State Rep. Cynthia Stafford, D-Miami, praised a court ruling blocking Florida's welfare drug-testing program.
Applauding the ACLU of Florida "for pursuing what many consider an unjust attack on lower-income people and a very vulnerable population in Florida," Stafford said, "the vigorous attempts to squash the legislation that mandated this testing are supported by today's court order."
Stafford is sponsoring House Bill 4065 for the 2012 legislative session to permanently repeal the requirement.
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The National Federation of Independent Business says a pending 8.9 percent rate hike in workers' compensation costs is bad news for small businesses.
The federation noted that small businesses had to cover a 7.8 percent increase last year and leadership expressed a desire for legislators to again try capping the price doctors can charge when dispensing drugs directly from their medical offices.
A federal judge's ruling temporarily blocking Florida's welfare drug-test law was assailed Monday as "insane and irresponsible."
"This is a deliberate violation of the law on the part of the judge," said Robert Rector, a Heritage Foundation researcher who helped author the original law governing the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven sided with an Orlando man and the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, which challenged the drug-testing requirement.
Gov. Rick Scott announced a joint venture Monday between Palm Beach and Brazilian entrepreneurs Luis Claudio Goldner and Alfredo Sampaio Caruso that involves a capital investment of $25 million, the lease of a 45,000-square-foot facility at the Port of Palm Beach and a plan to launch Americas Natural Caffeine LLC.
The project is expected to produce a total of 75 jobs paying an average $62,000 a year, with 25 jobs in year No. 1, then ramping up to the full 75 jobs by year No. 3.The state will not provide any incentive package.
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U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas brought in more than $2.75 million in a money bomb launched on Wednesday and ended on Monday for his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
More than 44,500 Paul supporters gave to the Texas congressman and, most impressively, almost 40,500 were unique donors. The average donation was just under $62.
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Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty intends to approve a requested 8.9 percent rate increase by the National Council on Compensation Insurance, the Office of Insurance Regulation announced Monday.
However, the office noted that NCCIs entire request was not approved and McCarty expressed concerns about potentially higher compensation costs associated with allowing doctors' offices to dispense medications instead of requiring a patient to go to a pharmacy.
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Dimissing critics' cries of "nuclear socialism," the Florida Public Service Commission approved $282 million in utility rate hikes on Monday.
Florida Power & Light and Progress Energy sought "early cost recovery" increases to kick-start four proposed nuclear reactors on the east and west coasts and upgrade existing plants. Under state law, utilities can seek rate hikes to cover planning, design and other preconstruction costs.
With the WWEs WrestleMania XXVIII taking place in Miami on April 1, South Florida leaders should take note of a study released by the Enigma Research Corp. on Monday.
The study found that WrestleMania XXVII, which was held in Atlanta on April 3, brought more than $62 million into the city -- a $17 million increase from WrestleMania XXVIs impact on Arizona back in 2010.
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The Public Service Commission on Monday approved a $196 million rate increase for Florida Power & Light.
The "early cost recovery" hike boosts the utility's revenues to plan for two new nuclear reactors at Turkey Point, south of Miami.
The PSC is also considering a rate adjustment for Progress Energy, which wants to build two reactors in Levy County.
Full story upcoming.
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