A new effort is underway in the Florida Senate to further regulate a controversial practice that property insurers say is leading to rate increases.

The Senate General Government Appropriations Subcommittee on Wednesday unanimously approved a proposal (SB 1248) dealing with the practice known as "assignment of benefits." The state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera have raised concerns the industry is on the verge of a crisis unless action is taken.

Sen. Ted Cruz is leading the pack in his home state of Texas before the Republican presidential primary, but his fellow GOP candidates Donald Trump and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio are both closely nipping at his heels, polling only a few points behind him.

On Wednesday, despite the opposition of the Obama White House, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee backed U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart’s, R-Fla., “Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act.” 

This week, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., teamed up with U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., to bring out the “Spoofing Prevention Act of 2016" to crack down on the use of fraudulent IDs in text messaged and IP-enabled calls. 

When they unveiled their proposal on Monday, both Nelson and Fischer insisted their bill would crack down on fraud and protect seniors. 

A bill aimed at better protecting elderly Floridians from unscrupulous guardians is speeding toward passage in the state Legislature.

The House on Tuesday took up the measure (SB 232), filed by Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, and could give final approval as early as Wednesday. Senators this month voted unanimously to approve the measure, after a similar bill died during the chaotic end of the 2015 legislative session.

The proposal would lead to the Department of Elder Affairs certifying and overseeing professional guardians --- and disciplining those who abuse their trust.

The Florida Standards Assessment is only two years old, but some state lawmakers are already looking for another option to test Florida’s students on what they’ve learned during the school year. 

One of the most powerful Democrats in Washington D.C., took an active role in the Democratic primary as his party looks to flip the U.S. Senate seat currently held by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.

So far, compared to last year, the current Florida legislative session has been pretty calm. But that could change in the final weeks as Gov. Rick Scott’s  proposal to increase funding for Enterprise Florida hits the floor. EF has gotten into a nasty, public fight with fiscal conservative critics. 

While currently lost in the shadow of the presidential contest, the four Republican candidates running to replace U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., all came out swinging at President Barack Obama’s call on Tuesday morning to shutdown the terrorist holding facility at the Guantanamo Bay military base.

President Obama’s dangerous and disastrous national security policy continues with the release of his so-called “plan” to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. After seven years, President Obama has still not explained to the American people in sufficient detail where, under what authorities, and at what cost he will detain some of the world’s most dangerous terrorists.