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Law requires people receiving unemployment pay to actively look for a job, but until now the state didn’t check to make sure they were. The Agency for Workforce Innovation is now questioning 6-thousand different benefits receivers every week to make sure they’re looking for work. Governor Rick Scott says accountability is important.

“It’s only fair to the people that are paying for those that are unemployed that anybody that is receiving any unemployment benefits that are making sure they are looking for a job,” said Scott.

The checks will be at random. People caught lying about businesses they’ve applied to will lose their benefits.

146 Years ago today, Union soldiers read the Emancipation Proclamation for the first time in Florida. A reenactment in the state Capitol comes one day after Governor Rick Scott signed massive changes to election law, that as Mike Vasilinda tells us, could make voting more difficult.

On May 20^th, 1865, Union soldiers read President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in Florida for the first time. The event is reenacted each year in Tallahassee.

But many African Americans believe that a 158-page elections bill signed into law Thursday will do them more harm than good.

“I think that the Justice Department is going to weigh in on this because basically what you’re doing is taking away citizens’ rights to actually vote,” former state Senator Al Lawson said.

Despite claims to the contrary, the legislation allows county supervisors to cut early voting in half, to as few as eight, six-hour days. Secretary of State Kurt Browning says that will save small counties money.

“I do not see that as a reduction of early voting,” Browning said. “I see that as a good, common sense approach to being able to not use this whole one-size-fits-all mentality.”

The legislation is being described as a proactive approach to fighting election fraud. But in recent years, only four cases have been prosecuted.

Still another provision would give lawmakers a second chance if they write misleading ballot information for constitutional amendments. Elections law expert Ron Meyer successfully argued against several amendments last fall.

“What this legislation tries to do is take away from the court the right to make sure that the people understand what they’re voting for,” Meyer said.

The new law also makes it harder to chance your address on short notice.

Florida’s unemployment rate has dropped again. Labor statistics released today put the jobless rate at 10.8 percent. This is the fourth straight month Florida’s unemployment rate has dropped but as Whitney Ray tells us, the free fall is likely to stop as state worker layoffs and budget cuts begin.

There are 80-thousand more jobs in Florida now than there were a year ago. Labor statistics released Friday show the state’s unemployment rate dropped .3 percentage points to 10.8, marking fourth straight months of decline. There are now fewer than a million Floridians looking for work.

“This is the lowest unemployment rate since September of 2009,” said AWI Chief Economist Rebecca Rust.

The celebration will likely be short lived. Thousands of teachers were told they were losing their jobs this week because of a billion dollar hole will be left unfilled when federal stimulus dollars run out.

“You see in Broward they are talking cutting 1,400 positions. In Pasco County, a much smaller county they are talking about cutting 500 positions,” said Mark Pudlow, with the Florida Education Association.

8-thousand construction jobs could be eliminated if Governor Rick Scott signs off on a 150 million dollar legislative raid on the transportation trust fund.

“We just got the good news today that the jobless rate in Florida has declined from 11.1 percent to 10.8 percent. We are heading in the right direction, the absolute last thing we should be doing is throwing a wet blanket on the flickering flames of Florida’s economic recovery,” said Doug Callaway, with Floridians for Better Transportation.

And thousands more will lose their jobs if the governor vetoes school construction projects to save more than 100 million dollars. Another 45-hundred state jobs are eliminated in the budget lawmakers sent to Scott. What he does with the spending plan next will determine, how far the job loss will go.

Governor Rick Scott has promised to veto some items in the state spending plan. At the same time he believes cutting government jobs will help create jobs in the private sector.

With less than two weeks until the 2011 hurricane season, the state is testing its response equipment and retraining staff. A mobile system helping to bring food and cash assistance to hurricane victims was tested today to make sure its ready to respond. As Whitney Ray tells us, the system was adopted after Hurricane Wilma. It’s been tested a dozen times, but never used.

In 2005, Hurricane Wilma left thousands of South Florida residents hungry and thirsty. 600-thousand asked for help from the state. During Wilma, applications for cash and food assistance were filled out on paper. It took days, sometimes weeks for assistance to arrive.

Now the Department of Children and Families has a mobile application system. Victims are given debit cards when they apply. Using a satellite the applications can be approved over night and the cards activated.

“The amount of money the card depends on how many people are in your family,” said Terry Durdaller, a spokeswoman with DCF.

DCF tested its Food for Florida Program, Thursday. State workers played hurricane victims with no where else to turn. Some played scam artist.

