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Changes to the Class Size Amendment got tentative approval from the State House Wednesday on a partisan vote.

The amendment would allow more students in classes at all levels, but measure the caps at the school level instead of by individual classes. Sponsor Will Weatherford says the measure maintains the framework of what voters approved in 2002.

“The integrity of the constitutional amendment that passed in 2002 will not be changed,” Weatherford said. “We will still maintain a very rigorous class size requirement in this state. It simply gives our principals, our school boards, and our superintendents the ability and the tools to manage their schools. That’s all this does. It is completely for them. It is not to water down the class size amendment, it is to make it workable and better.”

Lawmakers have tried to alter the amendment since it was approved. The only difference this time is the economy.

Boats and airplanes purchased in Florida would be limited to no more than twenty five thousand dollars in sales taxes.

The idea is to attract the purchases of super yachts and planes, who will then be retrofitted in state facilities. Sponsor Tom Grady says it will create jobs the state is losing.

“The universe of boats and planes that we’re looking for are boats and planes that are not here,” Grady said. “They’re not in Florida. They’re flagged in the Cayman Islands. They’re flagged in the Bahamas. They’re flagged in the Caribbean, somewhere. I want them flagged here. I want them to pay taxes here. I want them to employ people here. I want them to paint their boats here, fix their engines here. I want that all done here in Florida.”

Other legislation would being considered would cut the state sales tax rate on planes to three percent.

The father of the state’s class size amendment is fighting legislation to weaken the standards. Congressman and US Senate hopeful Kendrick Meek is meeting with state lawmakers in Tallahassee. As Whitney Ray tells us, Meek says lawmakers are using the economy as an excuse to change the state constitution.

Since class size restrictions took effect in 2003, middle school teacher Vivian Garner says her students are learning more.

“They are much more content. Their attitudes, they’re more involved. They feel like they are getting much more attention from their teachers,” said Garner.

Right now schools can meet the requirements using averages. By 2010, classes will be measured individually. Under Representative Will Weatherford’s proposal classes could get larger.

“All my bill does is give a little bit of flexibility and it saves the state money,” said Weatherford.

Congressman Kendrick Meek championed the class sized amendment in 2002. Meek say the economy isn’t a good enough reason to change the requirements.

“I just want to make sure the economy is not an excuse of why they have to roll it back now,” said Meek.

Class size standards could get easier to meet because Florida’s student population is on a downward spiral.

Early estimates show Florida’s student population will decrease by about 10-thousand next school year. The exodus could improve the student to teacher ratio, that is if budget cuts don’t force more layoffs.

If the legislation to limit the class size restrictions passes, voters would have to approve the deal in the 2010 election. If that happens, Meek could get more recognition in the US Senate race by battling against the changes.

It took a speaker phone and a long distance call for the governor to conduct state business at the capitol Tuesday.

His critics call him “Empty Chair Charlie” and today the name fit. Bad weather keep Governor Charlie Crist’s plane grounded in Tampa. Crist joined the state cabinet meeting via speaker phone. The delay kept Crist out of a room full of political opportunists. Every member of the state cabinet is, at the very least, “considering” running for governor in 2010 if Crist opts to run for the US Senate.

The state is honoring firefighters who died in the line of duty.

Three lost their lives last year. Florida’s Chief Financial Office and State Fire Marshal Alex Sink joined firefighters at the state capitol to ring the “last call” bell. It rang three times to honor the brave men and women who lost their lives fighting fires. Sink said it’s important to recognize their sacrifice.

“This is a ceremony we do every year to honor fallen firefighters. Part of the ceremony is to bring representatives of the fire service here to Tallahassee and the central part of it is that we ring the bell three times which is significant in the fire service because it means the firefighter’s duty has been done,” Sink said.

This is Florida Firefighters Appreciation week. Sponsors of legislation to create a Firefighter’s Memorial Flag were also on hand for the event.

Speaker Larry Cretul made a rare public appearance Tuesday.

The Speaker met with about 40 participants from the Leadership Gainesville class which also heard from Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp. Cretul spoke about budget difficulties and told the leadership class he attended Class 30, which he says made him more aware of the community.

“The thing about the leadership program and you’re probably experiencing it right now, it gives you an opportunity to take, through your eyes, a very different look at your community,” Cretul said. “Looks that you may have never have experienced if you never attended the leadership program.”

The House Speaker asked the class for their prayers as lawmakers move forward with difficult decisions. On the budget deficit, Cretul says the house has not come around to the idea of new revenue “yet.”

Prepaid College is taking a new twist. 

