State Capitol Briefs (Lunch Edition) - Tuesday, March 23, 2010

The News Service of Florida

DEVELOPING

MCCOLLUM SUES OVER HEALTH CARE LEGISLATION
Attorney General Bill McCollum filed suit in federal court in Pensacola Tuesday to try to block the new federal health care legislation because of its requirement that Florida residents buy health insurance. The lawsuit followed President Obama's signing of the legislation by just a few minutes. Several other State Attorneys General joined Florida's lawsuit, which is the first challenging the new law, filed today in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida.
The News Service will have more later on the lawsuit.

HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COUNCIL TAKES UP BUDGET
The House's top budget committee is considering its budget bill (PCB CEED 10-02) for the coming fiscal year today. The various appropriations subchairmen have explained their parts of the budget and the committee is currently taking up amendments. In addition to the main budget bill, the Appropriations Council plans to take up several conforming measures related to the budget, including the implementing bill, and bills dealing with state workers and agency travel.
More later

GUN TRUST FUND PROTECTION HEADED TO GOVERNOR
The Legislature will be barred from raiding the concealed weapons permit trust fund for anything other than its intended purpose under legislation unanimously passed by the House Tuesday and sent to Gov. Charlie Crist. The bill (SB 1158), a major priority of the National Rifle Association, had passed the Senate earlier on a 31-9 vote. Democrats in the House said the bill doesn't go far enough, and should protect all trust funds from budget balancing raids. The trust fund is paid into by gun owners and the money goes for the background checks done for prospective concealed carry permit holders. It's the second win for the NRA in recent weeks, with lawmakers having already sent to Crist a bill that clairifies that propsective adopting parents don't have to answer questions from adoption agencies about whether they have guns in the home.

BACKERS HOPEFUL FOR SCHOOL PRAYER BILL MOVEMENT
With two more House committee stops in what is likely to be the last week of meetings for those two panels, the sponsor of legislation clarifying the rights of students to allow prayer at public school events is confident the bill can get to the House floor. The bill (HB 31), which prohibits school boards, school officials or teachers from "discouraging or inhibiting student delivery of inspirational messages at non-compulsory high school activity,” was approved Monday in the House Civil Justice and Courts Policy Committee, but still is referred to the Education Policy Council and the Policy Council. The measure's sponsor, Rep. Greg Evers, R-Baker, said Tuesday that the chairman of both of those committees support the legislation and he's confident of getting the bill to the floor. Evers said his focus now is getting the bill moving in the Senate, where it has two committee assignments.

This information originally published on March 23, 2010.

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