State officials said Wednesday that a pilot program started in Lee County to provide foreclosure prevention assistance will be rolled out statewide in February 2011, provided it gets approval from the federal government.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee issued a mini-declaration of political beliefs on Tuesday -- perhaps the core of a platform for another shot at the Republican presidential nomination.

U.S. Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan was chosen by Republicans to lead the House Energy and Commerce Committee -- beating U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns of Florida.

On Tuesday, Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, named more chairs and vice chairs of the House committees that will shape legislation and laws in Florida for the next two years.

Current Attorney General Bill McCollum and Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson, with the support of incoming Attorney General Pam Bondi and incoming Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, filed a lawsuit on behalf of the state against the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the EPAs interference with the states clean-water program.

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The Florida House will be tackling one of the chief problems impacting the Sunshine State with the creation of a select committee to handle the thorny issue of water management.

House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, announced on Tuesday that he was creating the Select Committee on Water Policy to address the issue.

The Health Care Freedom Act, introduced by Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, continues to keep its momentum in the Florida Legislature.

Great news! posted former Sen. Carey Baker, now part of Haridopolos staff, on Facebook. Sen. Mike Haridopolos' SJR-2, Health Care Freedom Act, now has 26 senators as co-sponsors, virtually the entire Republican caucus. Nice to know your elected officials got the message about stopping the federal health care takeover.

Gov. Charlie Crist did not support the measure; Palm Beach County Human Rights Council President Rand Hoch is hopeful that incoming Gov. Rick Scott will sign an executive order for equal opportunity in state employment.

Shortly after 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Florida Sen. George LeMieux delivered his farewell speech on the U.S. Senate floor.

Gov. Charlie Crist appointed LeMieux to fill the last 16 months of Sen. Mel Martinez's term after Martinez resigned.

During the 15-minute speech, LeMieux took the opportunity to express what has been "weighing on his mind."

"The single greatest threat to the future of our republic and the prosperity of our people is this Congress' failure to control its spending," he said.

In the latest round of their constitutional challenge to new federal health-care laws backed by President Barack Obama, the plaintiffs from 20 states and the National Federation of Independent Business, led by Attorney General Bill McCollum, filed a reply in support of their motion for summary judgment against the U.S. Department of Justice and other defendants. McCollum and his allies are taking aim at the individual mandate required by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).