And of course it was just a drill. In the event of a real disaster the crowd would be hundred times this size and more than fill this entire parking lot.

But that has never happened. The new system has been in place since 2007 and has never been needed. But with just two weeks until hurricane season DCF is testing the equipment and once again hoping they won’t have to use it.

During a disaster, most people affected would qualify for emergency assistance. Excluded are people who already receive cash and food assistance and people who still have a lot of money on hand after the storm.

Effective today Florida’s Elections laws have changed. Governor Rick Scott signed a controversial elections bill this afternoon.

The new law shortens early voting from two weeks to eight days, forces people who change their registration information the day they vote to cast a provisional ballot, and decreases from 10 days to two the amount of time third party voter registration groups have to turn in voter applications. Lawmakers passed the bill and Governor Rick Scott signed it saying it would help curb voter fraud… Yet there were only four arrest warrants issued for voter fraud over the last four years. Secretary of State Kurt Browning, held a news conference to discuss the new law today… he says it’s about being proactive.

“I’d much rather address problems before they rise, then get hit in the face with a full-blown problem and not have a plan to solve it,” said Browning.

Governmental watchdogs, like Brad Ashwell with Florida Public Interest Research Group, say the bill is really about keeping Democrats from voting.

“The governor had a change to say he wasn’t a politician as usual, he wasn’t just another party player and he passed a blatantly partisan bill. If you look all the different piece of this bill that are controversial, they all benefit one political party, the party in power,” said Ashwell.

The US Justice Department will review the changes to see if they violate the Federal Voter Rights Act.

Governor Rick Scott is expected to sign a bill that would drastically change Florida’s election laws. The bill would limit early voting, make it harder to register voters and set a deadline for voters to update their registration information. As Whitney Ray tells us, the US Justice Department has been asked to review the changes.

Last year Carley Sattler helped register hundreds of voters at Florida State University.

“A lot of students weren’t even aware that there were elections,” said Sattler.

Carley is the Chapter Chair of FSU PIRG… and regularly participates in voter registration drives. But she may stop signing up voters because of changes in Florida’s elections laws.

“I wouldn’t be shocked at all if a lot of organizations stopped doing registration. The fees were scary enough the past semesters, now fees and deadlines are even more restrictive,” said Sattler.

The changes shorten the time voter registration groups have to turn in forms from 10 days to two… For each form turned in late… a 50 dollar fine would be levied.

It would also force volunteers to registrar with the state before signing up voters. Those changes have volunteer groups like the League of Women Voters crying foul.

“That could be an undo burden for people who really do this as a labor of love, something they are committed to and see as their civic duty,” said League Spokeswoman Jessica Lowe-Minor.

Other changes include shortening early voting from two weeks to one and require voters who change their address 30 days before Election Day to cast provisional ballots.

The controversy surrounding the changes has already reached Washington… A delegation of Democratic Congressmen sent a letter to the Justice Department asking for a review. The Justice Department responded with this letter promising to “Carefully Consider” the changes to see if they violate the Voter Rights Act.

Supporters of the changes say it’s all about fraud prevention…. But there’s only been 31 reports of voter fraud in Florida since 2008… and in only four of those cases arrest warrants were issued.

Besides third party voter registration groups and supervisors of elections… Democrats oppose the bill. They say the changes would have a major impact on their voters… because Democrats are more likely to voter early. They’re also more likely to register to vote with a third party registration group.

Thirty-two states ban texting while driving, but not Florida. A bill banning the dangerous practice hit a road block during the legislative session. But, As Whitney Ray tells us, lawmakers did pass a bill to educate new drivers about the dangers of texting from behind the wheel.

18-year old Alex Bishoff admits, she sends text messages from behind the wheel, but only at stops.

“At stop-signs and stop-lights, not while in motion; it scares me,” said Bishoff.

It’s not the safest practice, but it’s better than texting while the car is moving. Drivers who text are 23 times more likely to wreck. 32 states have texting bans, but not Florida.

The state is taking a different approach to the deadly problem. An outright texting ban has failed in Tallahassee several years in a row, so this year lawmakers compromised.

They passed a bill requiring new drivers to learn about the dangers of texting while driving when they apply for a learners permit.

State Farm already educates its young drivers. They show videos and issue a safety test. Alex saw a similar video last year, it was an eye opener.

“It made me feel incredibly responsible for all of my actions on the road,” said Alex.

State Farm Agent Kathy Fain meets personally with all of her young drivers to make sure they understand the severity of the situation.