Legislation approved by the state Senate Tuesday in Tallahassee would allow parents to send their kids to private, for profit technical schools. Senator Stephen Wise of Jacksonville said every child should have an opportunity.

“You ought to be able to go to truck driving schools,” Wise said. “You ought to be able to go to other kinds of schools besides technical colleges or community colleges or the university. So that’s the motive behind where I am going on this.”

Wise said he is seeking private funding to provide low income students with privately funded pre paid scholarships, but says the plan is several years from fruition.

Hundreds of law enforcement officers roared into the Capitol Courtyard Tuesday carrying the torch for the Special Olympics.

More than 21 hundred people are expected to participate in the Summer Games, which begin May 15th at Walt Disney World. Supported by law enforcement, Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Walt McNeil told the officers they have a lot in common with those who will participate.

“From a law enforcement family, we embrace them because we understand full well how much courage it takes when you are challenged,” McNeil said. “This year we are challenged in our state with economic circumstances beyond any of our control. But I think we can take a great lesson from these special Olympians, despite the odds, despite the circumstances, they endeavor to carry on.”

For more information on the Special Olympics go to: http://www.specialolympicsflorida.org.

Voters may soon have the chance to swap higher property taxes for up to a penny increase in the sales tax.

A proposal approved by a House Committee in Tallahassee today would allow voters to fund local fire and rescue services with a penny hike in the sales tax. Ron Beesley of the Palm Beach Fire Department says it is a win win for voters and says the key is letting them know how the money will be spent.

“It’s revenue neutral,” Beasley said. “It is not additional revenue for your fire department. It is a funding stabilization source. You also have to make sure they understand that 100 percent of it stays in your county. It actually stays in the county for which services are provided in that county.”

Plans for increased gambling revenues are moving forward at the state capitol. Today a Senate Committee approved the expansion of gaming at all of the state’s pari-mutuels, including horse tracks. Casinos in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties would get Black Jack and other card games, with the Seminole tribe continuing to have exclusive rights to some high level gaming. Sponsor Dennis Jones says the state is losing out and needs to move into the 21st Century.

“This would be a very popular economic boom to Florida,” Jones said. “We lose 3.5 million tourists a year. Now we know that they charter planes and buses to Las Vegas and Mississippi. We’re going to retain those people to spend money in Florida. We’re going to attract Europeans and Asians that come for gaming destinations.”

The vote sets the gambling measure up for a vote in the full Senate and for a show down with the house that generally favors less gambling in the state.

Car wrecks are the leading cause of death among teens. Four died in a fiery wreck this weekend in Pinellas County. Only one of the teens was wearing a seat belt. Legislation filed year after year in Tallahassee could cut down on road fatalities but as Whitney Ray tells us, the bills keep failing.

Adolph Hicks teaches high school students how to drive. He treats his driver’s education class like a boot camp.

“It only takes one mistake out there as a general rule and life can be ruined,” said Hicks.

The message carries more weight after a weekend of tragic news. Four Pinellas County kids died in a car wreck over the weekend. All were under 18. Only one was wearing a seat belt.

Legislation moving in Tallahassee would make not bucking up a primary offense. A bill prohibiting drivers under 18 from carrying teenage passengers is being frozen out.

“Four children have lost their lives because a 16 year old was driving after curfew. They were speeding. They were not wearing seat belts and they had too many kids in the car. That’s why I think this bill is so important and we get that message across,” said Bill Sponsor Kelly Skidmore.

16 year-old Haley Twiman gets nervous when she rides in a car full of teens.

“If you’re the driver and you’re on the road, I know you shouldn’t be, but you want to be included in the conversation. So more people in the car, more noise, it is more distracting,” said Haley.

And while limiting distractions may be a rule of the road, it’s still not a state law. Another bill filed but not being heard would require teens to pass a drivers education course before they could get their license.

Budget cuts could force 5,700 children who have been removed from their families to face the court system alone. Lawmakers are considering massive cuts to the state’s Guardian Ad Litem program. As Whitney Ray tells us, the program gives foster kids a shoulder to lean on during some of life’s toughest moments.

17-Year old Samantha Rogers has been in and out of foster care since 2005. The state appointed a guardian to help Samantha though the legal process and to calm her fears.

“With everyone else you feel like a case and not a person, but you come to Guardian Ad Litem and they make you feel like you are a child still, not just a case being towed from courtroom to courtroom,” said Samantha.

The Guardian Ad Litem Program relies on 500 paid employees and 7,000 volunteers to represent 27,000 foster kids. House lawmakers want to cut the program’s budget by 23 percent.

Guardian Ad Litem Director Theresa Flury says a cut that large would force them to drop 5,700 kids from the program.

