and universities had the biggest cut in dollars as well as share: 9.7 percent. As a result, K-12 construction spending is $10 million lower than prison construction.

Full story here

Insurance politics: Rubio lobbies Dems for Atwater. Why would they help?

It was just after 9 p.m. last night , and House Speaker Marco Rubio needed to do some lobbying to help out fellow Republican and Senate President-designate Jeff Atwater, the insurance industry’s one-time bud turned election-year scourge. It seems other GOPers in the House don't quite like the legislation, which could be heard this morning.

So Rubio sat down next to Democratic Rep. Jack Seiler of Fort Lauderdale in the back of the chamber and made his pitch for an Atwater provision designed to speed up payments to the insured for undisputed benefits. If the money isn’t paid within 90 days, the insurer could be sued under Florida’s unfair trade and deceptive practices act.

"Ninety days! That's it. That's what he wants," Rubio told Seiler as a debate about Chinese-made products in dental fillings raged on the floor.

Seiler: "Why do you support this?"

Rubio: "Because it's Atwater's bill, and he wants it."

Seiler wasn't sure what this would do to the industry, lawyers or customers. So he went outside the chamber to check with the trial lawyer lobby in the Capitol rotunda. Meantime, Atwater’s fellow House Republicans like Rep. Dennis Ross are even more concerned, saying the provision could lead to a new “cottage industry” of easy-to-file suits against the industry.

Compensation for slain Miami-Dade honors student passes state legislature

Relief came late in the night for Jorge and Maria Gough: four years after the couple's 14-year old son Jaime, an honors student at Southwest Middle School, was brutally stabbed to death in the school's bath room, state lawmakers approved a bill releasing $1 million in settlement money owed to the family.

At 11:46 the House unanimously authorized releasing the funds, which were part of of a $1.7 million settlement reached between the Gough's and the Miami-Dade School District. The district accepted liability for the teen's death, but it was an uphill battle for the Gough's to get the money released by the State.

Earlier in the year a special magistrate ruled unfavorably against the claims bill, contending that the
school had no way of preventing Jaime's death. He was brutally stabbed 40 times by classmate Michael Hernandez, now 19, and awaiting a May trial date.   

Perhaps swaying legislators was the fact that Jorge Gough traveled to Tallahassee to sit through all of the committee hearings on his son's compensation bill which was sponsored by Sen. Frederica Wilson, a Miami Democrat, and Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, a Miami-Dade Republican.

"I made this promise to my son, that no matter what happened, I would do everything I could do to
keep my head up for his memory, " Jorge Gough said in a recent interview with the Miami Herald. "It's the only thing I can do. I want to see every session, be at every court hearing -- everything.''

In the middle of the night, Robaina's phantom move

In the middle of the night Rep. Julio Robaina, a Miami Republican, got his fellow colleagues on the House floor to amend a lengthy elections bill that would lessen the penalties against someone who does not disclose if they paid for a campaign ad.

Shortly before midnight, Robaina said that what he wanted to do was merely eliminate penalties against people who fail to follow a provision of the election code. Robaina said it was wrong to subject those people to a misdemeanor, as opposed to just a fine from the elections commission. (Of course, it is worth noting that last year lawmakers changed the law so that a person can't file a complaint against the elections commission without "personal knowledge" of the violation.)

But the penalty that Robaina was discussing was drawn to a section of the law that requires an individual who decides to pay for an independent expenditure, which could be an ad for or against a candidate, to place a disclaimer on the ad saying exactly who paid for it.

Austere $66.2 billion budget doesn't kill off turkeys

The $66.2 billion budget placed on lawmakers desks on Monday night isn't as bleak for everyone as it may first appear.

It turns out that a few hometown projects, aka in Tallahassee as "turkeys," got stuffed into the budget.

Take for example, the $12 million - split in two different places - that will be used on a connector road that would serve the controversial new Panama City airport that has been pushed by powerful land development company St. Joe.

Then there's the $1 million that Rep. David Rivera and Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla got for a "graywater irrigation system" to serve a park in the city of Doral in Miami-Dade County. Want more? Despite a veto by Crist last year, legislators also set aside $840,000 for the Latin American cultural festival known as Exponica International.

There's also $700,000 to study whether or not to build a rail line, known as the "Sugar Train," that would connect western Miami-Dade County with the city of South Bay. And there's $1.2 million to bury electric lines and bicycle and sidewalks alongside a state road in Orange County.-$1 million for an artificial reef program in the Florida Keys. How about $1 million for a trail along Lake Okeechobee, $250,000 for a Miami Springs emergency shelter, and $500,000 for a "post disaster relief control center" in Homestead.

