Special Session - "When the legislature convenes today for a special session, it won't be concentrating on only medical malpractice reform as the governor had originally planned. Gov. Jeb Bush already has expanded the agenda to include election and education bills, and the legislature's 160 members will face pressure to expand the agenda even further." See "Busy special session shaping up". See also "Bush expands agenda" and "Special session: no rest for weary".
- Malpractice: The Miami Herald's lengthy "Caps on awards to be debated" includes a detailed discussion of the "bad faith" issue that, along with caps on noneconomic damages, will be a key issue under consideration this week. The Palm Beach Post urges a "Compromise on cap for malpractice reform".
"Florida needs a Bob Riley" The St Pete Times editorial board follows the column by Randy Schultz yesterday in observing that "Florida politicians should be embarrassed by a tax system that is even more unfair than the one Alabama's governor [Bob Riley] is determined to reform." In this must read editorial, we are reminded that "[u]nder [Jeb!] Bush, the Legislature has all but repealed the intangibles tax, Florida's only levy on wealth. The stage is being set for a seventh cent of sales tax, with which Florida would probably displace Washington as the worst of the worst [state in terms of the most regressive tax structure]."
Lying About Education Funding - "Gov. Jeb Bush and legislative leaders have spent time recently bragging about increasing funding for the state's public schools during a tight budget year. At best, that's an exaggeration." "Education money lost amid legislative shell game".
Could It Be That Even The PBA Has Had Enough? In "Amendment may take back state's prisons", Bill Cotterell writes that even the Police Benevolent Asociation - considered by many to be a wholly owned subsidiary of the Florida GOP - has had it with GOP privatization schemes.