“It would directly impact the representation of children. It would directly impact the ability for us to recruit more volunteers,” said Flury.

Ashley Mayer is one of those volunteers.

“Without having a guardian to advocate in the best interest of the child you’re probably going to see a lot of social cost on the back end of kids who didn’t have someone taking care of them,” said Mayer.

As for Samantha, her guardian helped her move out on her own and enrolls in college. She credits her guardian for her success and fears the cuts will keep more foster kids from to share her story.

After five year old Rilya Wilson went missing from a foster care home in 2001, a blue ribbon panel recommended every foster kid be given a guardian.

Hundreds of motorcyclists converged on the state capitol today wearing bandanas and leather jackets. But despite their unorthodox appearance, Mike Vasilinda tells us as lobbyists they are unusually successful.

They may look a little rough, but these aren’t your typical hells angels.

Billed as a freedom rights rally, they bring their own version of pomp to the Capitol, but don’t be fooled. They have serious legislative business on their minds.

“The vice-president of our chapter was run down by a woman on her cell phone,” motorcyclist Stephen Vierra said. “ We want safer roads.”

This year the bikers want two things. Tougher penalties for people in cars who cause accidents with bikes. They also want to stop local governments from assessing a fee for showing up at an accident.

“Its bad enough that we’re getting run over,” Doc Reichenbach said. “And then they’re going to charge us for it.”

Despite being unorthodox, these lobbyists are highly successful.

Past successes include ending the mandatory helmet law, stripping punitive provisions from speeding legislation, and securing a half million dollars for motorcycle awareness campaigns. Doc Reichenbach can truly say “I did it my way”.

“We’re here as ourselves,” Reichenbach said. “This is us. We’re not going to dress up in a three piece suit and a tie. To try to impress you, because then, we’re really actually lying.”

Their Acronym is ABATE, American Bikers Aiming Toward Education.

Governor Charlie Crist is asking President Barack Obama to declare a major disaster in 26 north Florida counties. Hundreds of roads and bridges are closed, making travel difficult, but as Whitney Ray tells us, the major interstate through the panhandle should stay open to travelers this weekend.

Kayaks have replaced cars in the driveways of people stranded by the flood. The water has shut down 250 roads and 25 bridges.

Some parts of highway 90 and 41 have already been shut down and the department of transportation continues to monitor highway 10 for flooding.

A 71 year old man was swept away in the flood waters and is missing. Rescue workers are asking people to obey the road closed signs.

“If we catch anybody in these areas that’s not a property owners they are going to be arrested for trespassing and are going to go to our jail,” said Madison County Sheriff Ben Stewart.

Kessler Gaston is having a tough time keeping his cattle fed. Flooding is cutting off people and animals in north Florida from the rest of the state.

“You got animals you got to take care of them,” said Kessler.

Experts are calling the rising waters a once in a 100 year event that could escalate into a 500 year flood. 77 year old Corrence Fields is bracing for the worst.

“My son lives next door and he can get out this afternoon on a four wheel drive pickup truck to get more food so we’ll have food to eat there,” said Fields.

But dozens of other families will be eating at emergency shelters because their homes remain underwater. If Florida receives the disaster declaration it is seeking, low interest loans will become available and local governments will be eligible to have overtime and cleanup expenses reimbursed.

It has been 18 months since an all white jury acquitted 7 boot camp guards and a nurse in the beating death of a 14-year-old African American. Activists have long sought intervention from the Federal government, and as Mike Vasilinda tells us, there is now hope a new administration will take a new look at the case.

It is a tape that outraged the nation. 7 guards mishandling 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson as a nurse looked on. Martin died the next day.

All 8 stood trial in conservative Panama City, where an all white jury took virtually no time to make a decision.

The decision sparked civil disobedience in Tallahassee where college students closed down the main street. Two weeks later the NAACP brought several thousand people to the Capitol to push for a Federal investigation.

“What we want to know, is where our federal government holds police accountable for killing our children,” Ben Crump, attorney for the Anderson family, said.

Meetings were held but nothing happened.

Activists are quietly hoping a new US Attorney here in North Florida and new leadership in the Department of Justice in Washington will decide to reopen the case.

The NAACP is pushing Washington to put the guards and nurse on Trial, away from Panama City, for violating Anderson’s civil rights.

“The courts allowed them to go free for whatever reason and it was done in the same town where they committed the murder and we should have expected them to do it right,” Adora Obi Nweze NCAAP Florida president said. “There was too much covering up done.”

Had he lived, Martin Lee Anderson would have turned 17 this past January.

The NAACP wants a federal civil rights trial held in Tallahassee.