Gov. Rick Scott and state Rep. Scott Randolph, D-Orlando, wrote columns for U.S. World and News Reports Debate Club series arguing for and against Medicaid expansion in Florida.

The essays come as Floridas top economists, sitting as the Social Services Estimating Conference, will look at the long-term expenditures of Medicaid, and expected impact of the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, on Friday.

While Scott and many GOP leaders are opposed to accepting Medicaid expansion, the debate among Florida lawmakers will continue throughout the year.

An appeals court Tuesday ruled against Attorney General Pam Bondi in a long-running battle about the Legislature's attempt last year to privatize prisons across southern Florida.

The 1st District Court of Appeal rejected Bondi's appeal of a circuit-court ruling that blocked the privatization plan from going forward. A three-judge panel ruled against Bondi on a procedural issue -- saying she did not have the authority to file the appeal after the original state party in the case, the Department of Corrections, declined to do so.

The men are so near to each other in all their convictions and theories of life that nothing is left to them but personal competition for the doing of the thing that is to be done.

Florida will push forward in its attempt to punish companies that do business with Castros Cuba and Assads Syria.

The Florida Department of Transportation on Tuesday filed an appeal of a ruling by U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore that granted an injunction against Floridas new anti-Cuba contract law. Coral Gables-based Odebrecht USA claims it violates federal law.

Odebrecht USA, an affiliate of the Brazilian company Odebrecht, claimed in court that only the federal government sets foreign policy.

The Obama administration has quietly issued new bureaucratic rules that overturned the popular welfare reform law of 1996. This illegal move completely undoes years of progress that helped millions of Americans.

With Florida set to surpass the 1 million mark for valid concealed gun permits within the next two months, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam on Tuesday made a point of defending the rights of Florida citizens to ensure their own personal security.

Florida has a strong tradition in upholding Second Amendment rights, Putnam told reporters in his Capitol office. The Florida Legislature has been very clear about that."

U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson won the congressional seat representing parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties vacated by Kendrick Meek in 2010, beating out eight other candidates in the Democratic primary -- but Dr. Rudy Moise, who placed second in that primary, has more in the bank as he heads toward a rematch in August.

Looking to extend his lengthy career on the political stage, U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla., is a heavy favorite to win the Republican nomination and the general election, despite facing a transformed district.

The son-in-law of the late Gov. Claude Kirk, Crenshaw is a veteran of Florida politics who was first elected to the Florida House in 1972 and ran unsuccessfully as the Republican nominee for secretary of state back in 1978.

A Florida-based energy company that received money through President Obamas stimulus package is under investigation by state and federal officials for fraud, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said Tuesday.

The unnamed company was one of two based in Florida awarded state and federal grants for energy development programs that are now being looked at for criminal fraud by the FBI and Florida Department of Law Enforcement.