Beneath Florida's Vietnam Veterans Memorial across the street from the Capitol building, Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll and Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Adam Putnam pledged their support for legislation carving out parts of state parks specifically for U.S. military veterans.

Bills filed in the House and Senate would create special areas for veterans to enjoy outdoor activities like hunting. Advocates for the bill say the new veterans' areas will be parts of state parks that go largely unused.

From his perch as chairman of the House Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communications, Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis weighed in on the crisis Japan continues to face at nuclear power plants, and responses in the U.S. --including Gov. Rick Scotts actions in Florida.

Sunshine State News reports that Senate President Mike Haridopolos is already dousing Anitere Flores' attempt to delete the E-Verify requirement from the Judiciary Committee's immigration bill.

Among the Republicans watching the political maneuvering is House Judiciary Chairman Will Snyder, whose committee is working on its own bill.

Whichever way the Senate goes, Snyder says his goal is "to do all we can to preserve jobs for Floridians who are legally eligible to work here."