Shortly after the curtain came down on the 2012 regular legislative session, lawmakers were already considering the contours of the redistricting session that will begin Wednesday.
And they already have some ideas about the scope of the changes to the Senate plan, the only one struck down by the Florida Supreme Court, and the role of the House in recasting the lines to the court's liking. Both will be limited.
A leading Muslim group hailed the defeat of "anti-Sharia" legislation at the Florida Senate Friday.
"This is a greatsuccessnot only for the Muslim community, but for all Americans who believe in theconstitutionalprotections of freedom of religion," said Hassan Shibly, Florida director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
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As the clock wound down on the 60-day session late Friday, legislators were able to get an auto insurance reform package to the governor, created a new state university and steered the state universities to attract more science, technology, engineering and math students.
Senate President-designate Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, who headed the Senate Reapportionment Committee, announced Friday night that the 15-day special session on redistricting will begin Wednesday at 1 p.m.
Earlier in the day, 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.
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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.
A national parent rights group said it was disappointed, but not surprised, by the Florida Senate's failure to pull a "trigger" on education reform Friday.
"From AFT's secret PowerPoint to NEA's unprecedented Florida lobbyist invasion, we have seen time and time again that those who have power now are willing to do virtually anything to stop parents from ever having power," said Shirley Ford, an organizer for the Los Angeles-based Parent Revolution.
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Call it what you want -- a circus, a sideshow, or just plain old political rhetoric -- but for the past week America has watched the media elite and some in Washington bend over backward to turn attention away from an issue that is fundamental to the future of this country: Obamacares attack on individual liberty.
As the session wound down, the Florida Senate voted Friday night to join the House and back the personal injury protection reform that Gov. Rick Scott made one of his chief priorities. The measure passed 22-17.
This is a triumphant moment for the residents of Florida, Scott said in a statement. "Members of the Legislature heard our call to put Floridians ahead of special interests and combat the fraud that has become a billion-dollar tax on drivers.
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The Florida House voted to pass the $70 billion budget on Friday night on an 80-37 party-line vote -- but it will take some time for the Senate to pass it. The Senate, which is currently debating personal injury protection reform, must still cast a final vote on the budget.
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