Daily Digest for Tuesday, 2/7

Daily Digest for 2/7 [Listen or Download]

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Several budget subcommittees in the Senate are meeting today to hash out the state’s budget.

 

Five Stories To Think About Today

 * It’s Florida State University Day at the Capitol. Lawmakers, students and alumni will show their Seminole pride at several FSU Day events.

* Dr. Eduardo Padrón, president of Miami Dade College, will be in Tallahassee to talk to the House Education Committee. He will join the presidents of Broward College, Daytona State College, Indian River State College, St. Johns River State College and St. Petersburg College.

* Gov. Rick Scott will address business and trade leaders at the 2012 International Days event at 12:15 p.m. The two-day event, hosted by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, promotes international business in Florida.

* The Senate is expected to put the final vote on the redistricting maps and send the legislative maps to the attorney general and the congressional map to the Governor.

* Sen. Mike Fasano (R-New Port Richey) will join the Florida Association for Insurance Reform at the Old Capitol to announce a class-action lawsuit being filed against Citizens Property Insurance. Plaintiffs allege Citizens used a software system to overvalue homeowners’ properties.

 

Three Issues You Missed Over The Weekend

 * Fifty-nine percent of Florida voters oppose cutting Medicaid reimbursements to hospitals in order to balance the state budget, according to a poll financed by a group representing the state's safety net hospitals.

* Sen. Nancy Detert (R-Sarasota) is sponsoring a bill that would award bonus points to grades of schools that increase the number of students taking fine art and music classes. 

* Newt Gingrich blamed a relatively low Republican voter turnout (compared to 2008) on Romney's negativity on the campaign trail in Florida. A little research done by the Herald found that his claim may not necessarily be true.

 

Who To Watch Today/Quotable Quotes

  * Sen. Dennis Jones (R-St. Petersburg). He's taken a cautious approach to gambling--specifically pari-mutuels--and a bill that would allow for regulation of slots is set to be heard in the committee he chairs today. The bill was temporarily postponed last week.