While Florida is tough -- and getting tougher -- on sex offenders, the U.S. Department of Justice is looking to undercut those efforts when it comes to teenagers.

A revised federal rule posted this month would let states decide whether to include teen offenders on their public registries. Current law requires all juveniles 14 and older convicted of sex crimes to register for the rest of their lives and for states to post that information publicly.

Florida currently has 113 teenagers listed on its sex-offender registry.

Gov. Charlie Crist enthralled Florida's teachers unions when he vetoed Senate Bill 6. Whether he impressed the Obama Administration remains to be seen.

If you liked Washington's Wall Street bailout and stimulus programs, you'll love the EduJobs legislation percolating in Congress.

The $23 billion Keep Our Educators Working Act would "prevent layoffs of teachers and other education personnel and, perhaps, give us a leg up on the funding cliff coming next budget year," said Mark Pudlow, spokesman for the Florida Education Association.

Florida's "ultrasound" abortion bill is neither unique nor out of the mainstream of state policies around the country, a Sunshine State News analysis shows.

Florida Right to Life calls it "the most significant piece of pro-life legislation ever passed in Florida's history."

The American Civil Liberties Union says, "Here we go again. This legislation puts lawmakers in the exam room, during the most fragile point in any womans life, and takes the medical decision away from her and her doctor."

Florida's investigation into bid rigging in municipal bonds widened this week with reports that several of the country's largest banks may have been involved in a nationwide conspiracy.

According to federal indictments, the CDR Financial Products of Beverly Hills, Calif., gave false information to municipalities and fed information to bankers allowing them to win with lower interest rates than they were otherwise willing to pay.

Prospects for a special legislative session beginning Monday faded into the sunset Wednesday when Gov. Charlie Crist said he would not call for one next week.

Crist told the Miami Herald Editorial Board he still wants lawmakers to consider placing a constitutional ban on drilling on the Nov. 2 ballot, but also wants them to pass public corruption legislation.

In slapping down life sentences for teenage offenders in non-homicide cases, the U.S. Supreme Court ended life terms for 77 Florida inmates.

Saying Monday's ruling "will have a significant impact on our state's juvenile justice and corrections systems," Attorney General Bill McCollum said his office, along with the state Department of Juvenile Justice and Department of Corrections, has a lot of work to do.

When it comes to parties, Karen Thurman is no Jim Greer. But spending by the Florida Democratic Party has rebounded solidly after the FDP's near-death experience in 2004.

Under FDP Chairman Thurman, the party spent $46.3 million from 2007-2009, according to internal financial reports.

The Seminole casino compact will help South Florida's horse tracks, but, as expected,hobbles pari-mutuel facilities elsewhere around the state, industry insiders say.