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Advertising could soon be coming to a school bus near year. A divided State Senate Committee in Tallahassee narrowly approved a measure allowing some advertising on school buses today, As Mike Vasilinda tells us, even the bills sponsor considers the move a drastic response to a sour economy.

Traditional yellow school buses could become rolling billboards under legislation that has cleared a State Senate Committee. The bills sponsor acknowledges the move is drastic.

“I like yellow school buses, but I also like other programs,” Sen. Bill Montford (D-Tallahassee) said. “I like teacher aides in schools.”

The committee was deeply divided.

“The push of consumerism on our children is, in this context, a step I’m not willing to take,” Sen. Lizbeth Benaquisto said.

A retired first grade teacher made the trip to try and let the air out of the idea.

“It’s hauling our most precious cargo…We’re going to degrade the bus, and it’s going to cause accidents and it’s going to cause heartache,” Donna Sanford said.

The bill was doomed to failure until one opponent switched to a yes vote to keep the idea alive.

Critics worry that this safety message might get replaced by a corporate ad. And that drivers may pay more attention to that add then the flashing red light.

The market would determine how much ads might sell for, but one estimate is that medium to large districts could make two million a year. And while the sponsor concedes the idea is drastic, he says with declining funding, schools need options.

“We’re in a desperate situation,” Montford said. “We’re in a situation where we either cut programs, cut personnel, or we find other sources of revenue.”

Restrictions on who could advertise are contained in the legislation, but they are somewhat vague.

The same committee that approved the school bus advertising bill also agreed to allow two hundred fifty million dollars be used to send under privileged kids to private schools using money that would otherwise be paid into the state treasury.

A young woman who was abused by her family’s nanny for six years will begin a fifteen hundred mile walk across Florida on Saturday to raise awareness of child sexual abuse. Lauren Book is also pushing legislation that would require public and private universities to report abuses like those that occurred at Penn State and other schools or face penalties. She says education is also important because, when asked, children draw unrealistic pictures of dangerous people.

“The stranger is somebody with a knife, a gun, who’s robbing them, with a mask on, who’s dirty, and will hurt them,” Book said. “The reality is, we all know, 90 percent of the time, children are abused by someone they know, love, and trust. And that’s why this curriculum is so important.”

This is the third year Book has walked the state to increase awareness of child sexual abuse.

Governor Rick Scott will deliver his second State of the State speech at eleven a.m. Tuesday morning. The speech is a chance for the Governor to lay out his agenda to lawmakers. This morning, the Governor said his agenda was more scaled back than his first year.

“I continue to want to make sure that my jobs agenda gets passed,” Scott said. “I want to make sure that we fix PIP insurance. But the biggest thing, as you know, is that even though we had a lot of success this last year on job creation and people moving into the state, we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Scott says he will not seek major pension reform again this year, despite not getting everything he wanted. He will seek health insurance concessions from state employees but he may also offer bonuses to up to a third of the state workforce.

Governor Rick Scott and Legislative leaders took a lot of heat from National GOP leaders and the leadership of other states when they took the dramatic step of moving the presidential preference primary to January 31st. But today, the Governor said the move was the right thing to do and is paying benefits.

“Clearly everybody knows that most likely the Republican nominee will be chosen in Florida. You can see the importance now. However many survive out of New Hampshire and South Carolina are going to descend on Florida. So, yeah, absolutely the right thing happened.”

Reporter: Do you plan on endorsing anyone? Have you thought about it anymore?

“Oh, yeah, I’ve thought about it. I get calls all the time,” he said. “But I haven’t made a decision yet.”

Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are already on TV in Florida and Ron Paul has billboards going up, while most of the candidates have already started direct mail. Florida will have only half of its allotted delegates because of the early date.

On the eve of the 2012 legislative session, lawmakers are betting on a gaming expansion; stacking the deck with some major changes to the bill.

The old draft called for three resort casinos in South Florida. Senate Sponsor Ellyn Bogdanoff amended the bill to allow voters to decide on a county by county basis if they want a mega casino.

“There were a lot of people who shared concerns about some of the issues, specifically to allow the voters to have the last say before any type of change in gaming takes place in their community. We’ve added that provision to the bill which I think is a critical component,” said Bogdanoff.

