CRUZ GETS SIX BILLS FILED
New Rep. Janet Cruz, just elected in a special election for a Tampa area seat on Feb. 23, has filed her allotment of bills for the session. Cruz, D-Tampa, filed HB 925, creating a breast cancer early detection program, HB 1493 related to career offenders, HB 1495, which prohibits mailing or delivery of unsolicited checks, HB 1497, dealing with when officials must expunge the nonjudicial arrest records of minors, HB 1603 dealing with the Florida State Employees' Charitable Campaign. She also filed HB 1623, the "Helen Gordon Davis Equal Pay Protection Act, which would requires the state to conduct studies and provide information to employers, labor organizations and the public on how to eliminate pay disparities between men and women.
DON'T TREAD ON US
Military backers told a House panel in no uncertain terms Friday that any talk of oil drilling the eastern Gulf of Mexico better not hamper military operations in the region. Lawmakers would be ill-advised to do anything that would jeopardize that government-funded golden goose, which the University of West Florida estimates pumps $60 billion and more than 700,000 jobs into the state, backers told members of the House Select Policy Committee on Strategic .and Economic Planning. "That makes military spending as critical as tourism, said Leon Walters, a member of Northwest Florida Defense Coalition, which opposes extensive drilling in the Eastern Gulf. Walters has been in front of the panel before but reminded members that the region is home to myriad firing ranges used by Air Force and Naval aircraft and vessels for a host of training exercises from mine sweeping to air-to-air combat. Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park and chairman of the select committee, has taken extensive testimony on drilling in preparation for expected legislation opening up state waters to oil and gas exploration.
POLITICS
DEMS FILE COMPLAINT AGAINST FLORIDA GOP
Florida Democratic Party Chair Karen Thurman filed a complaint Friday with the states Election Commission, accusing the Florida Republican Party of failing to file accurate finance reports with state officials. The complaint seems intended to keep alive the recurring drama within the Florida GOP over credit-card spending by top elected officials, including disgraced former House Speaker Ray Sansom, R-Destin, who resigned his legislative seat last month. Florida Republicans have refused to disclose credit card details demanded by Democrats and many media organizations. The party insists it is not compelled to release such data, but is conducting a series of audits to determine whether any misuse of funds occurred, officials have said. Thurmans complaint is focused specifically on what Democrats say is a discrepancy between what Florida Republicans reported on finance reports filed with the Federal Elections Commission and similar statements submitted to the states Division of Elections. Florida Republican spokeswoman Katie Betta shrugged off the complaint, saying the party is fully compliant with all state and federal election law.
OTHER NEWS BRIEFS
JACKSON ANNOUNCES PLANS TO LAY OFF 4,400
The head of Miami's Jackson Health System on Friday announced a plan to shed 4,400 jobs by shutting down two hospitals to save more than $160 million. Jackson CEO Eneida Roldan announced the plans at a meeting of the Public Health Trust, the governing board for the county's public health system, The Miami Herald reported. The trust is facing a $229 million deficit. The plan would still need approval from the trust.
FORMER CHILD WELFARE HEAD GREG COLER DIES
Former head of the old Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services Greg Coler has died, according to officials at the successor Department of Children and Families.. He was 65. Coler died Thursday in Tallahassee from an undisclosed cause. He had been in bad health for years after suffering a stroke a few years ago. DCF Secretary George Sheldon let employees known in an Email Thursday, calling Coler a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable.
