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Under legislation considered by the House today in Tallahassee, the state’s four investor owned utilities ( FP&L, Progress Energy, TECO, and Gulf Power) would be allowed to raise rates four dollars a month next year to build solar or biomass plants. But as Mike Vasilinda tells us, the legislation does nothing to help eight thousand Floridians who have already installed solar and are waiting for a promised rebate.

The state’s big power companies are already collecting money every month from utility customers to build new nuclear plants. Now, the Florida House wants to also let them collect four dollars a month beginning next year and as much as ten dollars a month in 2013 to fund construction of solar plants.

“So, I think the bill does a lot to create jobs in our state and encourage jobs in our state,” Rep. Seth McKeel (R-Lakeland) said.

The measure has the backing of some Democrats.

“If you don’t make investments in the future, you have no future,” Rep. Joe Gibboms (D-Miami) said.

But it also has opponents on both sides of the isle.

“We’re going to raise rates for people in our districts, and we’re going to give it to industries,” Rep. Dave Murzin (R-Pensacola) said.

“Is now the time to pass a potential $376 million dollar rate increase onto consumers?” Rep. Scott Randolph (D-Orlando) said.

In a voice vote, the House said no to 8,000 people in Florida who have already installed solar and are expecting a rebate. They won’t get it because the money has run out.

Florida ran out of money for solar rebates in June of last year, but didn’t bother to tell anyone until November, racking up a 25 million-dollar promise that won’t be fulfilled… all while utilities could collect more than a billion dollars for solar.

The Senate is sending signals that it will not take the house plan.

The Louisiana oil spill has Governor Charlie Crist rethinking his position on offshore drilling. The sunken derrick is leaking an estimated thousand barrels or oil a day and as Whitney Ray tells us, some of that oil may harm Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Governor Charlie Crist boarded a plane Tuesday afternoon, heading to the Louisiana oil spill to see if there’s a threat to Florida’s shoreline.

“We don’t know how soon or how much, the idea is to go out there with Secretary Sol, and make sure that we do everything we can in the event that more of it comes our way,” said Crist.

News of the spill has the governor and legislative leaders backing down from their efforts to explore oil drilling in state waters. Legislation postponed this session would have allowed the governor and state cabinet to broker deals with oil companies to bring rigs as close as three miles from shore.

Support for offshore oil drilling grew in Florida after gas prices soared above four dollars in the summer of 2008. That’s when Crist, a former opponent of drilling, first changed his position, citing the high prices and newer, safer drilling technology.

“It would depend on the parameters; how far off the coast, how safe it would be, how much it would protect our beaches,” said Crist in a June 2008 interview.

Crist says the spill less than 30 miles from the Louisiana gulf coast doesn’t meet his standards.

“I’m not sure this was far enough. I’m pretty sure it was not clean enough. And it doesn’t sound like it was safe enough,” said Crist.

Legislative leaders plan to visit oil rigs this summer to do their own research on the risk Florida faces if the legislature decides to lift the ban. Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill McCollum came out strong against oil drilling today. McCollum says if he’s elected he will veto any legislation lifting the ban. Democratic frontrunner Alex Sink has been a long time opponent of drilling in Florida.

After a five year legislative battle a bill laying out statewide regulations for red-light cameras is finally headed to the governor’s desk.

There are already hundreds of red-light cameras taking pictures of violators statewide. This legislation would allow for the cameras on state roads and put more restrictions on their use. Bill Sponsor Ron Reagan says the measure will save lives.

“There’s no doubt in my mind, we’re going to save lives. The number, I can’t tell you but I know the fact that in other cities and states around the country, when they have installed these cameras, number one, accidents, especially t-bone type accidents, have dropped dramatically, 50 to 70 percent. Therefore I know it does save lives. I don’t have a number for you. But I will tell you, it was just under 300,000 law enforcement citations issued two years ago for people who ran red lights. So the number obviously may go up initially, but with the language, you know, every intersection is going to have a sign on it. So it’s going to tell you that ‘traffic enforced via camera.” So, should somebody run a red light, they’re doing it at their own peril,” said Reagan.

Reagan adopted the legislation after Mellissa Wandall’s husband Mark was killed by a red-light runner just weeks before their first child was born. Mellissa has spent the last five years working with Reagan on the bill.

The waiting game is almost over, Governor Charlie Crist says he’ll announce his future political plans this Thursday.

Crist is expected to drop out of the Republican Primary and run as a no party affiliation candidate for US Senate. Crist says he’s still weighing his options and is making sure his federal qualifying paperwork is done properly.

“I just want to give myself 24 hours to make sure everything is filled out right and we cross every “T” and dot every “I,” said Crist

Crist says there’s absolutely no change he’ll drop out of the race all together, a move party leaders have been pushing. They believe if Crist runs as an independent, it would improve Democratic Candidate Kendrick Meek’s chances of winning.

