Sayfie Review Roundup - May 23, 2015
Florida's top headlines that attracted the most
readers on Sayfie Review this week
Gary Fineout - Associated Press - May 18, 2015
...State officials warned on Monday that if Florida legislators fail to reach a deal on a new state budget, everything from child abuse investigations to money for teachers could be halted in coming weeks.
Gov. Rick Scott last week ordered agencies to give him a list of the state's critical needs if a new budget is not in place by the end of June. Some agencies responded with a list of what needs to be funded, while others said what would happen without a spending plan.
The list of services that could be impacted by a shutdown was daunting with top agency officials saying that child support payments could be halted, Florida would no longer participate in the Medicaid program, the state would no longer respond to any hurricanes, and that the Florida National Guard would not be available in an emergency. Even Florida lottery ticket sales could be suspended.
Steve Bousquet - Tampa Bay Times - May 20, 2015
...Florida lawmakers want the upcoming special session to get off to a smooth start, but the Senate first needs to overcome a procedural speed bump.
The goal is for the House and Senate to start joint budget conference committee negotiations as quickly as possible after June 1. But under Senate rules, a bill (in this case, the budget and related measures) cannot be debated on the Senate floor without any committee deliberations in a special session unless all senators agree because the budget is being carried over from the regular session, when the Senate voted for it (a 36-0 vote on April 1).
Gardiner has been discussing the procedural roadmap with individual senators to ensure a smooth start to budget negotiations. A floor objection by one senator would require a meeting of the full Senate Appropriations Committee, which would open the possibility of budget amendments as well, which could pose new obstacles to the start of conferencing.
Florida's Valencia College sued over forced vaginal exams
AnneClaire Stapleton and Pat St. Claire - CNN - May 21, 2015
...Two college students say they were forced to submit to transvaginal probes as part of their classroom training to learn how to perform the medical procedure.
The details are outlined in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday in Orlando against Valencia College and three instructors. It alleges that medical diagnostic students at the college were forced to submit to the examination of their sexual organs under threat of having their grades reduced or of being blacklisted by future employers.
Attorney Chris Dillingham, who is representing the two women who filed the suit, said, "I filed the complaint in federal court because we are dealing with the government: Valencia State College. This is a constitutional federal rights claim. The vaginal probes and my client's right to refuse them without retribution -- their First and Fourth Amendment (right)s -- were violated."
