Floridians pay less taxes than residents of most other states with a new report finding state tax collections per capita are low, 48th in the nation, even as local taxes -- which make up almost almost 55 percent of government revenues -- are the highest across the nation. Florida TaxWatch released How Florida Compares on Tuesday which looks at state and local taxes in the Sunshine State.

Most Americans still don't feel too great about President Barack Obama's new health care law and want more freedom in their health insurance options than the law allows, according to a new poll released Monday from Rasmussen Reports. Over half of likely American voters (54 percent) view the health care law unfavorably, a percentage which includes 37 percent who have a very unfavorable opinion of the law. Only 19 percent have a very favorable opinion of Obamacare.

Former Gov. Jeb Bush, R-Fla., came out swinging on Sunday against former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clintons comments on religious freedom. Clinton is the favorite for the Democratic presidential nomination. Bush started an exploratory bid for the presidency in December and is expected to officially enter the race soon. Bush took aim at comments Clinton made last week that women in Africa and less developed parts of the world need more health care and legal protection.

Florida Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Orange Park, was named on Monday by GOPAC as part of its Class of Emerging Leaders, which the Republican PAC defines as talented state legislators who have demonstrated potential to have a positive impact in their state and in the Republican Party. Bradley is one of less than 25 Republican state legislators from around the country to be named to the program which will hold a summit in June.

From his seat on the U.S House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla., showcased his support of U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanans, R-Fla., Veterans ID Card Act, a bill ensuring every honorably discharged veteran receives an ID card from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., the chairwoman of the U.S. House Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, and U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., the ranking Democrat, teamed up on Thursday to bring out a bill condemning Iran for continued violations of the International Covenant on Human Rights and persecution of the Bahais.

At an event in New York on Thursday, former Gov. Jeb Bush, R-Fla., told supporters that he would not make the same mistakes that former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., did during his 2012 presidential bid. [Romney] made it about a referendum on the presidents policies rather than about himself. He didnt show his heart, Bush said at the event according to the Washington Free Beacon. He didnt send a signal that he cared about people, when he did.

U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., is tying himself closer to former U.S. Sec. of State Hillary Clinton, the heavy favorite for the Democratic presidential nomination, as he continues his bid for the U.S. Senate in 2016. Murphy sent out an email to supporters on Friday as he called for overturning the U.S. Supreme Courts Citizens United decision on campaign financing. He also ditched his attempts to come off as a moderate who reaches across the party aisle, going on the attack against extreme Republicans in Congress.

Florida CFO Jeff Atwater might not be running for the U.S. Senate in 2016 but he weighed in on how the federal government was managing its finances on Thursday. Noting that National Taxpayer Independence Day falls on Friday this year, Atwater said the federal government needs to get its fiscal house in order.

U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., showcased his support for bills improving cyber security on Thursday.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who is currently running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, said the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs needs to hold more employees accountable after reports emerged last year about veterans dying after being placed on altered waiting lists while seeking medical treatment. Despite Congress voting for reform measures last year, Rubio said their efforts were not working quickly enough.

Politico reported on Thursday that U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is the favorite to win the support of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, a prominent supporter of Republicans. Adelson heavily supported former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., in the 2012 presidential race and Rubio and other 2016 presidential hopefuls are courting his support. Politicos article can be read here.

U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis announced on Wednesday that the Marjory Stoneman Douglas House in Miami will be a national historic landmark. They made the announcement on Wednesday to mark Earth Day and with President Barack Obama holding an event at the Everglades.

U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Fla., part of the U.S. House leadership as senior deputy whip, insisted Iran is helping fund terrorism. Ross sits on the Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing and focused on Iran at a meeting on Wednesday, asking Johnathan Schanzer, the VP of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, about Iran.

Florida TaxWatch released a report on Thursday calling for reforms to the prison system in the Sunshine State. "It is clear that tough-on-crime policies are not working for Florida, as our state's crime rate is still 15 percent higher than the national average, even while crime rates across the nation continue to fall," said Robert Weissert, Florida TaxWatchs senior VP of research, on Thursday. Florida TaxWatch recommended keeping some nonviolent felons out of prisions through electric monitoring and other solutions.