The 334,000 customers of the Peoples Gas System utility company will receive refund payments totaling $3 million, thanks to a settlement agreement with the Office of Public Counsel agreed to Tuesday by the Public Service Commission. PGS earnings over the 11.75 percent authorized by the PSC will be returned to the company's customers throughout Florida. Customers using a certain amount of gas will receive a one-time credit of $3.74 on their March bill.

It may not be record breaking time, but it was significant enough to get a reaction from Senate Community Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton. "That was painless," Bennett said as the committee concluded their 9-minute meeting Tuesday morning where they voted in favor on four bills.

On Monday, the Florida chapter of Americans for Prosperity (AFP-FL) released their grades for the Sunshine States congressional delegation. Based on the congressmens votes on a number of issues during 2009 and 2010, the group gave the delegation members higher marks based on their adherence to the principles of less government, lower taxes and more personal freedoms.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. David Rivera took aim at federal spending on Monday, promoting a bill to return the budget to what it was back in 2008. We have been on a dangerous glide path during the last few years that threatens our countrys future, said Rivera.The federal government spends $7 million during every minute of every hour of every day; our national debt has climbed to more than $14 trillion and is growing by the second, and last month we spent $3.4 billion per day on interest expenses on the national debt.

The Florida Education Association won't say where it's spending its money (see story here), but a former union captain explicitly lays out the FEA's strategy. Doug Tuthill, former president of the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association, writes:

The State of the Union address is scheduled to begin Tuesday, Jan 25 at 9 p.m. EST (6 p.m. for those on the nation's West Coast). President Barack Obama's speech is expected to last about an hour, and may be seen on just about any major television network or online at Whitehouse.gov. Sign Up for News Alerts from Sunshine State News

Former Rep. David Bitner, the newly elected chairman of the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF), announced on Monday that Andy Palmer would be the new executive director of the RPOF. I am pleased to announce that we have appointed Andy Palmer to serve as the RPOFs executive director, said Bitner. Andy is well-qualified for this endeavor, with an outstanding work ethic, commitment to the job, and character. I look forward to having Andy at my side every step of the way. Palmer served as executive director before, serving in the post back in 2005-06.

With the help of a team from the University of Florida, the Florida Hospital Association (FHA) released a study on Monday revealing that hospitals create almost 740,000 jobs across the Sunshine State, leading to $54 billion across the state which is more than 7.3 percent of the states GDP. "This report underscores the economic contribution our hospitals provide to their local communities each and every day," said FHA President Bruce Rueben. "This is especially important at a time when Florida has the fourth highest unemployment rate in the nation."

Democratic presidential candidate Randall Terry, the founder of the Operation Rescue pro-life group and best known to Floridians for serving as a spokesman for Teri Schiavos parents and running against First Coast Sen. Jim King in 2006, campaigned in Washington, D.C., on Monday at the March for Life. Its thrilling to see so many pro-life people here, said Terry, who announced last week that he would challenge President Barack Obama in the Democratic primaries and would make opposition to abortion the main issue of his campaign.

With abortion opponents taking part in the March for Life in Washington on Monday, Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio praised their continued opposition to abortion.

A Democrat and a Republican have teamed up in the Florida House to introduce a bill to increase the number of Floridians who can join the Nursing Home Diversion Program. The measure, introduced by Rep. Steve Perman, D-Boca Raton, and Rep. Tom Goodson, R-Rockledge, looks to knock down restrictions keeping some seniors on Medicaid in nursing homes instead of receiving treatment in the comfort of their own homes.

President Barack Obama is gearing up for re-election in 2012, setting up a campaign headquarters in Chicago and staffing it. Organizing for America (OFA), a group which helped propel Obama to the Democratic nomination and the White House back in 2008, is also ramping up again and will be holding events across the Sunshine State on Tuesday night when Obama delivers the State of the Union address. They will be holding watch parties in Dania Beach, Gainesville, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando, Pembroke Pines, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Tallahassee and Tampa on Tuesday night.

U.S. Rep. John Mica received the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Award for Legislative Excellence -- the seventh time the Florida Republican was so honored.

Look for some fireworks on Wednesday when Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns calls a session of the subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, part of the full Energy and Commerce Committee. Stearns, who chairs the subcommittee, will be taking testimony from Office of Management and Budget Director Jacob Lew on the administrations take on regulatory reform.

The Florida Public Service Commission will this week determine the fuel and recovery charges for Florida Power & Light customers for 2011. PSC commissioners will hear evidence from FPL and the Office of Public Counsel during a hearing that will begin Wednesday and end Friday. FPL can recover necessary fuel and purchased power costs, but may not earn a profit on fuel purchases.