“They can get hurt in an instant, and it could be something that we can’t undo. So, as a State Farm agent, that’s my main thing: to keep them safe on the road,” said Fain.

And even though the state isn’t giving drivers a reason not to text, State Farm is. Young drivers who pass their safety course and stay out of trouble with the law can receive a discount until they’re 25.

The bill requiring educational courses for people applying for a learners permit is on the governor’s desk. He’s expected to sign it.

Pink Slips are starting to flow in school districts across the state as districts grapple with a five hundred and forty-two dollar per student cut come August. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, for many schools, it will mean fewer teachers and staff.

PE classes in most middle and elementary schools have already doubled. More kids are   being crammed into art and music, thanks to cuts in education over the last five years. Now districts are facing one point three billion less next year. This High school has already let six staff members go. Principal Rocky Hanna says seven more are on the chopping block. “Where as an educator do you draw the line. I’m pushing all these kids to take core classes, math and science on line, so they can take drama and art, and the classes they enjoy, elective classes here in school,” says Hanna.

Mark Pudlow says the same scenario is being repeated in districts across the state. “In Broward, they are talking about cutting 1400 positions. In Pasco County, a much smaller county, they are talking about cutting 500 positions.”

With an average of just over 550 students, this elementary school can expect to have about three hundred thousand dollars less next year. Governor Rick Scott defends the budget cuts saying districts should not have relied on Federal money that kept more than 20 thousand teachers employed last year. “I think like every family in this state, every business in this state, probably, Everybody is having to rethink how they do their job, and how they’ve tightened their belts” says Scott. “Our schools are doing the same thing.”

The end result will be larger non academic classes in August, fewer staff in the lunch room, and less supervision before and after school.

Other choices districts are considering include fewer bus routes or closing some schools. The cuts come as the amount of state money being diverted to private schools in increasing by 35 million dollars.

At a bi weekly news availability today, Governor rick Scott told reporters he expected state surplus funds to grow, thanks to items will veto from the budget. State lawmakers put at least 156 million dollars in hometown project in the budget. Scott declined to say how much he would ax from the spending plan. “I’m going through line by line, so I did not come up with a target number. So I am looking at each project, each line, and my job is, um, I have a constitutional authority to veto things, and the legislature has the opportunity to act in their constitutional authority” Scott told reporters.

Scott expects to sign the budget before Memorial day. officially he has not yet received the 400 page document from state lawmakers. Once he does, he will have 15 days to act.

The state Department of Transportation is spending 88 hundred dollars to put Governor Rick scott’s name below the welcome to Florida signs on 35 roadways coming into Florida. Scott appeared uncomfortable when asked if the signs were a good use of taxpayer money. “I saw a picture on the front page of the paper today…I hadn’t seen what they look like. I think they look nice. But um, my job is to promote the state. that’s what I’m doing every day. I’m traveling the country promoting the state. It’s part of promoting the state,” says Scott.

Few Florida Governors have exercised the option to have their name on the signs. Scott’s office says the signs will help in the states economic development efforts.

50 students from Pasco County schools traveled to the state Capitol today to support the creation of a new park in the northwest part of the county. The county had negotiated a deal with a private landowner who was mining the property over the last six years. It will eventually provide beach access, boating access to the gulf for up to 250 boaters, and potential jobs through development. The Governor and Cabinet gave approval today for the dredging of a canal and some beachfront in the Gulf of Mexico. Asst. County Administrator Michelle Baker says the approval will turn what could have been a lemonade. “Through this partnership, now we have a way to turn a mine that could be abandoned into a resort community, a public park, and a boating access point for the public. So , it turns what could be a very ugly scar on the land into a beautiful amenity for the state of Florida” says Baker.

Money remains a problem, although money for the development of the first state..a park, is already in the bank.  The addition of boating access and beach front access will depend on future funding.

Opposition to an insurance reform bill sitting on Governor Rick Scott’s desk is growing. The bill would allow insurance companies to raise rates, deny late filed claims and demand proof repairs were being made before they paid policyholders. As Whitney Ray tells us, insurers say the changes will help cut down on fraud. Opponents say the bill will fatten the pockets of the insurers.

A 60 page bill changing the way Florida does insurance is awaiting action from Governor Rick Scott. It’s the only bill on his desk as hurricane season approaches.

“What I’ve read about so far I like, but I’ve got to look at it a little closer,” said Scott.

