Ultrasounds before abortions proposed

By Times Wires
Published February 29, 2008

TALLAHASSEE

Women would be required to get ultrasounds before having abortions under an antiabortion proposal that gained a powerful ally in the Florida Senate on Thursday. Republican Sen. Dan Webster, the Senate majority leader, signed on as sponsor for the measure during the 2008 legislative session, which begins Tuesday. A similar measure requiring ultrasounds for abortions passed the Republican-controlled House last year along party lines.

Bright Futures safe this year, leader says

Bright Futures Scholarships, which give top high school graduates a free ride to Florida universities, won't be targeted for change this year, universities chancellor Mark Rosenberg said Thursday. University presidents and others have said the scholarships are costing too much and, with the state facing financial difficulties, officials had contemplated capping the program. So many students are earning the scholarships that the universities aren't collecting much in-state tuition.

CHARLOTTE COUNTY

Judge drops 3 from defamation suit

A judge in Charlotte County has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by state Rep. Paige V. Kreegel, R-Punta Gorda, against the Florida Home Builders Association, lobbyist Richard Gentry and Kim Leebove, a secretary for Public Concepts, a Palm Beach political consulting firm. The court found no evidence that could lead a jury to find that campaign literature published during the 2004 election was done with actual malice, Judge Donald E. Pellecchia ruled.

[Last modified February 29, 2008, 00:39:38]