St. Petersburg Times: Legislature 2000

May 31, 2000

Bush slashes local projects
TALLAHASSEE -- Declaring that he did not come to Tallahassee to "be a big-spending liberal," Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday used his veto pen to cut a whopping $313-million from the state's budget.

Governor saves school impact fee
TALLAHASSEE -- Disappointing home builders statewide, Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday blocked a plan to sharply reduce school impact fees in 15 fast-growing counties, including Citrus, Hernando and Hillsborough.

May 27, 2000

With budget in hand, time to talk turkeys
It is full of pet projects that fit the "turkey" definition that Gov. Bush declared war on last year.

Switching party ties brings home bacon
TALLAHASSEE -- Switch to the Republican Party, and reap the rewards.

Lucy Morgan
It's good riddance to 2000 Legislature
Tallahassee's air suddenly seems cleaner. The traffic is better. People are smiling all around us. The Legislature is gone.

May 21, 2000

Riding without a helmet?
If Gov. Jeb Bush signs legislation repealing Florida's helmet law, bikers will be deciding whether or not to ride bareheaded.
Florida 'barely passing' ethics test
A national report on potential conflicts of interest finds legislators in Tallahassee wanting in several respects.

May 18

Mining amendment buried in bill
State lawmakers voted to wipe out local regulations on explosives, yet many didn't know they had done so.

May 9

Colleges score wealth of state funds
The Legislature earmarks hundreds of millions of dollars for everything from construction to scholarships.

May 7

Session's true victor unknown till November
Both parties agree the election will be a referendum on Gov. Jeb Bush and the GOP-led Legislature.
Latvala led foes of the anti-environment measures
Republican moderates are credited with defeating anti-environment bills near the end of the session.
Laws keep consumers in mind
A bill to require safety devices on new residential pools that keep children from drowning is one of several measures passed with consumers in mind.
Roar of reform talk ends in trickle of bills
The HMO industry prevailed; their doctors will decide services covered.
Legislature winners and losers
What passed
Measure would lower hurdle for students aiming for A's
If Bush signs the bill, students will need only a 90 average, not 94, to earn an A.
What's good for business was mostly what passed
Also, lawmakers killed several bills that business opposed, including one blocking suits against HMOs.

May 6

Session closes with tax cuts, 62 farewells
The $50.9-billion budget has something for everyone, including more money for education and at least 20 tax breaks.
Bill ends exhaust tests
The plan ends emissions testing in Pinellas, Hillsborough and four other counties, but the tradeoff may be millions lost in federal aid.
Everglades cleanup bill passes
More than a dozen bills that would have weakened environmental laws die at the legislative session's end.
The history of the deal, a future full of question
Senate President Toni Jennings swapped a new medical school for Florida State University for two law schools at Florida A & M University and Florida International University.
Spring training funds given a green light
The bill to finance stadium renovations -- including facilities in Clearwater and Dunedin -- goes to Gov. Bush.
Pinellas university plan cut short
TALLAHASSEE -- In the end, state Sen. Don Sullivan didn't get the new university he so badly wants in St. Petersburg.
Seniors are a step away from lower drug bills
A measure that would give senior citizens cheaper prescriptions needs only Gov. Jeb Bush's signature.
Lawmakers pass ban on new fees
The bill limits impact fees to finance schools. It excludes Pasco County.
Bill protects tobacco payments
Anti-smoking advocates say lawmakers are shielding tobacco companies, which face punitive damages.
Legislative briefs
Officials pass tepid ethics bill
Law schools, One Florida converge as all claim victory
Gov. Jeb Bush associates his overhaul of affirmative action with efforts to establish two new law schools.

