The top three complaints received by theFlorida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' hotlinein April revolved around theDo Not Call list, charitable solicitations, and motor vehicle repair, according to a Monday announcement by Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. The calls were made to the agency's1-800-HELP-FLA.

By a vote of 27 to 13, the Florida Senate has passed an election reform bill that now heads to Gov. Rick Scott for approval and signature. HB 7013 ("Florida Election Code") will substantially increase the the hours and days allowed for early voting, impose word limits on ballot summaries for Legislature-proposed constitutional amendments, and allow voters to correct absentee ballots that contain missing signatures. Earlier today, the House rejected a Senate amendment that would have given the Department of State authority to discipline noncompliant elections supervisors.

The Florida House of Representatives has passed a key elections reform bill, by a vote of 115-1, which now returns to the Senate for a final up-and-down vote. HB 7013 ("Florida Election Code") would substantially increase the the hours and days allowed for early voting, impose word limits on ballot summaries for Legislature-proposed constitutional amendments, and allow voters to correct absentee ballots that contain missing signatures.

By a bipartisan 90-25 vote, the Florida House of Representatives has passed the Senate-amended version of HB7029 ("Digital Learning"). The bill now heads to Gov. Rick Scott for his approval and signature.

In a unanimous, unsigned opinion published Thursday, the Florida Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of a controversial Florida law that grants thestate Public Service Commission (PSC) the power to authorize energy companies to "recover" the costs of their nuclear power plant construction through utility bill tax hikes. The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) had argued the law was an unconstitutional delegation by the Legislature of its powers to an administrative body. More to come . . .

Did Rick Scott just confirm Sunshine State News' earlier report that he was behind the torpedoing of Parent Empowerment in the Senate Tuesday morning?

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilriakis, R-Fla., has joined Reps. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., and U.S. Rep. Takano, D-Calif., as a co-sponsor of the Troop Talent Act of 2013. The bill seeks to facilitate service members transition from active duty to the civilian workforce and to reduce the veterans unemployment rate. A companion bill was also recently introduced by Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., in the U.S. Senate.

What did Tim Tebow do to earn the scorn of a no-class outfit like the New York Jets? Yahoo's Les Carpenter asks a good question in a story on the 'net Monday.

Florida Gov.

All four leaders of the U.S. Congress are disliked by strong pluralities of the American electorate, but none more so than House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

The Boston bombings have garnered public support for surveillance cameras. Following law enforcement's successful use ofsecuritycameras to identify the marathon bombers, Americans strongly support their use in public areas and feel they help curb crime. GOP pollster Scott Rasmussen's latest poll finds 70 percent of American adults approve of the use of cameras. Less than 20 percent (18) oppose the eyes of Big Brother. Eleven percent aren't sure what to think.

Florida lawmakers want to give residents a tax break for a few days this summer. They are proposing another back-to-school tax holiday in August. The legislation eliminates state and local sales taxes on such items as clothes, shoes and school supplies. This years version of the bill also wipes out sales taxes on certain electronics, including laptops and tablet computers costing up to $750.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., wants Americans to know the new immigration bill, long in the works, has finally been revealed and introduced to members. The Cuban-American senator has also released a video he hopes will go viral. In an email he urges people to share with friends, saying, "I want you to know why we need to pursue immigration reform the way weve proposed it. Leaving it the way it is is simply unacceptable."

Brevard Community College Trustees have fired a professor who urged students to vote for President Barack Obama. Associate Professor Sharon Sweet was dismissed after a 3-month investigation into complaints that the algebra instructor, a registered Democrat, urged students and, in some cases, forced them to sign pledge cards that they would vote for Obama, reports Florida Today.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has named four Florida counties as primary natural disaster areas due to damages inflicted by the drought. Alachua, Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties will qualify for natural disaster assistance, the USDA announced Wednesday.