Under the new plan, dog tracks and other pari-mutuel betting businesses would also be allowed to add Vegas-style games if voters approve. Still supporters of the bill, insist it’s not about expanding gaming, it’s about regulating it and creating jobs.

“I think it’s the one bill that the legislature will address that does create 100-thousand jobs. The potential for 100-thousand permanent high paying jobs,” said Senator Dennis Jones.

The senate president has promised a vote on the issue in his chamber. The gaming bill faces a tougher battle in the House. House Sponsor Erik Fresen says the changes will help.

“For me the most important thing was the creation of the gaming commission which has not changed and in matter of fact I think it got more beefed up as a result of some of her changes,” said Fresen.

For House members the bill offers tougher scrutiny of internet cafes and prevents any new pari-mutuel facilities from opening.

A claims bill to compensate the family of a FSU student killed in a botched drug sting is expected to get some traction this session.

Rachel Hoffman was killed in 2009 while working undercover for Tallahassee Police. Hoffman’s family sued the city and was awarded 2.6 million dollars. The settlement still needs legislative approval. State Senator Mike Fasano is sponsoring the Hoffman claims bill.

“It is a better picture, not just in getting this bill passed, but for the Hoffman family, getting this behind them, a wonderful family who lost a wonderful daughter,” said Fasano.

Since the bill has no fiscal impact on the state, Fasano thinks it has a good chance of passing.

When lawmakers return to Tallahassee next week for the 2012 legislative session, the budget and redrawing legislative districts will get the most attention. But as Whitney Ray tells us, lawmakers are expected to make time to take on casinos, taxes and unemployment.

After speaking to a commission to find jobs for disabled Floridians, Lieutenant Governor Jennifer Carroll made it clear the budget would be a big issue this session.

“The governor is committed to putting the dollars in to education,” said Carroll.

The state is facing a two billion dollar budget shortfall and the governor wants an extra billion for schools. But the budget may not be the biggest session issue. Lawmakers are expected to spend a lot of time redrawing legislative and congressional districts.

While those two tall tasks are being tackled, the legislature will also be asked to consider a bill to expand gaming. The original plan called for resort casinos in Miami. A new draft may open the gate to resorts in Palm Beach and Tampa.

Friday the National Federation of Independent Business released a poll showing their members support the expansion by a 49 to 40 percent margin.

“We have rigid bylaws by which we take policy positions and we would need a much stronger result than that to become advocates of this issue,” said NFIB President Bill Herrle.

A more important issue to NFIB and other business organizations is the unemployment tax increases. The tax has risen 100 dollars per employee. The Florida Retail Federation is one of many groups calling for a reduction.

“Unemployment comp is a big deal. It’s 100 million dollars in taxes,” said Retail Federation President.

The Retail Federation is also supporting a bill to require online retailer to collect sales taxes. The issue is expected to get more traction this year than ever before. Session starts Tuesday, but the Senate Committee on Regulated Industries is expected to vote on the new gaming bill Monday so the committee can focus on other members’ bills.

A commission formed to find jobs for disabled Floridians held its first meeting today.

Yesterday Governor Rick Scott appointed 25 year old David Darm to executive director of the commission. Lt Governor Jennifer Carroll spoke to Darm and the commission today and says when the governor talks about creating jobs… he means for ALL Floridians.

“So that’s what we need to do, find out what their misconceptions are, what are the barriers, what policies and procedures can we put into place to encourage employment and move forward that way,” said Carroll.

The commission is investigation the causes of high unemployment among disabled workers and will report its finds to the governor. They’ll also suggest policy changes to create a more level playing field.

The debate is underway over how many jobs would be created if lawmakers vote to expand gaming when they meet next week for the 2012 legislative session. Construction workers, limousine drivers and restaurant owners were in Tallahassee today saying expanded gaming would create jobs. But As Whitney Ray tells us, opponents of the bill say the casinos are a jobs killer in the long run.

Inside an unemployment office in Tallahassee supporters of a bill to bring three resort casinos to South Florida told reporters gaming would create jobs. Builders say the bill could create as many as 75-thousand construction jobs and help unemployed workers get off the state’s dime.

“The hope is that this would create enough of a development and enough of a boom that they could get hired back,” said Carol Browen with Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida.

