- "Skeptical Senate leaders quizzed healthcare and insurance executives on Monday about the cause of rising medical malpractice insurance rates, as negotiators continued to work on ending weeks of wrangling over how to lower insurance costs for Florida doctors. But the results of the four-hour hearing may not have nudged Senate Republicans any closer to a resolution with Gov. Jeb Bush, who insists that a strict cap on malpractice jury awards will control the spiraling costs of insurance. Indeed, senators said Monday they heard little evidence that frivolous lawsuits and outrageous jury verdicts are to blame for the soaring costs of malpractice insurance, as Bush contends." See "Senate panel grills expert about rise in malpractice rates".
- "A different picture of the state's medical malpractice insurance crisis emerged Monday when a Senate panel took the unusual step of putting key players in the debate under oath."
"An executive with the largest insurance company still writing malpractice policies in Florida acknowledged that his company will thrive even if Gov. Jeb Bush and the legislature fail to cap noneconomic damages that juries can award injured patients at $250,000. A state regulator testified that the number of applications for Florida physician licenses continues to rise -- from 2,261 in 1999 to 2,658 this year -- despite dire warnings by the Florida Medical Association that their members are fleeing in droves. Another regulator said the number of malpractice claims has remained steady for the past few years, despite warnings by insurance companies that trial lawyers are putting them out of business with a flood of frivolous claims." See "Testimony shows insurance crisis differently".
Corporate Voucher Scam - "Over a two-year span, Florida government is indirectly handing $138-million to private contractors whose work is not scrutinized and whose identities may not even be known. As incredible as that may sound, it actually gets worse. An administrator charged with overseeing the contracts wrote a memorandum on May 2, accusing someone in his office of altering the few records that do exist and his superiors of trying to hush things up." See "Education secrets". And this from the Daytona Beach News Journal editorial board.
The New Senator Byrd? - According to this from the St Pete Times, Byrd "Johnnie Byrd said Monday that he will enter the Republican race for the U.S. Senate after raking in nearly $120,000 in contributions from lobbyists or businesses with a stake in medical malpractice and other issues." See also "House speaker eyes run for Graham's seat".
Parental Notification . . Not This (Special) Session - "Senate President Jim King said Monday he supports a proposal for lawmakers to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would require minors notify their parents before getting an abortion. However, King said it's an issue that can wait until the 2004 legislative session. " See "King says 'no hurry' on constitutional amendment for parental notice".