Citrus growers received some good news about the outlook for this year's crop, but the long-term prognosis remains dire for the industry threatened by greening disease.

The House is sticking with a proposal to create a 10-year funding pool only for Everglades restoration, setting up potential negotiations with the Senate on how to spend voter-approved money for land and water conservation.
 
With little comment, the proposal known as "Legacy Florida" was teed up Tuesday for a House vote as soon as Wednesday.

The House proposal (HB 989), which seeks at least $200 million a year for Everglades projects, is narrower than a Senate proposal.

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.

Hawks in the Florida Legislature want Congress to fully declare the nation is at war with global Islamic terrorists
 
The Senate Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security Committee on Monday unanimously backed a proposal (SM 1710) that urges Congress and President Barack Obama to authorize the use of military force against al-Qaeda, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) "and all other global Islamic terrorist organizations that similarly engage in acts of terrorism."
 

A proposal that would allow people to bring guns into airport terminals, but not through federal security screening, has taken off in the Senate amid turbulence from aviation officials.

The measure (SB 1500), narrowly approved along party lines in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to continue carrying sidearms in the areas of airports that are before passengers go through the security-screening process.

From muck removal to paying for a dolphin pool or beef advertising, the House and Senate have a lot to hash out as they negotiate a roughly $80 billion spending plan for next year.

The Senate last week approved a package (SB 2500) that stands at $80.97 billion, while the House's spending plan (HB 5001) comes in at $79.98 billion.

The governor's office and the attorney general's office have tried to distance themselves from a growing showdown between the National Rifle Association and one of the state's water management districts.

Money to restore the state's natural springs has been attached to a proposal that would direct as much as $200 million a year to South Florida water projects.

The Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee supported an amendment Tuesday that would require at least $75 million a year to be budgeted for springs preservation.

If all goes as planned, Florida lawmakers will get to enjoy springtime outside of Tallahassee this year.
 
Now, lawmakers are starting to consider if an early start to the regular session should be repeated in two years.
 
The House Government Operations Appropriations Subcommittee on Monday backed a proposal (PCB GOAS 16-01) that calls for the 2018 session to begin Jan. 9 rather than in March.
 

A nearly $1 billion tax-cut package is ready to go to the House floor after getting backed Wednesday --- without Democrats voting --- by a key committee.
 
Democratic members of the Finance & Tax Committee walked out before the vote on the proposal (PCB 16-04), which almost matches a tax-cut total sought by Gov. Rick Scott but includes different details.