After qualifying Thursday to make the ballot, Sen. Jim Norman, R-Tampa, has withdrawn from the Florida Senate District 17 race.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam on Friday morning cheered the House's passage of the energy bill he has been pushing throughout the 2012 session. With the House passing the measure 116-2, it is now on its way to Gov. Rick Scott. Two Republicans voted against the measure, Eric Eisnaugle of Orlando and Marlene O'Toole of The Villages.

On the last day of the 2012 session, the Florida Senate rejected the Parent Empowerment Act, better known as the Parent Trigger Act.

The measure, SB 1718, which was introduced by Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, failed on a 20-20 vote on Friday as eight senators -- Charlie Dean, Nancy Detert, Paula Dockery, Mike Fasano, Alan Hays (who was one of the original supporters of the bill), Dennis Jones, Evelyn Lynn and Steve Oelrich -- joined a united Democratic caucus in opposition to the bill.

On Friday, last day of the legislative session, the Florida Supreme Court offered a split decision to the state Legislatures redistricting plan, ruling unanimously that the plan for the House seats passed constitutional muster but the plan for the Senate lines failed to do so.

While the court ruled 7-0 that the House districts were constitutional, five of the justices ruled against the proposed Senate map, while two -- Chief Justice Charles Canady and Justice Ricky Polston -- supported the lines the Legislature passed.