May 5

Sovereign lands bill seems to be sinking
Attorney General Bob Butterworth and every Florida environmental group lined up against the proposal, calling it a "land grab."
$1 hike in fee for tag renewal
The increase provided for in the state budget comes as a surprise to many legislators.
Mobile home rights fail with tax break
Two lawmakers from Pinellas see their bills die when a deal falls through.
Suited up for the endgame
The stakes are especially high for lobbyists, known as "The Suits," as the state Legislature winds down.
It may pay to hire healthier employees
A bill sent to Gov. Jeb Bush distinguishes the cost of premiums for workers in poor health.
Chiropractic school proposed
Money to study the creation of a school at FSU, which would be Florida's first, is included in the budget plan.
Capitol ringing with goodbyes
Sixty-two legislators are being turned out of office this year by term limits.
May 4
Plan crimps far-flung challenges
The bill would keep people from objecting to certain environmental permits unless "substantially affected."
Bill lets bikers doff their helmets
The bill has some officials worried that death tolls and health care costs will rise as a result of more head injuries.
Senate cuts colleague some slack
An amendment exempts Sen. William "Doc" Myers from requirements doctors have to meet to renew their license.
Coastal home rules closer to reality
After clearing the Senate, new building codes requiring storm protection are expected to be approved by the House today.
Panel to look at electricity needs
The governor wants the new group to examine the state's future electricity needs and the possibility of deregulation.
Lawmakers relent on regents cuts after governor objects
TALLAHASSEE -- This time they went too far.
House votes for 'partial-birth' abortion ban
Gov. Bush says he will sign the bill. Opponents say they will take their fight to the courts once again.
Legislative briefs
Bills to save tobacco money conflict

May 3

House, Senate make $51-billion budget deal
TALLAHASSEE -- The House and Senate struck an overnight deal on a nearly $51-billion state budget that has something in it to make almost everyone happy.
Education overhaul
In a landmark day of dealmaking, leaders of the Florida Legislature agree to abolish the Board of Regents, add two law schools and one medical school, plus boost pay for public school teachers.
Wiggy remarks
After being presented with an Afro wig and sunglasses on the House floor Tuesday, Rep. Robert Starks, R-Casselberry, thanks Rep. Al Lawson for naming him an honorary member of the Black Caucus for his support of minority issues.
Vouchers proposed for disabled students
The legislation would grant private school tuition aid to some students with special needs.
Butterworth: I won't defend bill
The attorney general calls the House-passed "sovereign lands" bill unconstitutional.
Late at night, deal was sealed
TALLAHASSEE -- Senate President Toni Jennings vowed to keep the Legislature in session as long as it took to get her way. House Speaker John Thrasher said he wouldn't bend.

May 2

Legislators back giving county money to TGH
Both chambers endorse diverting up to $6.5-million to the hospital. Commissioners are exploring a lawsuit.
Talks turn to fine points of budget
The House and Senate hope to resolve issues such as tax breaks and spending on social services.
State extends deadline for private school voucher registration
May 1 was to be the day private schools had to register by. But officials say legal issues complicated matters.
Budget holds hope for bay area roads
Under a deal proposed in the Legislature, the region would get $955-million.
Lawmakers split on growth bill
The version that passed the House makes changes to Florida's planning laws.
Legislature 2000
Today is the 57th day of the 60-day session.

April 30

Session shaped by last hurrahs
The departure of so many lawmakers -- because of term limits -- helps set the mood at the state Capitol.

April 29

Discounts on drugs for seniors near reality
The plan would cost an estimated $30-million annually and help about 30,000 senior citizens pay for medicines if it wins final approval.
GOP senator blocks bill requiring gun trigger locks
TALLAHASSEE -- For the third consecutive year, a measure to require trigger locks on guns kept in homes with children has died without a hearing in the Republican-controlled Legislature.
Baseball facilities bill wins preliminary Senate backing
"We all have one bill every year that's closest to our heart and this is mine," Palm Harbor Republican Sen. Jack Latvala said Friday as the Senate gave preliminary approval to his plan to provide up to $15-million to help local governments renovate or replace aging minor league baseball facilities over the next 30 years.
Flier pokes Democrats in sore spot
A Democrat calls the Republicans' handout an intimidation tactic. "They have gone over the edge."
Lawmakers, lobbyists battle over pensions
At issue are privatizing the state retirement system and using a surplus to boost teachers' pay.
House advances new building code
The House gave preliminary approval to a building code that would require all new coastal homes to have hurricane shutters, impact-resistant glass or other protections.

April 28

Tax breaks, but not for nuclear plants
The House gives initial approval to much of a $500-million tax cut plan.
Building code could get tougher
A plan in the Florida Legislature would add hurricane protections and cost to new homes.
One phone call prunes Tampa senator's job
TALLAHASSEE -- Sen. John Grant had a nicely feathered nest awaiting when term limits forced him from office. Then Gov. Jeb Bush stepped in, and it got a little less cushy.
State ready to slash interest on title loans
The Senate prepares to join the House in reducing interest rates from up to 264 percent annually to 30 percent a year.
Fate of emissions test unclear
The Legislature continues to send mixed messages about the future of vehicle emissions testing in Tampa Bay.
GOP puts lobbyists' loyalties to the test
Republican lawmakers press their advantage in Tallahassee.

