Texting And Driving Ban On The Open Road To Full House Vote
April 4, 2013
In a room full of people texting updates to and otherwise using electronic devices, a long sought measure to ban such behavior while driving was given a green light to the House floor on Wednesday.
The measure (HB 13) was approved with just one “no” vote in the House Economic Affairs Committee, it’s last preliminary hearing before heading to the full House.
“It’s the beginning of the change that is necessary in our culture that people learning a new activity, whether it be driving or whether it be texting, that certain activities are appropriate and certain activities are inappropriate, and texting is inappropriate while behind the wheel of an automobile,” said Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, the sponsor of the House legislation.
Legislators have struggled to advance the proposal in past sessions, particularly in the House, where concerns have aired over imposing new rules that infringe on personal liberties.
Committee Chairman Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City, who voted against the bill, said he wanted to remain consistent in resisting measures perceived as expanding government intrusion. He has previously opposed allowing stepped up enforcement of seat belt requirements, and the use of red light cameras.
“Where do you cross the line of digging in your bag and getting a French fry and driving?” Patronis asked.
The bill would make texting while driving a secondary offense, meaning drivers would have to be pulled over for something else before they could get a secondary ticket for texting.
The fine would be $30 plus court costs, which could be as much as $129. A second ticket within five years would be marked as a “moving violation” against one’s license and come with a $60 ticket, before court costs are added that could run up to $179.
Holder, claiming that polls indicate that up to 95 percent of Floridians support the ban, said police may track records to determine if an individual was texting while driving, but he would expect that to occur typically only when there had been a crash or during a death investigation.
“One of the most important parts of this bill is to empower parents and drivers ed teachers to be able to tell their children and students that texting while driving is illegal in the state of Florida,” Holder said. Florida is in the minority, most states have at least some restrictions on texting while behind the wheel.
The bill has exceptions, such as allowing the use of “talk-to-text” technology, reporting emergencies, and allowing texting while a vehicle is stopped, such as at a red light.
The bill had been previously unanimously approved by the Transportation & Highway Safety and Civil Justice subcommittees.
The Senate version (SB 52) has also cleared two committees and awaits a hearing before the Judiciary Committee.
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Gaetz Looks For ‘Melded’ Health Plan
April 4, 2013
Senate President Don Gaetz on Wednesday praised House Speaker Will Weatherford for “putting a stake in the ground” on Medicaid expansion under the federal Affordable Care Act and said the two chambers are trying to agree on an alternative plan to help vulnerable Floridians.
“I think by the end of the session, we’ll have some sort of a melded plan,” Gaetz, R-Niceville, said during an interview on the television show, “Florida Face to Face.”
Gaetz’s comments came as senators consider two, widely different approaches to trying to provide health services to low-income people.
Senate Appropriations Chairman Joe Negron, R-Stuart, has proposed a plan — dubbed the Healthy Florida program — that would rely heavily on federal money to help low-income people buy private health insurance. Negron describes the approach as offering “premium assistance” to people who, otherwise, could be eligible for the Medicaid expansion.
Meanwhile, Senate Health Policy Chairman Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, this week introduced a plan — dubbed the Health Choice Plus program — that would use state money to help people below 100 percent of the federal poverty level pay for health services. Bean’s proposal would be more limited than Negron’s plan and would not tap into federal funding.
While Weatherford and his lieutenants have not offered a proposal, Gaetz said an idea is floating around the House that is at least somewhat similar to the Bean plan. Weatherford and other House Republican leaders have repeatedly said they do not want to rely on federal funding, contending that Florida taxpayers ultimately might get stuck with paying unexpected costs.
“What we’re interested in in the Florida House is creating a sustainable plan — a plan that addresses the true safety-net needs of the state of Florida and at the same time is sustainable by the state,” Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, said Tuesday.
During the television interview Wednesday, Gaetz also seemed to suggest moving toward a targeted program.
“I think that probably the sweet spot is somewhere near premium assistance for certain groups of people that are the most vulnerable,” Gaetz said. “That’s where I hope we’ll get to.”
If lawmakers do not expand Medicaid or pursue something like Negron’s plan, they would forgo tens of billions of dollars in federal money over the next decade. Democrats criticized that possibility Wednesday as the House Appropriations Committee approved a proposed 2013-14 budget, which did not include Medicaid-expansion money.
“It will affect the poorest of Floridians who will not have health-care insurance, individuals that I represent and that many of us represent,” House Minority Leader Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, said.
But Gaetz said Weatherford should get credit for “putting a stake in the ground, saying, ‘We’re not going to do this all Washington’s way.’ ”
Gaetz also echoed Weatherford’s skepticism of assurances that the federal government would pay the vast majority of the Medicaid expansion costs, comparing people in Washington to the “Hatfields and McCoys” who can’t pass a federal budget.