A surprise for Charlie courtesy of lawmakers

Among the dozens of conforming bills that lawmakers will approve alongside the $66.2 billion budget is one aimed squarely at Gov. Charlie Crist.

The measure, the conference report for SB 1892, would strip from Crist the power to decide who should be the head of the Agency for Enterprise Information Technology. Right now the person is hired by the governor and Cabinet but the governor has to vote yes. This conference bill would make that decision subject to a simple majority vote.

This move follows vain efforts by Attorney General Bill McCollum and Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink in recent months to get Crist to spent at least $150,000 on a person to head the agency that oversees technology expenses for the state. The bill would also add additional qualifications to the person that eventually gets the job.

MI Dems suggest Clinton and Obama split the difference

From The New York Times: "Yet another proposal to resolve the mess arising from Michigans too-early primary has been floated, this time by a group of prominent Democrats. This latest plan would split
the difference between the positions of Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.

"Mrs. Clinton insists that the states 128 pledged delegates be seated according to the result of the Jan. 15 primary, which she won although the national Democratic Party declared the contest illegal in advance and Mr. Obama's name was not on the ballot. That would give her a 73 to 55 advantage in delegates. Mr. Obama, saying the primary was illegitimate and should have no bearing on the Michigan delegation, said he would accept a 64-64 split.

"Various plans to untangle the debacle  including holding a new primary or seating just half the delegation  have been rejected by one or more of the various parties. Now Michigans so-called Gang of Four: Senator Carl Levin; Representative Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick; Ron Gettelfinger, the United Auto Workers president; and Debbie Dingell, a Democratic National Committee member  are proposing that the delegation be split 69-59, reducing Mrs. Clinton's 18-delegate advantage to 10 delegates.

"No dice, the Obama campaign said. The Michigan primary, the campaign said in a statement Tuesday, 'where Senator Obama's name did not appear on the ballot and the candidates did not campaign,
should not be the basis for how the Michigan delegation is seated.' The Clinton campaign was noncommittal. 'The bottom line is that Michigan's votes must be counted so that they have a voice in selecting our nominee,' said Isaac Baker, a spokesman."

How to win votes and influence Miami legislators

The third attempt at re-writing the controversial CSX  bill includes a new little nugget designed to help the City of Miami and its city beautification project. The language, which creates a pilot program to include "the boundaries of the City of Miami' will allow the city and county to regulate mural-sized advertising which have been proliferating on high-rise buildings around the city.

The amendment was tucked into the House version of the CSX bill by sponsor Rep. Dean Cannon, who wants the bill to help bring Orlando the long-awaited commuter rail. The proposal sets aside $450 million in DOT cash to pay CSX for its rail line, gives the company soverign immunity and allows the new rail line to avoid using union labor. The trouble is, several Miami-Dade legislators hadn't seen much in the controversial measure for them. Perhaps, until now?

It worked. The House approved to CSX bill 77-39.

Meghan McCain: "I wish I was as tan as Charlie Crist"

John McCain's daughter, Meghan, blogs her trip to Florida on her popular McCainBloggette.com, musing over the wonders of Cuban food, which she says is now "running a close second to Mexican, my #1 favorite food)."

There's lots of pictures from a fundraiser at the Biltmore, featuring Willy Chirino. Crist and Florida Republican Sen. Mel Martinez are among those pictured and sharp-eyed viewers will also pick out Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen making the rounds.

Dawson's Senate goodbye not one to miss

Senators resumed their floor farewells with one for Democratic Sen. Mandy Dawson, of Fort Lauderdale, praising her for warm personality and her commitment to health care and children's safety issues.

In the past, Dawson has been criticized frequently for her spotty legislative attendance record -- missing one third of her committee meetings last session and the majority of the floor votes in the second-to-last week of this year's lawmaking session. She cites ongoing health problems for her absences.

But Dawson, who came to the Legislature in 1992 and leaves this year because of term limits, was on the Senate floor for her formal goodbye. And her fellow Senators praised her for fighting through health problems to battle for health care reform and for children's safety issues, as she did last year when she passed a law increasing penalties for people who leave their children in cars unattended.

"Inside an outer shell that has endured a great deal of physical pain, there lies a great heart," Senate President Ken Pruitt said.