April 27

Pension surplus splits legislators
The Senate president wants to spend billions on teacher raises and other uses; the House speaker objects.
Legal concerns can't stop passion for abortion ban
The Senate again votes to end "partial-birth" abortions, despite lingering constitutional questions.
'Telehealth' license bill wins first approval
Critics say the bill requiring out-of-state doctors to get the license simply protects the wallets of Florida doctors.
Proposal shifts taxing duty away from catalog printer
The state, not R.R. Donnelley and Sons, would have to collect sales tax from some of Donnelley's clients.
Amendment could eliminate wildlife refuge
The measure to suspend a state lease on an Everglades wildlife refuge is supported by the state's sugar industry.
Bill could thwart billboard removal
The measure would require local governments to compensate the owners.

April 26

Medical, law schools racing to floor votes
A mix of cash and clout and an atmosphere of compromise among politicians may mean the time is right for setting up three professional schools.
Senate health package retooled
Republican leaders in the Senate retooled their health care package Tuesday, adding goodies for a number of industries in an effort to win approval for granting patients the right to sue HMOs.

April 25

House accepts infant measure
Legislators embrace a bill that would allow mothers to leave unwanted newborns at certain public places.
Plans would let 4-year-olds enter kindergarten class
Lawmakers say pushing back cutoff dates for kindergarten can help parents. Critics say it can be bad for children.
High court denied funds for judges
Some Democrats say lawmakers are acting out of spite over a death row appeals law rejected by the state Supreme Court.
Legislative notebook
Briefs from Monday's legislative session . . .

April 22

Counties wary of utility tax plan
The House proposal could help companies that run nuclear power plants, but it could take millions in revenue from some counties.
Lucy Morgan
Ah, 2000: a vintage year for fine whine
Okay. It's time for the "Whine Cellar." Seems like we need one every year at about this time.

April 20

Bill foists pesticide tab on public
The measure shields a number of special interests from cleanup costs if they follow the label instructions when applying poisons that pollute.
As debate numbs, Senate laptops hum
Some senators check stocks, others the weather. More and more the Internet offers respite from the drone of government.
Bingo bill may get studied to death
The measure to restrict commercial bingo hall operators appears poised to follow into oblivion.
Officers win pension support
Gov. Bush backs a plan to restore benefits taken from law enforcement officers.
Should Florida help Big Tobacco?
A panel recommends ways for the state to ensure that tobacco companies don't go bankrupt.

April 19

Dissent is far-flung for emissions plan
A number of groups from around the country say the state should not be allowed to end vehicle testing.
Bill to ban floating casinos may wait
Sen. Tom Lee says he's considering the delay to see how a state challenge of the industry plays out in court.
Manatee activists seek marina ban
Environmental groups are upset that permits were approved for 180 boat slips in Naples.

April 18

Budget deal trims millions in taxes
Florida legislators plan a $500-million cut, which would include another sales tax holiday.
House panel okays beer bill
A procedural move by House Speaker John Thrasher ensures that the measure advances.
HMO lawsuit bill mirrors legislation Thrasher backed
He pushed in 1996 for a bill allowing customers to sue HMOs. A similar bill is in the works, and Thrasher is against it.
Probation bill seeks radical change
The bill, going through the Florida House, would give all offenders probation when they are released from prison.
Elevator industry questions motive for privatization
TALLAHASSEE -- The task of inspecting elevators in Florida could be turned over to private companies under a plan moving through the Legislature with the support of Gov. Jeb Bush.

April 17

Critics take on legislators who 'double dip'
At least that's what critics call it. But lawmakers who hold other public jobs say government workers should have the right to participate.

