Designed to be more palatable for medical associations, House members on Tuesday supported an enforcement effort of doctors linked to pill mills and the overprescription of narcotics.

The less potent effort would allow the states surgeon general to restrict, rather than suspend, the license of a doctor facing criminal charges involving prescribed narcotics.

With the Senate expected to take a floor vote this week on the once-a-decade redistricting of legislative and congressional seats, the House committee overseeing its remapping efforts should be ready to make its recommendations on Jan. 27.

House Redistricting Chairman Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, has released a timeline for reviewing the proposed legislative and congressional maps that has the full committee voting on the final maps a week after a workshop this Friday.

Florida Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, says she is disappointed the candidate she backed for the GOP nomination has suspended his campaign, but added that former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman made the right decision Monday.

I believe he made the right decision to get out of the race as he was unable to gain the traction necessary to continue, Dockery, one of Huntsmans handful of Florida legislative backers, stated in an email Monday.

Because of a civil rights law, election officials in five Florida counties are at work on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Early voting for the Jan. 31 GOP primary begins Monday in five Florida counties: Collier, Hardee, Hendry, Hillsborough and Monroe.

For the rest of the state, the early voting period gets under way next week.

Faced with a $2 billion budget shortfall, and receiving word Thursday that little change is expected in the projected revenue stream, Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, got bipartisan backing Friday from senators to delay -- if necessary -- the session for the budget process.

Sens. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, and Chris Smith, D-Oakland Park, gathered the signatures as a sign of support, giving Haridopolos the discretion to hold off the budget process while awaiting updated revenue projections made closer to the start of the next fiscal year.

With state leaders looking to overhaul education, increasing emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math majors, the presidents of the University of Florida and Florida State University said the state could increase tuition for students in the STEM fields.

Bernie Machen, University of Florida president, and Eric Barron, Florida State University president, told legislators on Friday that the hike would help cover the cost for the additional faculty needed to provide more STEM courses without increasing the costs for students in other fields.

With the prison population down for the third consecutive year, the state will begin to close the first of seven state prisons and four work camps by the end of this month.

The move is part of a statewide consolidation plan that is projected to save $14.9 million this year and $75.8 million in the next fiscal year.

The Florida Department of Corrections plan calls for the elimination of 1,293 full-time employee positions, from correctional officers to medical and kitchen staff, and will further impact numerous contractors providing services to the facilities.

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putman outlined an energy plan Thursday designed to diversify the states energy portfolio, advance renewable energy production, encourage home-grown technologies and promote greater energy efficiency.

The plan calls for establishing a climate that encourages new energy industries and the creation of jobs without specifically targeting an emerging technology for the government to back.

Secretary of State Kurt Brownings second resignation was accepted Wednesday by Gov. Rick Scott.

After a great deal of thought over the holiday, I have decided that it is in the best interest of my family that I would return to Pasco County, Browning stated in his resignation letter.

Browning said there was no pressure from the governor's office.

Destination gaming could face a quick end in the House after the first committee workshop on the controversial proposal to set up a statewide gaming commission and allow three casino resorts.

Members of the House Business and Consumer Affairs Subcommittee gave no direction on how to proceed with the bill after nearly two hours of comments and presentations from gaming interests and opponents on Wednesday.

Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, who said he hasnt personally made a decision on the bill, called the meeting educational for those on the committee.