The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday released controversial new air-pollution standards that have been long sought by environmental and health advocates but could force expensive upgrades at some Florida power plants.
The standards will require hundreds of coal-fired power plants across the country to make improvements to curb emissions of mercury and other pollutants such as arsenic and nickel.
The first step is done. Now, Florida officials will try to convince the federal government that they should be able to remake the Medicaid system statewide.
The Obama administration this week gave long-awaited approval to Florida's extension of a pilot program that requires most Medicaid beneficiaries in five counties to enroll in managed-care plans. The decision was a victory for Republican leaders who ultimately want to put beneficiaries statewide into HMOs and other types of managed care.
Ending more than a year of talks, federal officials Thursday approved Florida's proposal to extend a controversial Medicaid managed-care pilot program through June 2014.
The announcement renews a requirement that most Medicaid beneficiaries in five counties enroll in HMOs or other managed-care plans. Also, it means that hospitals and other health providers will continue to tap into a $1-billion-a-year program that bolsters care for low-income and uninsured patients.
Arguing that a new charter-school law could violate their constitutional rights, two Central Florida school districts are trying to temporarily block the state Board of Education from ruling in a pair of disputes about proposed charter schools.
The Polk and Seminole County school boards filed lawsuits last week against the state board and Renaissance Charter School, Inc., which unsuccessfully sought approval from the districts this year to open charter schools.
Trying to encourage more oil production in Florida, a House panel Tuesday approved a proposal that would offer a tax incentive for tapping old wells in Southwest Florida and the Panhandle.
Sponsor Matt Hudson, R-Naples, said HB 87 seeks to "rejuvenate" oil fields that were discovered decades ago but have been abandoned. At least in some cases, he said, active wells are operating near the abandoned sites.
Hatched in 2008 when Marco Rubio held power in the state Capitol, the Florida Health Choices program expects to start offering health-insurance plans to small businesses in July 2012.
Chairman Aaron Bean on Friday acknowledged frustrations with the pace of Florida Health Choices, which supporters have long touted as a new type of "marketplace" for buying health coverage. But he also said officials want to make sure it is developed correctly.
For Florida Supreme Court justices, the numbers are familiar: 5-2.
The court in recent months has split by that margin on a series of cases, with Chief Justice Charles Canady and Justice Ricky Polston siding together and offering conservative --- and sometimes stinging --- dissents.
The cases have included controversial issues such as injury lawsuits against businesses, Gov. Rick Scott's attempt to exert more control over state rule-making and, in a few instances, death sentences.
State regulators Tuesday approved Progress Energy Florida's controversial request to collect $140 million from customers next year to cover costs related to the idled Crystal River nuclear plant.
The money will pay for what is known as "replacement power,'' which Progress has to get elsewhere while the Crystal River plant is shut down for massive repairs to a containment building.
While agreeing a Central Florida judge should be removed from office because of a "pattern of misconduct,'' two state Supreme Court justices wrote Friday that they think a ban on judicial candidates soliciting political contributions is unconstitutional.
Chief Justice Charles Canady and Justice Ricky Polston wrote that the ban, spelled out in what is known as a judicial canon, violates free-speech rights.
A Senate committee Wednesday approved two claims bills that are priorities of Senate President Mike Haridopolos -- but a renewed lobbying battle looms about a proposal to award more than $15 million to a Broward County man.
The Senate Rules Committee voted 9-1 to move forward with SB 4, which calls for the Broward County sheriff's office to pay $15.575 million to Eric Brody, who suffered debilitating injuries in a 1998 car accident with a sheriff's deputy.
