The Florida House of Representatives Appropriations Committee passed a series of bills Wednesday aimed at strengthening laws to protect children from sexually violent predators.

It's part of the Legislatures Work Plan 2014 Protecting Floridas Vulnerable initiative.

Bills included in the Houses initiative to deal with violent predators are the following:

Whatever you think of Joe Garcia, the Democratic congressman from Miami knows poison when he sees it. And Obamacare isn't a potion he wants to take him out in 2014.

So -- Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz's Obamacare love letters aside -- in its latest ad, the House PAC supporting Garcia is insulating him against claims he's an Obamacare apologist.

The ad doesn't even mention Garcia's most potent rival, Carlos Curbelo.

You knew Jeb Bush would rise up and revolt sooner or later, and sure enough.

Over and over Charlie told the world he sees the Republican Party just like Jeb did.

On his national book tour, chameleon Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist told TV talk-show hosts the story of The Obama Hug. Over and over and over. He always followed it, as he did on "Real Time With Bill Maher" Friday night and at the AP media event in Tallahassee on Jan. 29, with some version of "When the president of the United States of America wants to appear with you, you show up. ... My mom and dad always taught me to be respectful ..."

A picture really is worth a thousand words -- especially if it's a cartoon. Thanks, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, for yours on Tuesday.

David Beckham's moon is still over Miami. The international soccer star will face the cameras Wednesday in a news conference to discuss his progress in trying to bring a Major League Soccer expansion team to Miami.

The New Jersey governor probably can say goodbye to his presidential aspirations.

This just out: Chris Christie knew about lane closures on the George Washington Bridge at the time they were occurring -- and a former Port Authority official who oversaw the disastrous lanes shutdown claims to have evidence to prove it.

That news came in not one but two reports Friday.

The Miami New Times is among six finalists for the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting, according to an announcement Thursday by the prize's sponsor, the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvards Kennedy School of Government.

Hate to say I told you so, but ...

Charlie Crist admitted Tuesday he has no intention of meeting Nan Rich in a primary debate.

One day after the suspended mayor of Sweetwater, Manuel Maro, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison for receiving $45,000 in a pay-to-play grant scheme, Gov. Rick Scott formally removed him from office.

On Friday the governor signed Executive Order 14-32 (see the attachment below).