Florida lawmakers have convened today for the cermonial opening of the annual 60-day lawmaking session. And Gov. Rick Scott will steal the spotlight.
Scott will cap the day with his State of the State address at 6 p.m. -- the same time slot that his predecessor Charlie Crist chose after years of tradition where the governor would kick things off in the morning.
Reporter Sara Kennedy led off the Bradenton Herald's coverage with today's story taking a look at what each of our local representatives brings to the table. Hundreds of protesters have desended on the capital, with competing rallies revolving around Scott's proposed budget cuts. One is scheduled at 3 p.m. today outside Sen. Mike Bennett's office in Bradenton. We will bring you full coverage here with video and photos, as well as coverage in Wednesday's Herald.
Showing posts with label Florida Legislature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Florida Legislature. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Bill would ban release of 911 calls
A bill set for a hearing in Tallahassee on Wednesday morning would pull the shades on one of the ways the public and media in Florida can hold law enforcement and other public safety agencies accountable for how they protect the public.
The measure - dubbed by open-government advocates as the "Tiger Woods Relief Act," even though the sponsor says it has nothing to do with the wayward golfer whose "transgressions" became public after he crashed his SUV outside his Orlando home - would block the release of audio recordings of 911 calls, and only a written transcript could be released 60 days after the call.
The recordings could be released "by court order upon a showing of good cause."
The sponsor, Rep. Robert Schenck, R-Spring Hill, says he wants to protect the victims of crimes, fires, accidents, etc., but that belies the fact that under current law, the release of any identifying information contained in a 911 call - name, address, etc. - is already exempt from disclosure.
Another purpose, according to language in the bill, would be to ensure that people aren't afraid to call 911 when they witness a crime or their house catches fire because of the possibility that the call would be aired on the nightly news or a newspaper Web site.
As if that "chilling effect" would stop a rational person from doing whatever they can to protect their property and their life.
Not written in the bill is how a ban on releasing 911 recordings might protect police officers, firefighters and paramedics whose mistakes and bad decisions could pose a real danger to the public.
The House Governmental Affairs Committee is scheduled to consider the bill at its meeting Wednesday, starting at 8 a.m.
You can read the latest version of the bill, here.
--- Marc R. Masferrer
The measure - dubbed by open-government advocates as the "Tiger Woods Relief Act," even though the sponsor says it has nothing to do with the wayward golfer whose "transgressions" became public after he crashed his SUV outside his Orlando home - would block the release of audio recordings of 911 calls, and only a written transcript could be released 60 days after the call.
The recordings could be released "by court order upon a showing of good cause."
The sponsor, Rep. Robert Schenck, R-Spring Hill, says he wants to protect the victims of crimes, fires, accidents, etc., but that belies the fact that under current law, the release of any identifying information contained in a 911 call - name, address, etc. - is already exempt from disclosure.
Another purpose, according to language in the bill, would be to ensure that people aren't afraid to call 911 when they witness a crime or their house catches fire because of the possibility that the call would be aired on the nightly news or a newspaper Web site.
As if that "chilling effect" would stop a rational person from doing whatever they can to protect their property and their life.
Not written in the bill is how a ban on releasing 911 recordings might protect police officers, firefighters and paramedics whose mistakes and bad decisions could pose a real danger to the public.
The House Governmental Affairs Committee is scheduled to consider the bill at its meeting Wednesday, starting at 8 a.m.
You can read the latest version of the bill, here.
--- Marc R. Masferrer
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Senate to take up growth management bill
The Florida Senate is set to consider a growth management measure designed to encourage growth in urban areas and away from rural parts of the state.
Senate Bill 360, sponsored by Sen. Mike Bennett, would lift an existing requirement to have sufficient roads and other transportation facilities in place before development can take place. That requirement was intended to prevent urban sprawl, but it's had the opposite result. Growth has shifted to outlying and rural areas where roads are less traveled and cheaper to build.
Follow the story here.
Other legislative stories in today's paper and/or at Bradenton.com/legislature include a story about how and how deep lawmakers want to dig into your pockets to make up for declining revenues in the state budget and Herald reporter Sara Kennedy's report on efforts to prepare Florida for a "greener" future.
Senate Bill 360, sponsored by Sen. Mike Bennett, would lift an existing requirement to have sufficient roads and other transportation facilities in place before development can take place. That requirement was intended to prevent urban sprawl, but it's had the opposite result. Growth has shifted to outlying and rural areas where roads are less traveled and cheaper to build.
Follow the story here.
Other legislative stories in today's paper and/or at Bradenton.com/legislature include a story about how and how deep lawmakers want to dig into your pockets to make up for declining revenues in the state budget and Herald reporter Sara Kennedy's report on efforts to prepare Florida for a "greener" future.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