The bill is full of reform supported by the industry; a two year deadline to file a claim, 15 percent rate hikes without state approval, the bill even requires claimants to prove their making repairs before the insurer has to make final payments. The Industry calls it fraud prevention.

“We are paying out hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent sinkhole claims and hurricane claims that are filed five years after a hurricane and an awful lot of those are fraudulent,” said Sam Miller with the Florida Insurance Council.

Last year Governor Charlie Crist vetoed similar legislation. Calls are already mounting for Scott to follow suit. The group Policyholders of Florida is leading the charge.

“We know that the legislature is willing to sell out to the insurance company. Our hope is that Governor Scott sees that this is an anti-consumer bill, it’s going to raise rates and hurt our economy,” said Kevin Cate with the Policyholders of Florida.

If Scott signs the bill and rates go up Martha Rodeseike will feel the pain. Retired and budgeting her money, a rate increase would have her reworking her budget.

“If I had a flood or something like that I would want the insurance to pay for me, but 15 percent is not good,” said Rodeseike

If Scott signs the bill, the changes will take hold July 1st. The industry says the changes will help insurers better prepare for hurricanes. Governor Scott is attending hurricane preparedness events this week, which could provide a backdrop for a signing ceremony if he choose to sign the legislation.

Elected officials, law enforcement officers and health care administrators are working together to cut down on Medicaid Fraud.

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater chairs the Medicaid and Public Assistance Fraud Strike Force. The force is reviewing new legislation to see how it will help the state fight fraudsters. Atwater says the group will also order a study to see just how much money the state loses to Medicaid fraud.

“We are actually going to have over the next two months, a group of consultants, strong backgrounds in accounting and economic work, to quantify what is the fraud issue in Florida,” said Atwater.

The state is spending 20 billion dollars a year on Medicaid programs, a rough estimate suggests 10 percent of that money every year is being stolen.

State Budget
Cuts education by 1.3 billion
Cuts taxes by 300 million
Saves one billion through pension contributions
Eliminates 4,500 state jobs.

Governor Rick Scott spent the weekend reviewing the spending plan lawmakers sent him at session end. The 70 billion dollar budget cuts education spending by 1.3 billion, cuts taxes by three-hundred million, saves a billion by forcing state workers to contribute to their retirement and eliminates 45-hundred state jobs. Scott wants to analyze every line before singing off on the spending plan.

“So, it’s supposedly three thousand lines, or different items, so I’ll go through it to make sure it’s helping build jobs or at least not killing jobs,” said Scott.

Scott could veto parts of the budget and sign it, sign it without changes, or veto the entire spending plans and call lawmakers back to Tallahassee to work on another budget.

The legislature has given Governor Rick Scott a toolbox of incentives to attract businesses to the state. And Scott is wasting no time using them to promote Florida worldwide. As Whitney Ray tells us, Scott pitched a more business friendly Florida to trade delegates from China today. He’s also sending his message into cyberspace.

Fresh off huge legislative victories and in his element among entrepreneurs, Governor Rick Scott greeted trade delegates from China Friday. Using a translator, the delegates thanked Scott and praised a new partnership with Bing Energy a company creating jobs in Florida and China.

“It will bring wealth to both countries, and those countries, and the city, and to the people,” said Translator.

Bing Energy moved to Florida, enticed partly by Scott’s promise to lower taxes.
But lawmakers didn’t give Scott much of a break. They voted for a 30 million dollar corporate tax cut. Bing’s CFO Dean Minardi says it’s a good start.

“We have no expectation of it disappearing overnight. He’s still got seven more sessions, to get that done,” said Minardi.

In his first session Scott lifted dozens of regulations and secured 200 million dollars in property tax cuts.

And those accomplishments are being sent into cyber-space by the Republican Party of Florida. They launched a website with a video of Governor Scott, boasting of his legislative victories and promising more to come.

“In the coming months I’ll begin putting these first pieces of my 7,7,7 plan into action and together we can make the phrase lets get to work a reality,” said Scott on the web video.

That phrase doesn’t mean much to these workers from the DeSoto Juvenile Correctional Facility. The budget closes the detention center.

“If this closes over 400 hundred people will be without a job. And it’s not like there is any place else we can go,” said Jan Jackson, a teacher at the juvenile facility.

They crowed the governor’s office Friday to ask Scott to save their jobs. The group of 30 teachers, correctional officers and community leaders meet with a representative from the governor’s office this afternoon. They’re hoping Scott will hear their cries and spare their jobs.