With Gov. Rick Scott promising to bring 700,000 jobs to the Sunshine State in the next seven years and Florida lagging behind the nation with high unemployment, Florida TaxWatch unveiled an updated report Wednesday to help the state figure out how it can be more economically competitive.

Leaders across Florida weighed in on Gov. Rick Scotts first State of the State address, a message in which the governor focused on job creation and advocated for his proposed budget.

Responses to the address broke down on partisan lines, with Scotts fellow Republicans praising the speech and Scotts record during his first weeks in office, and Democrats assailing them.

On Tuesday, after opening the 113th regular session since statehood of the Florida House, Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, warned members in remarks about the perils they will be facing in challenging economic times.

166 year ago, Florida became the 27th state to join the United States of America, said Cannon. Since then, our states Legislature has assembled to address the great issues of the day. In some years, those issues were unique to Florida. At other times, like today, those issues were a subset of a much larger national conversation.

House Republicans met Monday to honor Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, tabbing him officially as speaker designate who will wield the gavel before the Florida House when the 2012 elections end.

As expected, Weatherford was elected without opposition from the Republican caucus.

Speaking from the well of the House, Weatherford praised servant leadership and said he will try to be a servant leader in his time as speaker.