Lawmakers on Thursday sent to Gov. Rick Scott a controversial proposal that environmentalists say will make it easier for developers to sidestep challenges to development.

The House voted 79-36 on Thursday to approve a bill (HB 993) that was amended by the Senate this week to include a change to state law involving protests in environmental permitting.

Republicans, who supported the proposal, said it removes obstacles to development and will create jobs.

School districts around Florida say they are bracing for more big cuts after the Legislature passed a $16.6 billion K-12 education budget.

But the sky-is-falling scenario isn't universally embraced, and legislative leaders say Chicken Little is not coming home to roost.

You think Florida needs E-Verify? Really?

Listen to J.D. Alexander. Pull that 20-minute video clip from the Tuesday afternoon Senate session on immigration and just listen to him.

The Lake Wales senator pours his heart out on the reality the cold, light-of-day reality of using the costly, flawed, business-strangling E-Verify system. This is the system invented to check the legal-residency of new hires.

Alexander is an expert, thats why you listen to him. Personally, I think hes only expert on E-Verify up here. The rest of us just have opinions.

A bill that significantly alters voting rules in the state took one step closer to becoming law Wednesday, as the Florida Senate prepared legislation reducing early voting days, protecting against voter fraud and setting up a committee to determine the date for the 2012 presidential preference primary for a final vote.