Affordable housing funding's future now up to governor
Today is the 32nd day of the 60-day session.
By Times Staff and Wire Reports
Published April 2, 2004
The House voted unanimously Thursday to maintain guaranteed state funding for affordable housing, leaving it up to Gov. Jeb Bush to decide whether the politically popular program survives.
The Senate passed the measure last month, but Bush has threatened to veto the reauthorization of the state's affordable housing trust funds, which come from a portion of the tax charged on real estate transactions.
While the governor says he supports affordable housing programs, he says they should compete for funding with other programs each year.
But affordable housing advocates, including builders, bankers, churches and social service advocates, argue that affordable housing needs a long-term, dedicated commitment to work well.
- JONI JAMES
House sends bill banning gun owner lists to Bush
Police and government agencies could no longer keep comprehensive lists of people who own firearms, under a bill the House passed 86-32.
The bill (HB 155), pushed by the National Rifle Association, now heads to Gov. Jeb Bush's desk. It comes with stiff penalties - including fines of up to $5-million if a court determines a government agency knew one of its employees was collecting such a list.
The bill doesn't apply to lists created as part of a criminal investigation, and despite the prohibition, existing lists cannot be suppressed if they could be used against a suspect in court.
Opponents said they are unaware of any cases where an agency used a list to violate an individual's rights.
"Why is it that we want to get rid of this list?" asked Rep. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa. "Who is it who has been harmed by this list? ... Those of us who own firearms should not be afraid to let others know about it."
Rep. Susan Bucher, D-Royal Palm Beach, said lists of gun owners often help law enforcement officers track down suspects in criminal cases. Without that tool, she said half the cases punished under the state's "10-20-Life" law would not be prosecutable.
That law sets 10-year minimum prison sentences for people who have a gun in their possession when they commit some serious felonies - longer if the gun goes off or if someone is killed.
Drag racing would become a more serious offense
A House committee on Thursday created a bill that would upgrade the charge for drag racing to a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by fines of up to $1,000 and a year in jail - a move they intend to serve as a deterrent to kids who gun their cars down country roads or through marked courses.
It's already a second-degree misdemeanor to drag race, punishable by fines between $250 and $500 and up to 60 days in jail. Under the proposal, officials would also seize cars used in drag races.
Anyone charged with drag racing twice in a five-year span would face a third-degree felony, including penalties of up to five years in state prison and maximum fines of up to $5,000.
The bill that cleared the House Public Safety and Crime Prevention Committee specifies two types of drag racing - side-by-side races or time trials around a marked course.
A similar bill (SB 2472) is moving through the Senate.
- ASSOCIATED PRESS
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