April 15

Limits on legislators who lobby are eroding
Adecade ago, the Florida Ethics Commission placed limits on former legislators who wanted to work as lobbyists for state agencies. [Lucy Morgan column]
One Florida foes call for another talk with Bush
Foes of the governor's plan say they'll be at the Capitol to meet Gov. Bush to discuss One Florida, whether he agrees to see them or not.
Ruling protects marine species
A judge says that a new conservation agency, approved by voters in 1998, protects both turtles and manatees -- not just endangered species on land.
Lawmakers look at ways to hem in vexing judiciary
Several bills would give the governor more control over the judicial branch.
2 bills target anti-gun lawsuits
The measures aim to keep state and local governments from holding gun manufacturers liable for gun violence.
Bill would move adult ed to colleges
But the proposed shift of the programs from school districts to community colleges is running into opposition.
More school nurses supported
Lawmakers on Friday pledged to work to fund more school nurses in three districts to prove that access to health care will help students stay healthier and learn more.Tobacco farmers labor to bring in state aid
TALLAHASSEE -- Sylvester Curry is the sort of person who makes Florida lawmakers remember why they got elected in the first place. He's a salt-of-the-earth man, a farmer in a worn, dark suit, dirt under his nails, standing at a lectern, asking for help.
Limits to death row appeals rejected
Florida's high court rules that a new law designed to speed up executions encroaches on its turf.
Group challenges probation photos' use on Internet
An advocacy group for ex-convicts is suing the state, claiming that online postings of their photos and addresses invade their privacy.
Thrasher stomps out talk of taxes
The House speaker rejects higher cigarette taxes -- even if tobacco companies go bankrupt -- and a number of other Senate ideas.
Comparing approaches of Legislature, court
The Florida Legislature passed a law in January to speed up death penalty appeals. The Florida Supreme Court declared that law unconstitutional Friday, but offered its own solutions to delays in carrying out death sentences. Here are some of the major differences:

April 14, 2000

Panel floats a tax hike to shield tobacco funds
TALLAHASSEE -- Two words rarely heard in the Republican-controlled Legislature were uttered Thursday with enthusiasm:
House staffer quits over lost perk
The 64-year-old loses a coveted parking space after he has concerns about adding a 161-page bill to a crowded agenda.
Speaker blocks hearing of revised adoption law
The bill would give the babies' fathers more rights, its proponents say. But it likely won't make it to the House floor.
Publisher pushes for law schools
The Miami Herald publisher and business leaders lobby lawmakers for campuses in South and Central Florida.
House committee backs patient protection
The bill has one more committee stop before the full House votes on it.
Seat belt bill headed for crash
Children's advocates, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Florida Highway Patrol have tried for years to persuade lawmakers to toughen Florida's seat belt laws.

April 13, 2000

House GOP bill proposes an end to impact fees
TALLAHASSEE -- House Republicans are pushing a plan to eliminate impact fees in 15 fast-growing Florida counties, including three in the Tampa Bay area.
Bill would enlarge restaurant non-smoking sections
The House approves a proposal to shift the balance between smokers and non-smokers.
Lawmakers battle over new position
Members of the House and Senate disagree about about the form and function of the new chief financial officer.
Former supporter criticizes One Florida
The reason: Changes Bush has made to his plan for ending race-based policies.
House passes handcuff key ban
Prompted by a murderous rampage that began in Tampa, House lawmakers unanimously passed a bill Wednesday making it a third-degree felony for a person taken into custody to possess a concealed handcuff key.

April 12, 2000

State finds a lot not to like in Glades bill
Two weeks after a U.S. Senate committee chairman expressed frustration over delays, the Clinton administration has sent Congress legislation authorizing restoration of the Everglades to a semblance of its former self.
Plan may save choice classes
An amendment to a House bill would ease off the strengthened academic course requirements for freshmen entering college.
Proposal to enlarge high court loses wind
Instead, a House committee approves a study of the Supreme Court's workload.
Officers are denied vote on pensions
Law enforcement officers turn up em masse to back a restoration of benefits, but a key lawmaker refuses to budge without more information.
Gas tax cut hits a few bumps in the road
Some legislators say there's no guarantee that consumers would get a break at the pump.

April 11, 2000

Chill greets proposal for Pinellas college
State and city officials oppose a Seminole lawmaker's bid to create a four-year university in St. Petersburg.
Officials fear cut tobacco funds
Advisers to Gov. Bush fear that a huge class-action award will bankrupt the industry, cutting the state's winnings.
Auditors investigating specialty plate program
Because of repeated complaints about the way the state is spending money from the sale of the popular Florida panther license plate, state auditors last week began combing through the books of the entire Florida Specialty License Plate program.
Bill would limit terms on PSC panel
The nine who nominate members for the utility regulator might be limited to four years.

April 10, 2000

GOP targets land use limits
State lawmakers see a chance to rework the laws that they say have hurt development and agriculture in Florida.
Among the bills
Here are a few of the bills that Florida environmentalists are warning against.