A state ban on texting while driving crashed in Tallahassee today. The Senate was poised to discuss the legislation, but House leadership quickly put the breaks on the bill. As Whitney Ray tells us, with just a week left in the legislative session, texting while driving is likely to stay off the radar until next year.

The 2010 legislative session began with more than 15 lawmakers pushing their owe version of a texting while driving ban.

“It’s such a terrible dangerous activity,” Said Sen. Carey Baker.

Legislative leadership whittled the options down to one bill; Senator Nancy Detert’s,

“It is recognizable dangerous to be going 70 miles an hour and not looking at the road. You might as well be wearing a blindfold,” said Detert.

But before a vote could be taken on the bill, a message from the House was delivered by Representative Ellen Bogdanoff telling Detert not to bother.

Bogdanoff says if the legislature were to ban texting while driving, then other activities, like eating or flipping through a CD case should also be illegal.

“I don’t think we should be isolating one negative activity when we have many others,” said Bogdanoff.

But even without the legislation efforts are underway to warn people about the dangers of texting from behind the wheel.

Studies show people who send or read text messages are 23 times more likely to have a wreck. 19 states already ban the activity. A state ban on texting while driving may soon be moot because the federal government is considering taking action.

People who want to run for a federal office have until Friday to qualify for the ballot.

Federal qualifying began at noon today. Congresswoman Corrine Brown filled out her paperwork and paid 10-thousand dollars today to run for another term in Washington.

“I think election is like a report card and you work hard and I believe you let the work you have done speak for yourself and I’ve worked hard and I want people to know that,” said Brown.

Former House Speaker Marco Rubio is expected to turn in his qualifying paperwork for the US Senate election Wednesday. Governor Charlie Crist will qualify later this week, although it’s unclear if he’ll stay in the Republican Primary or register as a no party affiliation candidate.

State House and Senate lawmakers are getting closer to a budget agreement.

Members of the joint budget conference worked over the weekend. Now they’re putting the final touches on the 69 billion dollars state spending plan. So far cuts to state worker benefits, mental health services, and a program to prevent child abuse are some of the biggest casualties. Department of Children and Families Secretary George Sheldon says the state will be paying for the cuts to the child abuse prevention program for years to come.

“We can not come back and pick up these lives a year from now or two years from now when the economy gets better because these are folks who are going to be permanently injured.” Said Sheldon.

The legislature must have a budget agreement before midnight Tuesday in order to take a vote before the scheduled end of session Friday.

The oil spill off the coast of Louisiana has Florida lawmakers rethinking their efforts to open up the state’s coast to oil drilling.

Legislation to allow drilling with in 10 miles of shore was already dead this session when the spill happened, but Senator Mike Haridopolos says the legislature needs to do some more research.

“What are the risk involved? We want to know. If they’re too high we can’t do it. that’s why we are going to go there first hand. We are going to invite reporters with us, we want to see exactly what happens before we change our policy,” said Haridopolos.

The spill in Louisiana happened just 30 miles from the coast. It’s pumping out a thousand barrels a day.

After a judge partially blocked a new law allowing people to take leave their guns locked in their cars while they’re at work, there are new efforts to revive the law. State Senator Durrell Peaden is trying to amend his agriculture bill to allow all Floridians who own firearms legally to keep them in their cars no matter where they travel. Peaden got the idea from a constituent who was kick out of a funeral service because his gun was hanging in the window of his pickup truck.

“That’s not Wal-Marts, that’s not Disney World, that’s a cemetery. If you can’t take your gun to the cemetery we live in the wrong country,” said Peaden.

The Florida Chamber of Commerce is fighting Peaden’s amendment. The chamber says business owners should have the right to keep guns off of their property.

A five-year quest to allow red light cameras on state roads is almost over. State lawmakers are closer to passing the legislation than ever before, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, until lawmakers adjourn next Friday, nothing is certain.

Melissa Wandall entered the House Chamber on pins and needles. Fridaycould have been the day the Bradenton woman’s five year quest to get red light cameras installed on state roads ended, but it wasn’t. Lawmakers delayed taking the bill up.

“I promised my husband that I would take care of my family and that I would make a reason for what happened that night at the intersection,” Wandall said. “I keep my promises. I’m not going to let the legislators up here keep me from doing that.”

Melissa began the quest after her husband Mark was killed a block from their home. She was 9 months pregnant at the time.

Dozens of cities have installed the cameras at local intersections. One judge has ruled them unconstitutional, but the case is under appeal.

A legislative authorization would put the court case to an end at least going forward.

Legislative approval is looking more likely than ever. The difference this year, the state needs the money.

The cameras will raise almost a hundred million dollars for the state by the year by 2013.

Rep. Ron Reagan has championed the idea when few wanted to touch it.

“I don’t think there are very many people who have the passion that I do for this,” Reagan said. “You know, it’s great legislation. I’ve worked on it for five years. We’re at a point now where we’ve written it, I believe it makes sense. It works well in communities. And more importantly, it has uniform standards around the state.”

