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House alimony reform clears last panel

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A bill aimed at effectively ending permanent alimony is heading to the House floor after clearing its last committee of reference on Thursday. The Judiciary Committee approved the measure (HB 455), sponsored by Republican state Rep. Colleen Burton of Lakeland, by a 14-3 vote. Chiefly, the measure limits judges’ discretion in awarding alimony by providing guidelines for how much an ex-spouse should get and for how long. The idea is that “no matter where you live, you can anticipate you will receive equal treatment,” Burton said. Her bill picked…

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Child-support activist ejected from Senate panel vows to return

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The woman who was thrown out of a Senate committee meeting Thursday was unapologetic about her outburst, saying lawmakers deserved it. Cynthia Wheeler, a nurse and child-support activist from Palm Beach County, has come to Tallahassee before to speak on family-law related bills. She was in the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday for a bill (SB 250), sponsored by Brandon Republican Tom Lee, that would change state law on child-sharing. The panel ran late, though, and Chairman Miguel Diaz de la Portilla,…

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2016 Legislative Food Fights: Legal, judicial reforms again on lawmakers’ to-do list

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They don’t get as much attention as policy debates that gum up and even fracture legislative sessions (think Medicaid expansion), but a slew of proposed legal-related changes will be before legislators this year – some new, some old standbys. For instance, the Legislature will try to overhaul Florida’s alimony law for at least the third time in recent years. The same sides have aligned against each other: Ex-spouses – largely men – who say “forever alimony” isn’t fair, and their former mates – mostly women…

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Tampa Bay elite gathers to dedicate USF’s new Channel District med school

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A crowd filled with members of the Tampa Bay political and business elite, along with USF donors and members from the USF medical community congregated Tuesday morning where the USF College of Medicine and Healthy Heart Institute will be built in the city’s Channel District. The medical facilities are the “anchors” of the massive development being envisioned by Strategic Property Partners, the development company owned by Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, and Cascade Investment. “For the record, as of this…

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Dennis Ross glad he’s “still living in his district” after redistricting

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Republican U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross of Lakeland said he can live with the new shape of his 15th Congressional District approved by the Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday even though it cuts more of his home county out of his district. Like many Florida members of Congress, Ross’ district boundaries changed when the court certified the redistricting of congressional territories. He lost the cities of Bartow and Mulberry in Polk County from his district and Temple Terrace and Lutz in…

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Senate budget run-down from Rick Scott’s budget chief calmer than in House

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The Senate Committee on Appropriations heard from Gov. Rick Scott‘s chief budget aide Wednesday morning, when she presented Scott’s $79.3 billion proposed budget for the 2016-2017 fiscal year before hearing some pushback from Senate Democrats on state worker pay, social services, and health care. The presentation was a calmer affair than in the House, however, where Democrats “took out their knives” and carved up the governor’s proposal Tuesday. Cynthia Kelly, director of Scott’s Office of Policy and Budget presented the governor’s “Florida First”…

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Today on Context Florida: Political elephants, MegaNanny Lottery and “Spotlight”

in Apolitical/Top Headlines by

Today on Context Florida: Underneath the candidate smears that are so much a part of local and national politics, Marc Yacht says there are a number of critical issues that leave both Republicans and Democrats too far apart. Party posturing aside there is substance to both sides of each concern but an inability for friendly if not effective bipartisan discussion. The elephants in the room include the military, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and welfare. Money and debt…

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