OOldPolitics

EPA to see $1.6 billion funding cut, unsure how it will impact Florida programs

A six-month spending bill unveiled by House Republicans Monday night would see large cuts in environmental spending in the U.S. According to Politico, the Environmental Protection Agency's budget would be come in about $1.6 billion below 2010ā€™s funding. That adds up to a 16 percent cut to the EPA, and could lead to drastic reductions in funding for some of the agency's key projects.
OOldPolitics

How can less prescription drug monitoring lead to fewer pill mills?

Greg Giordano, a legislative aide to state Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, had this to say aboutĀ an article posted on the Florida House website that misleadingly quotes studies on the effectiveness of prescription drug monitoring programs: By selectively quoting from the study the House reveals its unwillingness to acknowledge the potential value of the PDMP here in Florida.
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Additional $1.5 million in taxpayer dollars has gone to controversial abstinence program Project SOS

Project SOS ā€” the Jacksonville abstinence education program whose founder has endorsed the work of Ugandan Pastor Martin Ssempa, a vocal proponent of legislation (.pdf) in that country that prescribes the death penalty for homosexuality ā€” has received $1.5 million in funding through the Florida Department of Health since 2001, according to a department representative. That money is in addition to the $6.5 million awarded Project SOS from the federal government since 2002.
OOldPolitics

Kentucky congressman calls on Scott to reconsider Prescription Drug Monitoring repeal

Gov. Rick Scott's proposal to repeal a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program has drawnĀ criticism from those who see the program as a step toward ridding Florida of its so-called pill mills. Now the issue is receiving attention from outside of the state: U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., last week penned a letter to Scott, calling on him to stop the repeal of the Drug Monitoring Program.
OOldPolitics

Scott, Browning sued for pulling federal approval of ā€˜Fair Districtsā€™ amendments

By withdrawing the two popular Fair Districts amendments from a Department of Justice review, Gov. Rick Scott and Secretary of State Kurt Browning are causing uncertainty, delay and confusion for all those involved in the redistricting process ā€” that's the allegation leveled in a lawsuit filed yesterday against the two by the League of Women Voters, the state NAACP, Democracia Ahora and others.