Reagan leaves the legislature after the 2010 session, making this perhaps the last best year for red light cameras.

The FBI is asking question about former House Speaker Ray Sansom’s involvement with a legislative deal to build a private prison. The news comes as the feds investigate Sansom, Marco Rubio, and former GOP Chairman Jim Greer for spending millions on Republican Party of Florida credit cards. As Whitney Ray tells us, the trouble for the GOP keeps growing.

A legislative plan to close as many as five state prisons and ship inmates to a private prison run by GEO Group was scaled back last month by public out cry.

Former House Speaker Ray Sansom originated the deal with an amendment in the 2008 state budget.

On March 30th, a concerned citizen filed a complaint with the US Attorney’s Office calling for an investigation. A source familiar with the complaint says the FBI has been asking questions. A GEO Group Lobbyist says the feds haven’t questioned him.

“I never heard anything like that at all,” said Smith.

According to our source the feds may be searching to see if Sansom received any kickbacks from the company. GEO Group, formally known as Wackenhut, gave Sansom’s campaign 500 hundred dollars for his 2007 campaign.

The company gave 145-thousand dollars to the Republican Party of Florida in 2008, and another 130-thousand in 2009. Neither Sansom’s lawyer nor the FBI returned our requests for interviews.

Plans to house 22-hundred inmates in the private prison are moving forward in this year’s budget negotiations. The Police Benevolent Association says lawmakers should halt the prison plan.

“The legislature would be smart to the taxpayers if they stopped this deal and took another look at it,” said Puckett.

Earlier this week news broke of an FBI investigation into spending by Sansom, and several other high ranking Republicans on party issued credit cards. Questions about the prison deal may have spawned from their current investigation.

Insurance company Northern Capital folded earlier this month and as many as six other insurers are on the brink of being unable to pay claims.

Industry experts say companies aren’t prepared to pay claims because rates are too low, and as Whitney Ray tells us, legislation that would allow companies to raise rates without state approval is stalling under the threat of the governor’s veto pen.

Hurricane season is right around the corner and 70-thousand Floridians are scrambling to find coverage because their insurance company Northern Capital folded.

The company didn’t have enough money to pay claims in the event of a major disaster; half a dozen or more are on the brink of collapse. State Senator Mike Bennett says smaller insurers have flooded the market because the state is keeping large companies from charging a fair price.

“They keep wanting to finances these little weak companies and we are letting major companies leave the state of Florida,” said Bennett.

Governor Charlie Crist vetoed legislation last year that would have allowed insurance companies to raise rates without the state’s approval. The bill is back this year, but with the governor on the war path, legislative leaders aren’t taking any chances.

The bill, which would allow companies to raise rates 20 percent a year, was postponed in the House Thursday morning. By noon Crist reasserted his distaste for the legislation.

“I think a bill like that, that would increase rates like that in the insurance industry, is not good for the people of our state,” said Crist.

The governor called a special session of the legislature in 2007 to lower insurance rates. Some lawmakers who voted with the governor’s wishes now say it’s the worst decision of their legislative careers.

Two proposed constitutional amendments that would make Florida elections more competitive are being challenged by the state legislature.

The proposed amendments aim to end gerrymandering, a practice of drawing legislative and congressional districts to manipulate the outcome of elections. Legislative leaders want to add their own constitutional amendments to the ballot that, if approved, would trump the two amendments placed on the ballot by voters’ signatures. The legislative plan would allow gerrymandering in an effort to ensure minority representation. Representative Geraldine Thompson says legislative leaders are using minorities as a scapegoat to ensure Republicans keep control of both chambers.

“This is an obvious attempt to use racial and ethnic minority members of the legislature to do the dirty work of the people who are in power and who will not concede and who will not allow the people who are in the state of Florida to take politics out of redistricting,” said Thompson.

Every ten years Florida’s districts are redrawn. Democrats held control of the state House and Senate until the 1990s, when districts were drawn to favor Republicans.

Kids wore green to the state capitol today to celebrate Earth Day.

Governor Charlie Crist joined environmentalists to encourage kids to do their part to preserve Florida’s natural beauty. Crist told the students not to take nature for granted.

“We have a duty to be good stewards, to be good stewards of this beautiful state that we love and care for so much and I know that as we continue to do that Florida will continue to prosper. I love Florida, La Florida, the state with the prettiest name. The prettiest place on the planet,” said Crist.

Today marks the nations 40th Earth Day. The day of recognition was created to raise awareness of pollution and destruction man was causing the environment.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney is throwing his political weight behind Marco Rubio in Florida’s highly dramatic US Senate race.

Cheney made his announcement today and used the occasion to encourage Rubio’s rival, Governor Charlie Crist, not to run as an independent. Cheney’s comments didn’t seem to bother Crist.

“Sounds like another Washington Politian trying to tell Floridians what to do.”

Crist has until April 30th to decide if he will run as a No Party Affiliation Candidate. The latest poll shows Crist losing in a primary, but winning as an independent.