"Mandy has had her health issues, but she has fought through them...just to continue to represent the people she has fought for for so long," agreed Democratic Sen. Gary Siplin, of Orlando, whose nickname for Dawson is "Sister Girl."

Dawson then took the microphone herself. And after a few jokes about how she got her large 4th floor Senate office ("I asked Sen. [Jim] King who I needed to sleep with in order to get that office."), she credited her fellow Senators and her family for her accomplishments.

"My parents were simple people," she said. "But they taught me to be honorable in everything that I do. They also taught me that there is good and everything. My three daughters taught me that no one has power to decide who you are...I have stood to make my parents proud and to make my little girls proud."

Lawmakers bid farewell to former Senate Prez Margolis

In a touching goodbye, Senators said their formal farewells to Sen. Gwen Margolis, who retires this year after 34 years in the Legislature.

During her time in Tallahassee, Margolis, D-Sunny Isles Beach, has gone from serving as Florida's first female Senate President to serving in the Senate's 14-member minority.

And as they said good-bye, Senators cited Margolis' efforts in Sunshine Law legislation, education funding and affordable house reform.

"If we were to recount your accomplishments we could probably fill up every minute of the last days of this session," Senate President Ken Pruitt said.

Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, also hailed Margolis' long history fighting for women's rights, including pushing for a women's bathroom behind the Senate chamber. The Capitol did not have one there until she became Senate President -- in 1990.

"It has been the experience of a lifetime, something I will never forget," Margolis said. "I love you all. I respect you all. And thank you."

Rubio's new book '60 Days'

Hoping to have better distribution than his last publishing effort, House Speaker Marco Rubio handed out a yearbook of sorts for members.

"I have a new book for you. The name of the book is "60 Days...to commemorate our time together,'' Rubio said. It was the idea of House Parlimentarian Len Collins and he said that every member is in it twice.

Bikers be advised: pop a wheelie pay a fine

Bikers beware: Pop a wheelie pay a fine.

A measure banning wheelies and increasing speeding fines for bikers and motorists alike  is on its way to Gov. Charlie Crist's desk for final approval. Sonsored by Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, a Miami Republican, and Sen. Rudy Garcia, a Hialeah Republican the measure passed the House Friday morning, and passed the Senate Tuesday morning.

So contentious was the issue that Capitol Police launched an investigation into a death threat against Lopez-Cantera.

"Clearly I must now kill and eat Carlos Lopez-Cantera," wrote a blogger known as thebullfrog on the jalopnik.com website.

Read more about the bill and thebullfrog here.

Abortion bill ready for Senate vote

After some delays, proposed law to require all Florida women seeking an abortion to have an ultrasound -- then have a chance to view the image of the fetus -- is close to a vote in the Florida Senate, after a similar bill passed the House earlier this month.

After almost two hours of debate over two days, the proposal is ready for a final vote later in the week. The bill sponsored by Sen. Dan Webster, a Winter Garden Republican, requires doctors to perform an ultrasound any time a woman comes in seeking an abortion and then let the woman see the scan and explain it to her, unless she signs a form waiving the option to view it.

A woman would be automatically exempt from having to see the scan if she can prove she is a victim of rape, incest, domestic violence or human trafficking. A woman would also be exempt from viewing it if delaying the abortion would cause bodily harm.

Supporters have said the scans help women make an informed medical decision. And Webster said most Florida abortion clinics already require ultrasounds as part of their standard clinic procedures, so he argues the bill only adds the requirement that women have the chance to see the scan.

”This has to do with informed consent,” Webster said. “If you’re going to make an informed decision, this is the best information possible.”

But opponents have said the ultrasound provision is really meant to create another hurdle for women seeking abortions and say the decision to perform an ultrasound should be left to doctors.

"This is kind of like Big Brother coming in and saying 'Ok, you're going to have to do this,'" Sen. Nan Rich, a Weston Democrat, said last week. "None of us went to medical school that I know of...Why is it we think we can provide women better information than a doctor?"

Critics also said the bill would make the procedure more expensive by requiring women to pay for the scans, which can cost between $100 and $200.

Florida law already requires ultrasounds for abortions during the second and third trimesters. The proposed law would extend that requirement to the first twelve weeks of pregnancy, when most abortions are performed.

