Allow me to share with you an e-mail Communications Director Joe Follick fired out to Department of Children and Families' employees Thursday: DCF Colleagues, Starting tomorrow, video news clips featuring Department activity will beavailable on DCFs main Intranet site. These clips will be located underthe Department News and Events. The clips will be updated regularly by the Office of Communications andwill include news stories featuring our employees and our public service.

The Senate Budget Committee moved along its version of the budget, all of $69.8 billion in spending. The Senate budget proposal is $3.3 billion more than the House version, mainly because it includes the clerks of court and incorporates the water management districts in its budget, which the House swept. The vote came down 16-4, with two Democrats -- Bill Montford of Tallahassee and Gary Siplin of Orlando -- joining the Republicans on the committee in moving the budget along.

The Florida House passed a Medicaid reform bill -- HB 7107 -- on Thursday after a debate that extended more than two hours. The measure passed on an 80-38 vote that was very close to party lines.

Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio joined with Republican colleagues on Thursday in calling for a federal balanced budget amendment.

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments on June 8 in Florida's lawsuit against the federal health-care law, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday. U.S. District Court Judge Roger Vinson declared the law unconstitutional last month. Florida and 25 other states have brought the suit against the federal government over the health care law passed by Democrats in 2010.

The Senate Budget Committee voted to cut the ad valorem tax rates of the state's water management districts to the tune of $210.5 million, increasing its oversight of the bodies for good measure. The move got the unanimous approval of the committee, and would allow the Legislature to annually review and authorize the millage rates of each of Florida's five water management districts. Currently the WMDs, which are made up of unelected board members appointed by the governor, arrange and adopt their own budgets and tax rates.

As hard as it is to believe in a climate that has Uncle Sam advertising for $115,000-a-year Facebook friendly employees, nearly three-quarters of American adults believe private-sector workers put in more sweat.

The Senate Budget Committee passed a reworking of the state's pension system Thursday over the objections of several state workers and union officials. The overhaul of the pension system calls on workers to contribute 3 percent of their salary toward their pension. It moved through the committee on a 12-8 vote, with Republicans Mike Fasano of New Port Richey and Thad Altman of Melbourne joining the six Democrats on the committee in voting against it.

A Central Florida survey of 1,200 businesses and 100 government officials call it a split decision on the governor's usefulness to the economy in the middle of the state. Gov. Rick Scott is either the carpenter building Florida's economic recovery hopes or the wrecking ball pounding them into the ground.

In a decision that could affect the issuance of future specialty license plates in Florida, a federal judge overturned the state's rejection of a Confederate tag. Judge John Antoon said the state acted unconstitutionally in rejecting a specialty plate for the Sons of Confederate Veterans. The group had paid the requisite fees and complied with all conditions applicable to the sale of the tag, but the Legislature blocked its issuance.

Union officials and state workers are pleading with state senators to keep their current pension benefits, or at least reduce the amount of cuts the senators are favoring as they attempt to reform Florida's pension fund and close a $3.8 billion budget deficit.

A measure repealing the law passed last year establishing cameras on traffic lights passed the Senate Transportation Committee on Thursday morning. Supporters of the repeal bill argue that the measure passed last year was for government to increase revenue, while defenders of the current law maintain that it helps public safety, discouraging drivers from running red lights.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Posey spoke before the House Budget Committee on Wednesday, demanding that NASA make manned space flight its top priority.

Freshman Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Rich Nugent testified on seniors to the U.S. House Budget Committee on Wednesday, calling for the preservation of current benefits while lowering the deficit and national debt.

Neoconservative pundit and editor William Kristol cheered the news that Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio was calling for the removal of the Gadhafi government in Libya. Over at his blog at the Weekly Standard, Kristol sang Rubios praises.