Outside Gary Reifert, owner of Hollywood Limosine, showed off one of his cars. He says if the bill passes he might buy 10 more cars and hire 10 more drivers.

“I would say this business would probably double, if not triple,” said Reifert.

The Florida Chamber of Commerce isn’t buying it. They agree adding resort casinos would create new jobs, but at the expense of established businesses. .

“When you put a casino into an area like South Florida it actually takes money away from the existing businesses that are already there,” said Mark Wilson, President of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

There are also concerns from the Chamber, religious groups and Disney that expanding gaming would hurt Florida’s family friendly image.

The situation just keeps getting more complicated. Now New York is looking expanded gaming to create jobs in the Empire State, which means if lawmakers here approve gaming, there would be competition for Florida.

The original bill lacked enough support to make it through the Senate. A new draft will greet lawmakers when they come back to Tallahassee next week for the 2012 Legislative Session. The Senate President has promised a vote in his chamber before the end of session. The bill will be a harder sell in the House.

Six bills have been filed to try to get online retailers to collect state sales tax.

Bills have been filed in the past but never passed. This year there’s more support. The Florida Retail Federation is backing the efforts. Rick McAllister, the Federation’s President, says not collecting sales taxes gives online companies a price advantage, plus it makes criminals of online shoppers who still owe the tax and may not know it.

“They are really doing a huge disservice to the Florida customer by not collecting that tax for them. It’s owed and it’s due. For them not to collect it again is a real disservice,” said McAllister.

The Federation says passing a bill to require online stores to collect the tax could bring in 450 million dollars in revenue this year.

Police say they are holding an Alabama man without bail pending a federal indictment for starting the New Year’s Day fire at a Pensacola abortion clinic. the clinic has a long history of attacks that date back two decades. Here is the release from CFO Jeff Atwater:

CFO and State Fire Marshal Jeff Atwater Announces the Arrest of Arsonist in Pensacola Clinic Fire

TALLAHASSEE—Florida Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jeff Atwater today announced the arrest of Bobby Joe Rogers of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, after a joint investigation involving the Division of State Fire Marshal’s Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations (BFAI) and other members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). The investigation determined that Rogers set fire to a clinic, causing approximately $300,000 in damage. “We are thankful that no one was injured during this incident and for the collaboration between all of the law enforcement agencies involved in this case,” said CFO Atwater, who also serves as State Fire Marshal. “I would like to also thank members of the Pensacola community for providing the critical information needed to promptly resolve this case.”

On January 1, 2012, the Pensacola Fire Department responded to a fire at the American Family Planning Clinic located at 6770 N. 9th Avenue in Pensacola, Florida and requested the assistance of the BFAI to investigate the cause of the fire. The investigation determined that the fire was intentionally set.

The details surrounding this fire initiated the response of members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. The JTTF is composed of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose primary work is to identify and disrupt terrorist activity.  The following agencies cooperated in this investigation; the Florida State Fire Marshal Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations, the Pensacola Fire Department, the Pensacola Police Department, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Internal Revenue Service.

“This arrest demonstrates the strategic value of the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the high level of cooperation among the numerous agencies involved,” said Julius Halas, Director, Division of State Fire Marshal.

Members of the community came forward with information that led to the arrest of Rogers, who is being held at the Escambia County Jail pending a federal indictment by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The federal charges are a result of violation of federal criminal law concerning use of explosive materials and Rogers could face up to 20 years in prison.

To report arson, call 1-877-No-Arson (1-877-662-7766). A reward of up to $5,000 may be paid for a tip that leads directly to an arrest and conviction.

The second guessing over Florida’s move to an early primary is over. Republican leaders are patting themselves on the back for making the state relevant in choosing their Presidential nominee, and Florida GOP voters are already lining up to make their votes count.

More than 4 hundred thousand GOP voters have already requested absentee ballots.

Television ads are starting to hit Florida airwaves,

And mailboxes will soon be filling up with postcards from candidates, Florida’s move to an early primary date is making the state a player says FSU political scientist Bob Jackson.

“You know, I think Florida is really, if not proving, demonstrating that this early move enabled it to have that influence,” says Jackson.

The state is paying a price…losing half of it’s delegates…maybe. The National party is already going easy on state Republicans.