April 8, 2000

Power bill squabble illuminates frustration
Two state senators were in a room having a heated discussion over a last-minute, handwritten amendment to a bill that could mean millions and millions of dollars to the state's two biggest power companies.
Legislation seeks tighter adoption laws
Prospects of passage in the Legislature are slim because of objections of a House leader and some adoption attorneys.
Tighter adoption laws sought in bill
TALLAHASSEE -- Christopher Vietri lost his son four years ago when his girlfriend put the boy up for adoption without his consent.
Task force: Death penalty bias unclear
Race may be a factor, but more study is urged to determine whether blacks are at a disadvantage.
Interpretations differ on discount gasoline ruling
Some say the decision ends discount sales. Others argue that is not the case.
Speaker forecasts no nursing home fixes
Rep. John Thrasher says agreement is elusive on helping the struggling industry and speaks again of a special summer session.
University system tries to embrace 'Talented 20'
Despite a court challenge, the system strives to accommodate the top 20 percent of high school graduates as defined by Gov. Jeb Bush's plan.

April 7, 2000

$500-million expected to grease budget talks
Lawmakers look at the surplus half billion dollars and envision smoother negotiations and fewer obstacles to pet projects.
Senator ready to give up fight over utilities study
TALLAHASSEE -- Florida's two biggest electric companies are so powerful state legislators will not pass any bill they don't want, says Sen. Tom Lee, R-Brandon.
Traditional congeniality in Senate is strained
Overwork is part of the problem, President Toni Jennings says after two members trade barbs and she snaps at a late arrival.
HMOs like House Republicans' reform plan
The plan does not allow Floridians to sue an HMO for damages when it improperly denies medical care.
Ruling paves way for cement plant permit
An administrative law judge says the state DEP can approve the project near the Ichetucknee Springs State Park.
University presidents urge: Keep regents
They lobby for more study and debate before the board is abolished.

April 6, 2000

Mobile home bills offer owners rights
But one industry official says the state is hostile to park owners and the proposed changes would make a bad situation worse.
Discounted gas ruling may alter legislative debate
TALLAHASSEE -- Florida motorists took another hit at the pump this week.
Consumer lawsuits under the gun
A bill designed to prevent government suits against firearm manufacturers may eliminate all product liability suits, some say.
Committee endorses growth act revisions
House members pass proposed changes to the way Florida regulates development.
University presidents fear loss of regents
They say Florida's lawmakers would be free to meddle in higher education if a plan to abolish the Board of Regents is successful.

April 5, 2000

Retarded still may be executed
A lawmaker says he will drop a bill that would have allowed the issue of retardation to be raised before sentencing.
Providing nicely for outgoing senator
Longtime GOP state Sen. John Grant, appointed the first statewide guardian, will likely earn $125,000.
Legislature adopts harder line on violent juvenile offenders
Both chambers approve bills that will treat as adults young repeat offenders and those who use a gun in crimes.
Submerged lands bill passes a test
Environmentalists and agriculture interests argue before the House Judiciary Committee.
Legislature stakes out positions on budget
The House and Senate pass two very different spending plans Tuesday, which will force some compromises.
Wheeling and dealing in safety
A Tampa lawmaker suggested Tuesday he will not let his committee consider a gun safety bill unless the lawmaker supporting it lends him a legislative hand.

April 4, 2000

Bush vows to veto cruise tax
The governor's threat leaves the Marlins scouting for another tax to raise baseball stadium funds.
Rat, rabbit, rules stymie developer
The high court lets stand a ruling that a landowner should have known that his property was unsuitable for his plans.
Bill to protect tobacco money faces skepticism
The proposal would let the state turn future proceeds from the settlement into immediate cash by selling bonds.
Legislature 2000 in brief
Today is the 29th day of the 60-day session.

April 2, 2000

Republicans buck Bush agenda
Term limits are forcing many lawmakers out and causing some Republicans to "push the envelope."
FSU med school: practical or pork?
TALLAHASSEE -- State Rep. Durell Peaden Jr. is a proud product of rural Florida, a country doctor born and raised in DeFuniak Springs, one of the many communities he says has been badly neglected by Florida's medical establishment.