Bill to crack down on "death by pedicure" clears Senate

A proposal to increase the amount of training needed to style hair and perform facials and manicures -- and decrease the number of infections (and in severe cases amputation) -- cleared the Senate Tuesday.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Stephen Wise, a Jacksonville Republican, passed the Senate 38-0. It would require would-be cosmetologists to take 1,200 hours of training, up from 1,500. The hours of required training for estheticians (those licensed to perform facials) would increase to 600, up from 260. And nail technicians would need at least 350 hours of training, up from 240.

It also would allow hair stylists to take only 1,000 hours of hair training instead of taking the other hours needed to become a full-fledged cosmetologist.

"I do believe there needs to be some protection for those who utilize, particularly those nail and skin places, because one does not know what is being placed on their skin or body until something shows up on their skin," said Sen. Larcenia Bullard, D-Miami.

Legislators passed a similar bill last year, but it was vetoed by Gov. Charlie Crist.

Happy Days for gov: no budget vetoes

Happy Days are here again. The budget on the desks of state lawmakers today is such a work of legislative dexterity that Gov. Charlie Crist today says he doesn't want to veto a lick of it.

"I am so grateful to the members of the House and the Senate for what they have done with this budget,'' Crist said. "This Legislature is in the Golden Era of the Florida Legislature. They are finding ways to meet the needs in a fiscally prudent way. "

"I have no inclination to want to veto anything that they have done because of the great work that they have done and how truly grateful I am."

Later, he explained, "It's a tough year budgetarily. It's probably never been more difficult. We had to reduce the budget like $5 billion. To be able to continue to fund in a very significant way programs that are very important to the people of Florida.''

Webster apologizes for calling gambling bill "disgusting"

Sen. Dan Webster, R-Winter Garden, apologized on the Senate floor Tuesday for calling a bill to allow greyhound racing at cetain jai alai frontons "disgusting" and "nauseating," saying he only meant to convey his opposition to gambling.

The proposal by Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, died 14-25 Monday.

"Those are not words I would normally choose," Webster said. "If [Aronberg] understood them that way, then I understood them that way too. And I apologize."

Crist major announcement? Another climate change summit

Gov. Charlie Crist this morning announced he is holding another "Serve to Preserve" summit on climate change and global warming. It will be held in late June in Miami and Crist said it will be focused on stimulating investment in environmentally-friendly technology.

Crist also praised the energy bill being worked on this final week by state lawmakers and the fact that they stashed money for energy programs in the back of the $66.2 billion budget that arrived on the desks of legislators on Monday evening. He also emphasized his continued support for nuclear energy and said if the U.S. Navy can do it safely then utility companies should be able to do it.

And when asked a question about how much he veto from the budget, Crist responded by praising state lawmakers for putting together a budget in tough times and said "I have no inclination to veto anything they have done."

Crist puts the move on Morgan Fairchild

The Washington Post's Reliable Source suggests Florida's governor was on the prowl at a pre-White House dinner brunch and "hit on" actress Morgan Fairchild.

"So, do you ever get to Florida," the Post quotes the governor as saying.

"Worst pickup line ever?" the Post asks.

Dems tout national support; GOP leader says they're wasting their money

Miami-area Democrats, who think they've got their best shot in years at knocking off three South Florida Republicans, are touting some high-level assistance: Rep. Chris Van Hollen, head of the committee that helps House Democrats get elected.

"'We are absolutely committed to winning these seats because we think there is a tremendous opportunity in South Florida,'' Van Hollen said as he made the rounds Monday in Miami, stumping for former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez, former Miami-Dade Democratic Party Chairman Joe Garcia and businesswoman Annettte Taddeo.

His Republican counterpart welcomed the contest, but said he's confident that voters will return Reps. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen to office.

"'You're not going to beat Ileana; you're not going to beat Mario; and you're not going to beat Lincoln,'' Rep. Tom Cole said. Read more here.

The six faced off on rising gas costs Monday, with Garcia calling the GOP'ers push for a gas tax break for commuters a "cruel joke." Read more here about the plan Mario Diaz-Balart said would offer commuters "immediate relief."

The challenge is attracting national attention with the Democrats charging that US-Cuba policy is flawed. Bloomberg News is the latest to take a look at the matchup.

A do-nothing Congress? Not when it comes to watermelon

Sure there's a war, a housing crisis and rising gas prices, but today Congress will offer a tip of the hat to a summertime favorite, watermelon.

The House is scheduled today to take up a "sense of the House" resolution that there "should be established a National Watermelon Month." The push for the melon's recognition is led by Florida's own Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, who last year told DC's The Hill newspaper that there's a "huge watermelon-producing area" in his district, and "who doesn’t love watermelon?"

