Florida Independent

Scott receives budget bills

By Ashley Lopez | 04.06.12 | 2:31 pm

Gov. Rick Scott was presented with this year’s general appropriations bill today. He now has 15 days to veto line items and sign the budget into law.

Budget heads to Scott’s desk

By Ashley Lopez | 04.03.12 | 1:44 pm

This year’s state budget will leave the Florida Legislature and be en route to the governor’s desk this week.

State budget strips $4.4 million for family planning from Medicaid, keeps CPC funding intact

By Ashley Lopez | 03.08.12 | 11:58 am

Florida’s $70 billion budget will strip about $4.4 million in family planning dollars from the state’s Medicaid budget. The state’s funding for controversial crisis pregnancy centers, however, remains intact.

Florida Senate passes budget bill

By Ashley Lopez | 02.23.12 | 4:37 pm

The Florida Senate passed its budget bill today with a bipartisan 33-6 vote.

Attempt to strip CPC funding from Senate budget fails

By Ashley Lopez | 02.23.12 | 4:02 pm

Another attempt to strip $2 million in taxpayer funds from Florida crisis pregnancy centers failed on the Senate floor today.

Sobel wages war on anti-abortion bill in Senate committee meeting

By Ashley Lopez | 02.23.12 | 9:00 am

State Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, yesterday introduced eight amendments to one bill — all of them written to make a point about the anti-abortion stance that has been pervasive in the GOP-led Florida Legislature during this year’s session.

Rich introduces budget amendment stripping CPCs of state funding

By Ashley Lopez | 02.22.12 | 2:51 pm

State Sen. Nan Rich, D-Sunrise, has introduced an amendment to the Florida Senate’s budget bill that “eliminates funding for the Crisis Counseling Program in the Department of Health and increases funding to the Family Planning Program.”

Details on where Choose Life money now goes are tough to come by

By Virginia Chamlee | 02.14.12 | 3:11 pm

A bill that overhauled how funds made off of Florida’s “Choose Life” license plates was officially signed into law in August 2011, but exactly where the funds go now and how the measure has improved the Choose Life mission remains unclear.