The state's most recent attempt at developing standards for water quality in lakes, rivers and estuaries is under attack from critics who say the draft rules won't satisfy the Federal Clean Water Act.

Members of the state Environmental Regulatory Commission next week are scheduled to review the Department of Environmental Protection's newest proposed rule to regulate the amount of allowable pollution in Florida fresh water. The proposed rules were updated earlier this month.

A statewide program established in 2009 to require mediation in residential foreclosure cases isn't working and should be significantly changed, a panel set up by the Florida Supreme Court concluded Friday in a report that warns of another deluge of foreclosure cases.

Following a series of conference calls and a review of public comments, a work group led by 2nd District Court of Appeal Judge William Palmer called on the state's highest court to eliminate the requirement that all borrowers and residential mortgage holders seek mediation as part of the foreclosure process.

Banks would be prohibited from charging customers monthly fees for debit card use under a measure filed in the state Legislature Monday. The proposal would also prevent consumers from being charged for not using their cards.

Despite the return of summer temperatures, fall was definitely in the air this week with political pros' thoughts turning to upcoming committee hearings, presidential primaries and new budgets as agency heads prepared for yet another tight-fisted session.

Florida's economy continues to sputter, and it was reported this week that the state's unemployment rate remained unchanged in August. And the Legislature's top economist warned of future revenue shortfalls.

Candidates would have to pay unpaid elections fines before their names could go on the ballot under a proposal approved Tuesday by the Florida Elections Commission as it tries to collect $1.4 million in unpaid penalties from political candidates.

Meeting by conference call, the commission also called for boosting penalties for judicial candidates who breech campaign laws. Both proposals were submitted last year but lawmakers chose not to bring them up.

Mounting fear over the nation's economic health, both in the short run and the long-term, dragged down consumer confidence in Florida, which in August fell to the near record-low posted at the bottom of the housing bust, a University of Florida report indicated Tuesday.

Consumer confidence among Floridians fell to 62 on the UF index in August, a confidence level only three points higher than the record-low 59 set in June 2008, according to data compiled monthly by the school's Bureau of Economic and Business Research.