"If you’re going to have an Ice Cream Month, you have to have a Watermelon Month. It’s good for you. It has lycopene," a highly powerful antioxidant, he told the Hill.

Putnam, an influential GOP'er who chairs the House Republican Conference, also acknowledged that National Watermelon Month was unlikely to be the high point of his time in Congress.

"I wouldn’t let it be on my gravestone or anything," he said. "But it’s very healthy, very healthy."

Abortion issue puts Crist in tough spot

A bill mandating ultrasound scans for all women seeking an abortion faces an uncertain vote Tuesday in the Florida Senate, where moderate Republicans are banding with Democrats to defeat it -- thereby sparing Gov. Charlie Crist from tackling an issue on which he has shifted his stance.

Crist has steadily avoided saying what he thinks of this latest proposal, which would require a clinic to provide an ultrasound -- and an explanation of it -- to a woman seeking an abortion in the first trimester.

But in comments last month to the National Review magazine, Crist was asked if he favored any change to abortion laws. He responded: ``No. I'm comfortable with the status quo. So are most Floridians.''

More here

Prop tax hike in budget after all? Dems say it's a budget 'sleight of hand'

Despite promises that property taxes would be "held harmless'' in this year's budget, legislators want school districts to spend property tax revenues intended for school construction on classrooms. 

Democrats are calling it a little "sleight of hand'' -- and an attempt to avoid showing deep cuts to the base education formula.

The final budget bill passed out on all 160 legislator's desk tonight shows that they're swapping $374 million in capital outlay money and dropping it into the general school budget. To achieve this, they created a special box on the Education Finance page of the final budget conference report that shows the discretionary money for capital construction -- which usually never shows up on the school budget sheet.

This is "smoke and mirrors,'' said House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber.

Not so fast, says Senate Budget Chief Lisa Carlton. This was the approach the Senate took all along. "It was hard to find money for education this year,'' she said.

House puts Pruitt amendment on calendar

The House Rules and Calendar committee on Monday evening agreed to place on the Tuesday calendar a constitutional amendment that would strip the Board of Governors of its power and return the state's education commissioner to an elected position.

But Rep. Joe Pickens, the Palatka Republican and sponsor of the House version of the measure, was mum when asked what would happen on Tuesday. He said that the House could either pass it, kill it or ignore it all together. Earlier in the day, Sen. Lisa Carlton said she had no idea what the House planned to do on the controversial amendment.

"Suspicious package" causes partial evacuation of Capitol building

House Speaker Marco Rubio announced that everyone on or below the second floor of the Capitol building were evacuated -- the result of a "suspicious package" reported to Capitol Police.

No indications as to what the suspicious package contained, but Rubio had his theories:
It "could be a number of Ambler amendments in a box," Rubio said referring to Rep. Kevin Ambler, a Lutz Republican.

Before finishing for the day, Rubio also promoted Monday night's Hispanic and Black Legislative Caucus event - "Maybe we can go out with a bang," he said.

Crist leans hard to revive a gas tax break

The budget is written and done without the last-minute gas tax holiday recently pursued by Gov. Charlie Crist. But that's not stopping Crist from continuing to try.  He first mentioned it on the Fox Channel this morning -- no doubt legislators were riveted and watching -- then he phoned his closest Senate friend on Monday morning, Sen. Mike Fasano, a Tampa Republican, and asked him to help.

"We're working hard to balance our budget and make sure that we have an opportunity to cut gas tax as much as we possibly can,'' Crist said on Fox and Friends. It was another chance to show his support for John McCain however: "It's hard to do in a tight budget year, but people need relief. Senator McCain understands that and that's why he's pushing for it, and I think it's exactly the right thing to do."

Fasano drafted an amendment to a Senate bill and Rep. Nick Thompson is drafting a similar amendment in the House. It would give drivers a 10-cents-a-gallon tax break on gas taxes for two-weeks, beginning midnight July 1 through midnight July 14. It will come up tomorrow.

The problem is: there's no money in the budget. "It would probably be very fiscally challenging,'' said Sen. Lisa Carlton, the Senate Budget chairman who said she has not been consulted by either Fasano or the governor. "We have accounted for a sales tax holiday. We haven't accounted for another.''

House budget chief Ray Sansom also had no idea Crist was pushing it again. "No one's talked to me about it,'' he said.

Fasano says there's always money if they want to find it and it's needed now more than ever. "Gasoline has risen so greatly over the last couple of weeks,'' he said. "It's an opportunity for families to take advantage of it.''

