The Florida Public Service Commission reached a settlement with Florida Power & Light to increase its rates $75.5 million but freezing its base rates for the next two years.

On Monday, House Democratic Leader Ron Saunders of Key West and Democratic Whip Evan Jenne of Fort Lauderdale named four deputy whips to oversee their caucus.

The Democratic leadership named Rep. Janet Cruz of Tampa, Rep. Mark Pafford of West Palm Beach, Rep. Hazelle Rogers of Lauderhill and Rep. Alan Williams of Tallahassee as deputy whips.

Attorney General Bill McCollum lauded Judge Henry Hudson's ruling Monday striking down a portion of the federal health-care overhaul. McCollum and 19 other attorneys general have a pending lawsuit against the law. Oral arguments are expected in that case on Thursday.

With a federal judge in Virginia upholding a constitutional challenge on Monday against new federal health-care measures backed by President Barack Obama, potential Republican candidates looking to run for the U.S. Senate in 2012 praised the decision.

There are about 30,000 licensed mortgage brokers in the state of Florida who haven't renewed their license applications, and time is running out. If mortgage professionals don't apply by Dec. 31 they cannot process loans or do business after that date until their license is approved by the state Office of Financial Regulation, a process that could take three months or more.

Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, has named the following senators to the Republican Executive Committee:

Sen. J.D. Alexander, Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto, Sen. Anitere Flores, Sen. Don Gaetz, Sen. Andy Gardiner, Sen. Alan Hays, Sen. Joe Negron, Sen. Garrett Richter, Sen. David Simmons and Sen. John Thrasher.

With an eye on running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota took aim at public employee unions in an opinion piece that ran in Mondays Wall Street Journal.

J.J. Helland of AOL News has created a list of the top 10 quotes of 2010-- and two of them are relevant to the Sunshine State. Tied with Republican U.S. Senate candidate Christine ODonnells denial of being a witch is BP executive Tony Haywards I want my life back complaint about dealing with the oil spill in the Gulf.

ABC News reports that a federal judge in Virginia could issue a ruling Monday in a lawsuit opposing the Affordable Care Act, the federal overhaul of health care. The ruling could affect a similar case being led in Florida but joined by several other states.

How bad a candidate was state CFO Alex Sink, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee? According to MSNBCs political guru Chuck Todd and Samantha Guthrie, Sink was the worst candidate of the year. Handing out awards on MSNBC on Monday, the duo of pundits slammed Sink for not taking advantage of Rick Scotts history in the private sector with Medicaid. The duo also targetedGov. Charlie Crist, naming his bid for the U.S. Senate with no party affiliation as one of the worst of the year.