March 31, 2000

Chancellor acts to slow regents proposal
Adam Herbert warns that a plan to dismantle the Board of Regents could weaken the state's university system.
Mockingbird reigns as state bird; scrub jay grounded
TALLAHASSEE -- Florida's state bird, the mockingbird, is safe for another year.
Panel okays medical error bill
The proposal would provide consumers with a tally of mistakes at each hospital in the state.
More anti-tobacco funds urged
Saying Florida's effort to stop teenage smoking has shown dramatic results, anti-tobacco advocates called on legislators to increase funding for the fight.

March 29, 2000

Regents look to Bush for their future
State legislative leaders are backing a plan to abolish the board, but the governor is holding the wild card.
Bush: Fix nursing homes or work overtime
With Florida's nursing home industry in a financial crisis, Gov. Jeb Bush says he may call lawmakers back in special session if necessary.
Lawmakers' attitude upbeat on TGH effort
TALLAHASSEE -- After an update from former Gov. Bob Martinez on the ailing financial health of Tampa General Hospital, state lawmakers from Tampa Bay on Tuesday repeated their willingness to help.
Beer bill put on ice in the House
A legislator puts the measure to allow more imported and micro-brewed beers on hold.

March 28, 2000

When the torch passes, turf may stay Bowden's
A Senate committee advances a bill to name the Florida State University field after its coach.
Proposal would replace regents
Chancellor Adam Herbert says local boards at the universities will add red tape and spark more turf wars.
Group chides Bush for HMO panel vacancies
A consumer group raises the issue to drum up support for measures that would allow consumers to sue HMOs.

March 24, 2000

Legislator pulls no punches in development debate
TALLAHASSEE -- Ocala Republican Rep. George Albright took the gloves off Thursday at the Capitol, delivering a scorching diatribe against Florida environmentalists and saying state land planners are people "that have never had a real job or owned land."
Health secretary: Help 'elect godly and moral people'
TALLAHASSEE -- In a luncheon address to the Christian Coalition of Florida on Thursday, Florida Health Secretary Bob Brooks urged the crowd to keep trying to get more Christians in political posts, so that good can triumph over evil.

March 23, 2000

Democrats improvise to protest tax cut bills
An attempt to attach an unusual amendment fails, but it calls attention to education needs.
Proposal would shift growth regulation
The legislation would have local committees, not the state, oversee comprehensive development plans.

March 22, 2000

Doctors redefine court experts
A bill backed by a doctors' lobby would set limits on which doctors could testify as experts in malpractice cases.
Bill legalizes bingo for elderly, disabled
TALLAHASSEE -- State lawmakers want to prevent senior citizens from getting in trouble with the law for playing a little bingo where they live.
Divided House panel approves minority contracting proposal
TALLAHASSEE -- A House committee divided on party lines approved on Tuesday Gov. Jeb Bush's plan to overhaul affirmative action in state contracting, despite one lawmaker who begged to delay the vote.
USF leader makes debut in the capital
Judy Genshaft spends a day meeting lawmakers with the most control over state education spending.
Retailers, marketers fight over gas prices
A lobbyist says legislators need to repeal a ban on discount gas or clarify the law to make cheaper gas available.

March 21, 2000
Everglades bill passes first test
The measure clears a Senate panel, though lawmakers dispute how much South Florida should pay.

March 18, 2000

Senate budget rewards teachers
Republican leaders propose boosting salaries by 8 percent as part of a larger effort to recruit and retain more teachers.
Crist: Justices shaped new law
Florida justices Harding and Wells say they had no substantial input into new limits on death penalty appeals. Rep. Victor Crist says otherwise.
Lucy Morgan: Old warrior steels for a fight with legislators
The Legislature has done it now. They've gone and gotten Chesterfield Smith's dander up.

March 17, 2000

Dime-a-gallon gas tax cut is more symbol than savings
The GOP proposal would save most Florida drivers only about $5 for the month it would be in effect.
Bill's goal: more than 4 sizes of beer on the wall
A Senate committee approves a bill repealing a 1965 law saying only 8-, 12-, 16- and 32-ounce beers can be sold.
Gallagher: Present Bible as literature
Schools in Florida that offer courses on the Bible must teach them as literature, not history, Education Commissioner Tom Gallagher said Thursday.
5 former legislators permitted to lobby
A special exception on a two-year lobby ban is made for some former lawmakers who work for state agencies.
Public land debate tests tempers
Opponents of a bill to give submerged lands back to private property owners call it the biggest land grab in Florida's history.
In brief
The Senate wants to revamp the state retirement system that serves more than 600,000 state, county and city employees.

