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Legislation wasn’t the only thing cooking at the State Capitol this afternoon.

As part of Miami-Dade Day the worlds largest paella was cooked on the grounds of the Capitol Plaza.

Bijan Nakhjavan has been serving the dish at the Capitol for 30 years.

SOT Bijan Nakhjavan

Chef

“They decided that they want to do something in Tallahassee that has a flavor of Miami and that’s why we did paella and it’s grown from like three hundred people now to like two or three thousand people.”

Governor Rick Scott along with other legislators came out to help serve the dish mad up of over 1,000 pounds of rice, chicken and seafood.

Visitors to the state Capitol were greeted by Albert and Alberta, the University of Florida’s mascots today. Students from the University of Florida took over two floors of the Capitol rotunda for displays about their school. There was also a BBQ luncheon, but no school officials were available to talk about what the university is seeking from lawmakers.

Garnet and gold decorated the state Capitol today for the annual FSU Day.

Cheerleaders, jugglers and a pep band from the school’s college of music entertained a crowd in a  show of school spirit.

FSU Alumni serving in the legislature were honored at the event along with some of this years star football players. FSU President John Thrasher praised the sports teams but recognized the schools academic excellence.

“Florida State is on a roll in a lot of ways. On the field and off US News and World Report has ranked FSU as the 38th best public university in the nation and we’re moving closer to our goal of being in the top 25. With your help and the help of our great friends in this great Florida Legislature we know we’ll get there” says the President.

Inside the Capitol, each of the colleges erected displays talking about their individual disciples.

After turning a blind eye for one hundred and eleven years, the state of Florida has taken the first step to officially apologize to hundreds or men  abused as boys in a state run reformatory, The revelations have come too late to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.

Florida opened the Dozier School for Boys in 1900. Tuesday was one of the few times dozens of former wards, know as the White House Boys for the building in which they were beaten, were able to tell their stories to a legislative committee. Captain Bryant Middleton spent 20 years in the army.

‘And I would rather be sent back into the jungles of Viet Nam than to spend one single day at the Florida School for Boys” the Army Ranger told lawmakers.

To a man, each had a hair raising story. Donald Statton of Tampa went to Dozier in 1958 and was there until 1962.

“It never goes away. I was sexually abused. I was beaten to pieces” said a tearful Stratton.

Johnny Lee Daddy became a minister after seeing the horrors of Dozier from 1956 to 1961.

“I cried every day. I seen children being molested everyday” says the minister.

The testimony brought tears to some of the survivors as A Senate Committee voted unanimously to apologize to the men and everyone else. Sen. Rene Garcia (R-Hialeah) offered a verbal apology just before the vote.

“the least this body can do is saw we are sorry.”

University of South Florida Anthropologist Erin Kimmerle is given credit for moving the state to apologize. She unearthed 55 bodies at a site when only 31 were expected. Many are yet to be identified.

“Over more than four years of research, Its a long and overdue day, and we’re very excited about” Kimmerlie told reporters afterwards.

There’s at least one living person who took part in the abuse at Dozier, but the statue of limitations has run on any prosecutions.”

No decision on what to do with the massive property has been made.

House Speaker Richard Corcoran says he is open to compensating the victims of Dozier and that lawmakers are still looking for a way to bring justice to those who were abused. Many in Marianna, where the school site is located, want it turned into a park with no reminder of what went on there.

A bill that would require high school students in the state take a financial literacy course to graduate is one step closer to becoming law after passing through a house subcommittee this afternoon.

It’s not uncommon for students to leave high school with an understanding of subjects like cell division while at the same time lacking personal finance skills. 

House Bill 955 seeks to change that.

The legislation would require all high school students to take a half credit course specifically focusing on financial topics like paying taxes, interest, and balancing a checkbook.

Supporters say 17 other sates have already implemented similar requirements.

“These states now know that students who go through a required course actually have different behaviors,” said Mark Anderson with the Florida Council on Economic Education.

Dr. Joseph Calhoun, an associate professor at FSU and Avid supporter of the bill says he’s been consistently surprised at the lack of knowledge his incoming students have.

“To my amazement only half the students could give me a detailed explanation about the difference between a stock and a bond,” said Dr. Calhoun.

Some schools do offer similar courses as options to students, High School Junior, Tabitha Schlader is taking one such class next semester.

““I’m actually lucky. My dad is really good in that kind of field and work so either way whether I take it or not I would have learned, but I do think it is beneficial because some people don’t have that resource,” said Schlader.

By making the credit a requirement for graduation supporters hope no students will be left behind.

“If they don’t know how to leave high school, head off to college and understand how to survive in the world, we would have done them a tremendous disservice,” said bill sponsor, Representative Heather Fitzenhagen.

The bill has to pass through one more committee before being brought to the House floor.

If passed courses could begin as early as Fall of 2017.