House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, talked with the media Monday, setting the stage for the Tuesday start of the legislative session, and called for a dramatic reform of the state Supreme Court.
Cannon wants to change the current seven-judge body into two separate five-judge courts. Cannon called for one state Supreme Court that would examine civil affairs and another one to focus solely on criminal cases. Both courts would have five justices each.
I thinkall of this would take a constitutional amendment, said Cannon, who has been very critical of the judicial branch, rejecting proposed amendments that emerged from the Legislature last year.
Im well aware of the criticism Ive received, noted Cannon. The fact remains that the Constitution provided three branches of government with checks and balances for each.
The speaker offered few details on how separation could be achieved, saying that could be left for committees to hash out. He maintained that his proposal would improve the judicial branchs efficiency, arguing that criminal cases --which were 12 percent of the Supreme Courts docket --consumed 50 percent of its time. Cannon even noted that more criminals on death row are dying of natural causes than lethal injection.
Cannon also said that the House Judiciary Committee would also consider a proposal making retention of appellate judges contingent on receiving 60 percent of the popular vote. Reviewing judicial retention votes of the last decade, Cannon noted that the only time judges garnered less than 60 percent came in 2010 when those from the 1st District Court of Appeal -- home of the lavish courthouse dubbed the Tallahassee Taj Mahal by both the media and politicians -- were up for retention.
House Democrats fired back at Cannons plan as a waste of taxpayer resources.
Were at a time when the judiciary in Florida is underfunded, so the Legislature should fund the courts properly before we expand the number of judges, said House Democratic Leader Ron Saunders of Key West. I have talked to the judges and, essentially, 90 percent of their budget is personnel costs. The judges say that if they dont get proper funding, theyll have to cut services that will impact the public. In my opinion, its not a good time to expand the number of judges when the ones we have arent properly funded.
Flanked by members of his leadership team -- Speaker Pro Tempore John Legg of Port Richey, Rep. Rob Schenck of Spring Hill and Rep. William Snyder of Stuart -- Cannon said the House would also be tackling other major issues in its first week, including Medicaid reform, teacher quality, immigration, pill mills and unemployment compensation.
Our bill this year improves on last years legislation, Cannon insisted as he focused on Medicaid reform. Noting that the issue could consume up to three weeks of committee hearings, Cannon said the current legislation drew on the experiences of five counties across the state taking part in a Medicaid-reform pilot program.
Cannon called for Florida-style immigration reform. The proposal coming out of Snyders Judiciary Committee would give police officers the ability to check the immigration status of suspects during criminal investigations but not in minor legal matters, such as traffic stops. The committee would also push legislation requiring the state government to use the E-Verify computer program to check the immigration status of all potential employees in 2012 and would require all private companies with more than 100 employees to use the program in 2013.
Cannon also said the House was ready to go with teacher performance pay reform -- which passed the Legislature last year but was blocked by then-Gov. Charlie Crist -- with the full Education Committee hearing the matter on Thursday. The speaker insisted that the House had gained the input of students, teachers and parents from across the state on the matter.
The speaker said the House would pass unemployment compensation reform, reducing its length from 26 weeks to 20, which has been in committee, insisting the new bill will certainly assist our businesses.
Florida has become a destination state for prescription drugs, claimed Cannon, as he took aim at pill mills.
The solution to this problem is upstream, said Cannon, who was backing legislation that would ban selling controlled prescriptions out of physicians offices.
We need to cut this problem off at the head, said Cannon, who attacked drug dealers masquerading as doctors.
Cannon called for elimination of the state pill mill database which has the backing of Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island.
Despite that difference, the speaker rejected the idea that it would prove to be a bumpy session.
I have a great relationship with [Senate] President Haridopolos, said Cannon. I have a great relationship with Governor Scott. While Cannon noted that they all had differences, he said that was part of the process and he expected the House, the Senate and the governor to work together.
Asked about fiscal matters, Cannon said his main priorities would be to cut $4.6 billion of state government in order to pass a balanced budget while not raising taxes.
Asked about tax cuts proposed by Gov. Rick Scott, Cannon insisted the top priority was not raising taxes and cutting spending but said the House was open to cutting taxes if possible.
We have an appetite for that, said Cannon, who focused on lowering state property taxes. If we can do it, we will.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