Webster: Atwater "fine" to take vote on abortion

Sen. Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, will be "fine to take a vote" on a proposed bill to require all women seeking abortions to get ultrasounds, Sen. Dan Webster, R-Winter Garden, said Monday, despite some earlier speculation that Atwater's reelection battle with Skip Campbell might prompt him to skip the debate.

"I've seen Sen. Atwater take tough votes and I think he's fine to take a vote no matter what it is," said Webster, the Senate Majority Leader and sponsor of the ultrasound bill. "It's part of the process. It's part of the way it works. I don't see him backing away from his position or his philosophy on these kinds of issues."

Webster added that Atwater did ask him about the bill, but did not ask him to block a Senate vote.

"He asked me what I was going to do, that's all," Webster said. "When he brought it up -- I don't know when, several days ago, maybe last week -- he mentioned it. That's all. He said 'What are you going to do?' I said 'I think I'm going to bring it up for a vote. I'd like to have a vote on the body of the bill."

The Senate postponed a vote on the ultrasound bill again Monday. Senators said they didn't want to bring up the bill on a day they only planned to meet for three hours. They also didn't want to disturb the good feelings generated when the state House approved a proposal to name Knott 212 after departing Sen. Webster, a former House Speaker.

The abortion vote is expected to be close -- 21-19 or 20-20.

Senate picks state horse, saltwater reptile

After some questions about whether a turtle is a reptile (it is), Senators approved a proposal to name a state horse and a state saltwater reptile.

The Senate voted 38-1 to name the Florida cracker horse the state's horse and to declare the loggerhead turtle the state's saltwater reptile. Sen. Steve Oelrich, a Cross Creek Republican, voted "No."

Last week -- in other pressing business -- Senators also approved proposals to name a state anthem ("Florida Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky")  and a state tortoise (the gopher tortoise).

The House has yet to take up the proposals, with House leaders saying last week they first wanted to focus on statewide issues like the budget and health care.

Read more about the proliferation of Florida state symbols legislation here.

Clinton pays local debt

Hillary Clinton's campaign -- tagged in at least one press report as earning a reputation "as something of a deadbeat" for failing to pay its bills on time -- reports in its latest campaign filing that it owes at least one Florida vendor. But Fernand Amandi, vice president for Miami-based Bendixen & Associates, said the Hispanic consulting firm has been paid in full.

Indeed, Amandi said the company, which is designing and putting together all of Clinton's Hispanic outreach and advertising, was paid the $77,919.29 owed before last Tuesday's Democratic primary in Pennsylvania. That's before Clinton raised $10 million in 24 hours.

"We're in good standing," Amandi said. The firm is led by longtime Democratic pollster Sergio Bendixen and has pioneered a set of ads aimed at "English dominant" Hispanics - second and third generation Hispanics who prefer communicating in English.

Palm Beach Kennel Club's "disgusting" "nauseating" bill dies

Sen. Dave Aronberg's jai alai-for-OTB permits bill was just roundly bashed and killed in the state Senate for being an expansion of gambling and (sin of sin) for violating the process in the eyes of Senate Republican leader Dan Webster.

"This bill is digusting. It is nauseating," Webster said. "I don't think we ought to vote on this. It is an expansion of gambling," Webster said. "I would ask the sponsor of this bill to (postpone) it until next Tuesday (when the Legislature is no longer in session."

It died 14-25. Senators from Broward and Miami-Dade, where parimutuels can't take advantage of the Palm Beach Kennel club language, largely voted against it. Palm Beach County lawmakers voted for it.

See here for earlier blog today

For those keeping score at home: Score 1 for Mardi Gras Race Track's Danny Adkins and 0 for the kennel club's Brian Ballard.

No resurrection for I Believe

Three days after the "I Believe" license plate was struck in the state Senate after Sen. Ronda Storms tried again and failed again to get it approved. Democratic Sen. Larcenia Bullard, whose husband Rep. Ed Bullard sponsored the bill, said she couldn't understand all the fuss and started singing "I believe" on the Senate floor.

"We have blue... for the Menorah. We have red for people from other areas. And, of course, people wear a cross all the time," Bullard said.

Said Sen. Steve Geller: "Whether it was a cross or Jewish Star or whatever else, it's not.. appropriate."

Storms said she was "so happy to hear the real reasons" they opposed the bill. She said it was unconstitutional from banning the religious discussion from the public "forum" of the license plate.