March 16, 2000

Voucher fight to raise funds and tempers
Supporters say outrage over a judge's ruling will spark donations to pay the tuition of the Pensacola students.
Bill requiring DNA test advances
Despite ACLU objections, a Senate committee approves a bill that would put all burglars' DNA on file.
Panel votes to end test on vehicles
The battle to end the auto emissions testing may jeopardize federal highway funding in Tampa Bay area.
Measure to weaken judiciary advances
One day after the state Supreme Court heard arguments that a newly passed death penalty appeals law is unconstitutional, a proposal backers hope could settle the question once and for all sailed through a House committee Wednesday.
Legislative briefs
Bill proposes barbecue secretary
Property rights bill moves forward
The measure would have governments pay landowners depending on their property's zoning.
Senate panel okays bill for ballparks
The measure would make money available for stadium improvements.

March 15, 2000

Legislature to honor FSU team, not its star player
A proposed House resolution to honor wide receiver Peter Warrick's career has been dropped.
Justices leery of appeal changes
State Supreme Court justices have plenty of questions for lawmakers, who were defending a new law to limit death row appeals.
Interest groups clash over right to sue HMOs
Two state Senate panels work on bills filed in response to cries from patients and doctors; Bush calls for "dispute resolution."
Scrub jay's young friends rule the day
But the fight over the state bird isn't over, and the students who lobbied against the mockingbird got a taste of tough politics.
Legislative briefs

March 14, 2000

Tuition increase could hit 10 percent
The Senate is considering a 10 percent increase, but the governor and House are suggesting less.
A glimpse at mental illness
State lawmakers wear virtual-reality goggles for a brief, simulated psychotic episode.
Bush meets with critics from sit-in
Sen. Kendrick Meek and Rep. Tony Hill join three women's rights activists to talk about the One Florida plan.

March 11, 2000

Limits on legislators who lobby are eroding
Adecade ago, the Florida Ethics Commission placed limits on former legislators who wanted to work as lobbyists for state agencies. [Lucy Morgan column]
One Florida foes call for another talk with Bush
Foes of the governor's plan say they'll be at the Capitol to meet Gov. Bush to discuss One Florida, whether he agrees to see them or not.
Ruling protects marine species
A judge says that a new conservation agency, approved by voters in 1998, protects both turtles and manatees -- not just endangered species on land.
Lawmakers look at ways to hem in vexing judiciary
Several bills would give the governor more control over the judicial branch.
2 bills target anti-gun lawsuits
The measures aim to keep state and local governments from holding gun manufacturers liable for gun violence.
Bill would move adult ed to colleges
But the proposed shift of the programs from school districts to community colleges is running into opposition.
More school nurses supported
Lawmakers on Friday pledged to work to fund more school nurses in three districts to prove that access to health care will help students stay healthier and learn more.

[Times photo: Scott Keeler]
A bill to require locks, like this one, on the triggers of guns kept where children live was proposed last session, but quickly died. The governor has said he would not support further gun control.

March 10, 2000

March 9, 2000

March 8, 2000

capitol
[AP photo]
Law enforcement officlals estimated 9,000 to 11,00 people rallied to hear speakers such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
On bus from Pinellas to capital, 'We're all as one'
Headed for the asphalt hills of the state capital, friends and strangers gathered in a sandy parking lot of a St. Petersburg church Tuesday long before dawn would crack.

[Times photo: Scott Keeler]
Gov. Jeb Bush did not specifically mention the protest rally during his State of the State speech Tuesday, but he said he's "doing the right thing."

As Gov. Jeb Bush delivers his State of the State speech inside the Capitol, a crowd of some 11,000 rallies against his plan to reshape affirmative action. Story
Bush rolls the video to open Legislature
In his State of the State speech, the governor defends One Florida and puts on a show to help push his Republican agenda.

Connerly in clear as Democrats kick Bush
Freight trains, hurtling past each other. [Howard Troxler column]

Legislators delay judicial plan vote
At issue is a proposal that would give the governor more control over the panels that choose court candidates.

March 7, 2000

legislature party
Florida legislators and lobbyists mingle Monday night at a party hosted by Associated Industries of Florida at its headquarters in Tallahassee.
[Times photo: Scott Keeler]

High-tone party is prelude to down-and-dirty session
Before the Legislature even begins, some emotional and contentious issues are looming. But Monday, it was the traditional party for lots of powerful people.

March 6, 2000

Health is high on GOP agenda