Gov. Rick Scott, along with Florida's law enforcement community, boasted Tuesday of the 6.7 percent reduction in the overall crime rate for 2010. The uniform crime report unveiled Tuesday also reflected a 10.1 percent reduction in violent crime. Scott noted that while four officers were killed in the line of duty and five officers suffered accidental deaths in all of 2010, six officers have already been killed in the line of duty in 2011.

After defeating amendments from Democrats designed to weaken the bill, Republicans passed SB 2086 through the Senate Budget Committee Tuesday, clearing its way to the Senate floor.

The bill eliminates one week of the current two-week early voting period and prevents voters who move to another county from changing their address at the polling place on Election Day. Democrats say it is a partisan bill designed to prevent students who move away for college from voting.

In the opening moments of the House session on Tuesday, the chamber had a guest -- Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, who thanked the House members for their work on the budget.

Despite some contention, the two chambers announced an agreement on general revenue allocations on Tuesday morning and the Senate president spoke briefly from the House floor.

I miss the House, said a smiling Haridopolos.

On Tuesday the Florida House honored former Jacksonville Mayor Ed Austin, who passed away over the weekend, with a moment of silence.

Mayor Austin served the people for more than 50 years, said Rep. Mike Weinstein, R-Jacksonville, who served with him for more than two decades, including a tenure as Austins chief of staff. Weinstein talked about Austins role as a mentor to a host of public servants.

Rep. Charles McBurney, R-Jacksonville, who worked with Austin as an assistant state attorney, called him a great leader and a visionary.

Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, and House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, have announced they have reached a deal on budget allocations for the 2011-2012 fiscal year. There are no details yet, but the deal comes less than 24 hours after the Senate's chief negotiator, Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, complained of Cannon's "stunts" and negotiating tactics.

No big surprise here but, during an appearance on Mark Levins radio show on Monday night, former House Majority Leader Adam Hasner announced that he was entering the crowded Republican primary to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012. Hasner had already filed paperwork establishing his candidacy. David Catanese over at Politico has an excellent piece on how Hasner is looking to take a page from Marco Rubios successful U.S. Senate campaign in 2010.

On Monday, Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney cheered the news that the U.S. Department of Defense was pulling the plug on adding an extra engine to the F-35 fighter plane.

Rep. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee and Speaker Dean Cannons, R-Winter Park, point woman on the budget, weighed in on the continued budget negotiations with the Senate-- and placed the blame for the increasing frustrations squarely on the Senate.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio said on Monday that he had fellow Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scotts back in the states dispute with the federal EPA on water standards.

On Monday, Gov. Rick Scott appointed Christopher Nocco to replace Bob White as sheriff of Pasco County.

Before receiving the appointment, Nocco had been a major in the Pasco County sheriffs office. White, a veteran of almost three and a half decades in law enforcement, had announced back in March that he would be retiring from the position which he has held since 2001. Nocco will assume the new position on May 1 and his term ends on Jan. 7, 2013.

Legislative leaders weighed in to praise the appointment on Monday.