After 10 Glorious Years, Sunshine State News and I Are Passing the Baton

Gov. Rick Scott, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty continued Thursday to put pressure on legislators to advance legislation that would revamp the supposedly low-cost personal injury protection auto insurance known as no-fault insurance. And the message continues to lean on senators to accept the proposal that has been advanced by the House.

Waiting for the Senate to advance a number of bills, the House has delayed the start of its floor session until 4 p.m. "Because we have so few returning messages to take up, and in the hopes that we will receive additional returning messages from the Senate this afternoon, House session will begin today at 4 p.m.," wrote House Rules and Calendar Committee Chairman Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral.

The Florida Senate said goodbye to Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, with a bipartisan tribute to his conservative beliefs that included the unveiling of his official portrait, which will be hung in the Senate gallery. With his wife, Stephanie, and children Alexis, Hayden and Reagan at his side, Haridopolos said after 12 years in the state Legislature, the last two as Senate president, he will miss being in the arena.

Gov. Rick Scott, who has stated opposition to increasing university tuition, has a bill headed to his desk that would allow Florida State University and the University of Florida to ask for more than the 15 percent cap now in place.