The failure of a single bill to reach the Senate floor -- a controversial one that Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty claimed would lower workers compensation costs for businesses -- doomed the parent trigger for school choice in the final days of the 2012 session.

Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, one of the original supporters of the Parent Empowerment Act, cast his vote against the act in the waning hours of the regular session on March 9, causing the bill, better known as the parent trigger act, to die in a 20-20 vote.

A Leon County Circuit judge believes time remains to determine the validity of the Legislatures redrawn congressional districts before politicians have to qualify for the fall campaigns.

With just over 75 days until the start of qualifying, Judge Terry Lewis showed eagerness Friday to move forward a challenge to the maps following guidelines similar to those used in a nearly two-month state Supreme Court review of the state House and Senate maps.

Lewis said he would like to begin a trial the week of April 16.

An assortment of bills approved by the Legislature, including a requirement for state employees to be randomly drug tested, a $2.4 million claims bill for a slainpolice informant and removing a requirement that bicyclists must keep one hand on the handlebars while riding, landed on Gov. Rick Scotts desk Friday.

Scott has until March 31 to sign or veto the bills.

CS3 HB 107 Special Districts

A former Republican who jumped to a minor party last year must wait until 2014 to run for Congress as a Democrat as she wants. Or she could continue to seek the office this year as a big or little I for independent, a Leon County Circuit judge ruled Thursday.

Legislators shouldnt have to completely revamp the map of new Senate districts rejected by the Supreme Court as the head of the Florida Democratic Party contends, the president of the Florida Senate said Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith told reporters that, because the state Supreme Court ruled eight of the 40 districts redrawn for the once-a-decade redistricting invalid, the entire state will need to be redrawn.

In the frantic final hours of the 2012 regular session, as bills were debated regarding auto insurance, Citizens Property Insurance, the parent trigger for charter schools and the budget, senators found time to slip in the confirmation of eight appointments by Gov. Rick Scott -- and failed to confirm almost 400 others.

The harried pace came following days where hours of floor time was dominated by going-away speeches by departing senators and a portrait-unveiling for the Senate president.

Florida Democrats may use the coming redrawing of state Senate districts to renew their court challenge to the proposed House redistricting map -- even though the state Supreme Court last week ruled the House plan valid.

Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith told reporters in a teleconference call Tuesday that the party is waiting for direction from their attorneys, as well as input from other opposition groups regarding the House map.

Floridas unemployment rate dropped to its lowest mark since March 2009, with numbers for January down 10 percent since November, according to the state Department of Economic Opportunity.

For the first month of 2012, the seasonally adjusted unemployment mark for the Sunshine State was 9.6 percent, down from 9.9 percent a month earlier and 10.9 percent a year earlier.

Gov. Rick Scott stated he was pleased with the latest numbers.

With a successful legislative session now in the rear-view mirror and the states biggest business lobbying groups awaiting the governors signature on the bills they backed, attention is shifting to this years election cycle.

The Florida Chamber of Commerce soon will release its annual "How They Voted" publication -- a legislative report card that grades each member of the Florida Legislature on his or her pro-jobs, pro-business legislative action.