The national party had a chance to get tough with Florida Republicans by enforcing a rule that would have given proportional delegates to each of the candidates, but it didn’t, and that only makes Florida’s primary that much more important.

Republican Party of Florida Spokesman Brian Hughes says the early date is giving Florida voters the attention they deserve. “Campaigns have to come here and prove that they are viable. They have to prove they have organization, and resources to run a big large scale campaign. And that’s what its going to take to beat Barack Obama, so its a good testing ground for these candidates” says Hughes.

Florida will be the first big state to vote…the question is whether it will do for one candidate what it did four years ago…propel them to the nomination.

The number of absentee ballots requested by Florida Republicans is more than three times the number of people who participated in the Iowa Caucuses, and it is about twice the number expected to cast a ballot in New Hampshire.

Arson investigators are awaiting the results of evident that was taken from the American Family Planning Clinic in Pensacola. The Abortion provider was hit by fire early Sunday morning. This is the same clinic were a doctor was murdered in 1994.

The American Family Planning clinic went up in flames early Sunday morning in Pensacola. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation. The clinic has been the subject of attacks for almost two decades. It is the same clinic where Dr. John Britton and an escort were murdered in July 1994.

Paul Hill was eventually executed for the murders. Evidence from the clinic fire is being sent here, to the state arson lab in Tallahassee.

“We can tell which molecules are present,” Chief of Forensic Services Carl Chasteen said. “By knowing which molecules are necessary for certain types of ignitable liquids, we can determine the type of ignitable liquid, if there was one.”

Planned parenthood says they are awaiting the results of the investigation, but they are concerned the fire will leave many women without an option. They are also decrying legislative efforts this year and last to restrict abortion rights.

“It was an all-out attack on women and access to healthcare last year,” Planned Parenthood Vice President Judith Selzer said. What’s really sad is that this year, it’s starting all over again.”

When lawmakers walk through the doors of the capital next week to begin their annual session, they’ll find 6 bills dealing with abortion.

Two bills contain more than a dozen different restrictions. Voters may also see a constitutional amendment on the ballot this November, which if passed, could make it harder for women seeking abortions.

State Forensic scientists say it will take about six days to analyze the evidence after it has been received. Even then, investigators say they may or may not make public the findings.

There are 1.5 million Citizens Property Insurance Customers and a thousand more are added each day. Citizens doesn’t have near enough money to pay claims if a major storm hits Florida. As Whitney Ray tells us, when the 2012 legislative session begins next week lawmakers will consider several bills to lessen the state’s risk.

It’s been a record six straight years since a hurricane hit Florida and insurance experts fear the state is due for a storm. Private Insurance organizations teamed up for a news conference Wednesday to talk about problems the state faces because Citizens is growing by a thousand policies a day.

“We do support anything that lessens the impact and decreases the amount of policies going into Citizens,” said Donovan Brown with Property Casualty Insurers.

Several bills would lessen the state’s risk by enticing more private insurers to write policies in Florida and forcing some citizens’ customers onto surplus lines.

Surplus line companies are less regulated and more expensive than Citizens. The bill would allow customers forced in to surplus companies to opt back into Citizens.

“It would be the same take out process used today for admitted carriers,” said Don Brown with Reinsurers Association of America.

If a major storm destroys Citizens properties, private insurers would have 30 days to pay millions of dollars in Citizens assessments. There is a bill to reduce the amount of the assessments and give insurers more time to come up with the cash.

“So it’s not the shock to the bank account of the company, the immediate shock. They would get to collect it then remit it,” said Don Brown.

Industry Experts says the plan isn’t perfect, but it’s a start. The industry doesn’t expect a bill with massive changes to the insurance market this session because lawmakers will be busy with redistricting and the budget.

More Florida’s High Schools are receiving As and Bs this year. The Department of Education released the grades today. 78 percent of Florida schools received either an A or a B, up from 71 percent last year. Deputy Commissioner Education Kris Ellington credits increased enrollment in advanced placement course for the surge in good grades.

“This by in large is mostly due to the enhanced participation and success in accelerated course work,” said Ellington.

25 of the high school graded received Ds and six were given Fs, accounting for six percent of the overall grades.