After a marathon debate that dragged into the early hours of Friday -- and increased speculation that Gov. Charlie Crist plans to veto the measure -- the House joined the Senate in passing a bill that creates a performance pay standard for Floridas teachers.
The bill passed 64-55 at 2:26 a.m. with 11 Republicans joining all 44 Democrats in opposing it.
Rep. Oscar Braynon II
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Age 33
Residence Miami Gardens
Years in the Legislature Three
Political Affiliation Democrat
Spouse Melissa
Children Oscar III
What did you want to be when you were growing up ?
A saxaphone player or a public servant
What do you consider to be your biggest political achievement ?
Florida has failed to insure its residents' homes properly, and it needs to allow insurance companies to raise their rates, said a coalition of House representatives and others Thursday.
Florida received an F on a 50-state Insurance Report Card issued by the nonprofit Heartland Institute, a think tank concentrating on the free market.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers approved a massive expansion of a corporate-funded school voucher program, providing a mechanism for the program to continually expand and put more money toward private school tuition.
The state's GOP press machine wasted no time Thursday in spreading the word, churning out a news release with snarky quotations and a headline sure to raise some eyebrows.
"Sink Hires Pro-Abortion Group Staffer as Deputy Campaign Manager," read the headline from the Republican Party of Florida.
Businesses hoping the state will continue to pay for certain damages sustained on projects contracted with state agencies might need to temper their expectations.
The Senate Policy Steering Committee on Ways and Means voted unanimously Thursday to absolve the state of paying certain early-termination and liquidated-damage fees on contracted projects, and cap state leases of personal property at $500,000.
The bill, which also passed its last committee unanimously, is now headed to the floor.
Over the last two decades, the United States has intervened militarily in several countries to protect human rights. Now, writes historian Mark Mazower in World Affairs, "the concept of humanitarian intervention is dying if not dead." And a good thing, too, he concludes.
