Florida GOP primary winner Mitt Romney dominated in large metro areas along both coasts, the important I-4 corridor and scored big with Hispanics.

The results are a marked improvement over his effort in 2008, when Romney finished second to Gov. Charlie Crist-backed U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who swept the Sunshine States large Central and South Florida counties and Hispanic populations.

Senate President Mike Haridopolos needs to quickly bring a few more members of his chamber into the pro-prison privatization camp if he wants a successful vote on the controversial proposal Wednesday afternoon.

But with at least 10 Republican senators either opposed or undecided on Senate Bill 2038, which would outsource 28 correctional facilities in Central and South Florida, the Merritt Island Republican said he isnt going to be twisting arms following a contentious floor session Tuesday.

A bill some have called a cornerstone of the social conservative agenda this session, allowing public school students to run their own prayer sessions at organized events, has been expanded to include all grades.

The Senate will vote on the bill Wednesday.

The last-minute change introduced Tuesday on the Senate floor also removes the term noncompulsory from the initial bill.

Newspapers already struggling for classified ad revenue fended off an attempt to reduce the cash stream from foreclosure legal notices.

The House Civil Justice Subcommittee narrowly rejected a bill that would have allowed those required to publish a foreclosure notice the option to do so on an Internet site instead of posting the legal notice in a newspaper.

Rep. Richard Steinberg, D-Miami Beach, said requiring the notices in newspapers is a public benefit.

Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, the chairman of the House Redistricting Committee, is rejecting comments making the rounds that he is leading efforts to drive U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, from office.

There are rumors that the Florida Legislature has targeted Congressman Allen West. This is patently false, Weatherford stated in a Facebook posting. I personally have supported and endorsed Allen West. I will continue to support this extraordinary member of Congress who has brought a much-needed conservative voice to Washington, D.C.

ATMs at strip clubs and Internet cafes would be off-limits for public assistance debit cards under a bill narrowly backed by the House Health and Human Services Access Subcommittee Monday.

However, the bill, HB 1401, is expected to undergo a major rewrite, as the proposal also pushes for prohibitions on certain junk food purchases with the debit-style cards that are issued through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as food stamps, before the proposal reaches the Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee.

Boundary lines across Florida shouldnt be a factor when a city or county considers construction contracts that involve state dollars, senators on the Community Affairs Committee said Monday.

Despite objections in support of "buy local" efforts by the Florida League of Cities, the committee voted to support SB 1460, which would prohibit local communities from giving local contractors preferential treatment when considering a project that would receive any amount of state money.

The House released Friday a proposed $69.2 billion budget for the next fiscal year, a slight increase from the current year, and matches Gov. Rick Scotts call for $1 billion in additional funding from the current year for Pre-K-12 education, but not the full amount of his call for Everglades restoration efforts.

House Redistricting Committee members strongly rejected last-minute remapping efforts offered by the group behind the voter-approved method to reduce political gerrymandering as new congressional and legislative lines were pushed forward on Friday.

A move to require state employees to be randomly drug-tested, an effort Gov. Rick Scott sought to impose after he was inaugurated last year, is moving through the Legislature.

Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, the sponsor of the Senate bill, SB 1358, said state employees are no risk of greater or lesser drug abuse than the general population, but said testing will help employees who need assistance in their personal fight against drug abuse.

Its about protecting the state employees and the public, Hays said.