The Senate president said it is a matter of finding “common ground where we can be fair to Florida taxpayers” but also said he thinks lawmakers need to take action.
“I don’t feel it would be right to leave Tallahassee and do nothing about uninsured in Florida,” Gaetz said. “But at the same point, I agree with Speaker Weatherford that we can’t rely on the federal government to do for us what they can’t even do for themselves, and that is predictable funding.”
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Tate’s Tanner ‘Robo’ Roberson Signs With Huntingdon College
April 4, 2013
Tate High School senior Tanner “ROBO” Roberson has signed to play football with Huntingdon College in Montgomery.
Roberson played football all four years at Tate High School as a tight end. He was chosen as this year’s Tate High’s Football Scholar Athlete.
In addition to his performance on the football field, Tanner was the leader of Fellowship of Christian Athletes and was the 2013 Challenger Award recipient. He also was selected for inclusion in Tate’s 2012 – 2013 Hall of Fame.
Pictured: Tate High School senior Tanner “ROBO” Roberson signs to play football with Huntingdon College in Montgomery surrounded by family (above) and teammates (below). Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
House, Senate Committees Approve Budget Bills
April 4, 2013
House and Senate committees approved competing $74 billion budget plans Wednesday — with the Senate panel easily approving the spending measure on a bipartisan vote while House Democrats stood against their chamber’s proposal in an objection to what it doesn’t do in health care.
The House measure (PCB APC 13-05) passed the House Appropriations Committee on a party-line vote, while the Senate budget (SB 7040) was approved unanimously by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Both panels also approved a variety of bills related to the spending plans.
Overhanging both meetings, though, was a common theme: the economic recovery slowly taking root in Florida has made budgeting far easier, replacing long committee meetings filled with arguments over deep cuts with relatively brief affairs when even members who voted against the plans praised the broad outlines.
“It’s good to have a little money again,” said Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, after the Senate committee approved a slate of minor tweaks dealing with largely parochial concerns. “This is like the old days, doing these amendments.”
Or, as Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, put it while talking about the construction of the budget: “There’s nothing a little prosperity won’t help.”
The proposals for the coming fiscal year, which begins July 1, changed little from the outlines unveiled last week. The House and Senate have competing visions for how to structure pay raises for teachers and other state employees. The House sets aside about $2.4 billion in reserves, while the Senate would save $2.9 billion.
Instead, what caused a rift in the House Appropriations Committee between Republicans and Democrats was the failure of the plan to include a federally funded expansion of Medicaid to cover a broader swath of low-income Floridians. Both the House and the Senate have rejected the expansion, though the Senate is looking at an alternative that could tap federal money to pay for low-income Floridians to purchase private insurance.
“My main concern is not so much about what’s in the budget, it’s about what’s not in the budget,” said House Minority Leader Perry Thurston, D-Plantation.
Democrats concede that they like most of the House plan, including the raises for teachers and state employees, though they might differ on the details. But their support would come for a price — some assurance that the House would back an expansion of health care, even if it were something along the lines of the Republican Senate plan.
“If the House comes to the right position to take care of the medical needs of the Floridians who really need it, we’ll be more than happy to vote for the budget,” Thurston told reporters after the meeting. “We want to vote for the budget.”
Republicans blasted the Democratic opposition, saying that it was a partisan distraction in a budget year where Medicaid was fully funded and education is in line for large spending increases.
“We’re here to pass a budget and this, members, is a good budget,” said Rep. Matt Hudson, R-Naples.
House Majority Leader Steve Precourt, R-Orlando, issued a sharp statement following the meeting.
“This budget, which maximizes every dollar while responsibly planning for the future, warranted bipartisan support today,” Precourt said. “It is disappointing that House Democrats chose to focus on one area of disagreement in this budget rather than show their support for the numerous funding increases that they agree are needed in our state.”
By Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Fire Damages Atmore Apartment; FD Deploys ‘New’ Ladder Truck
April 4, 2013
Fire caused heavy damage to one unit in an Atmore apartment complex Wednesday night.
The fire was reported about 9:20 p.m. in Building F of the McRae Apartments on McRae Street. The fire began as a kitchen fire in a second story apartment in the eight-unit building, according to Atmore Fire Chief Gerry McGhee. The fire spread from the apartment into the attic of the building.
McGhee credited his firefighters for a quick response in saving the building.
“They did a good job and got here quick,” McGhee said. “With just a few more minutes, this could have been a lot worse for the rest of the building.”
There were no injuries reported.
Tower 31 Responds
For Atmore firemen, Wednesday night’s apartment fire was an opportunity to respond with “Tower 31″, their recently-acquired 95-foot ladder truck. Firefighters deployed the truck’s ladder as a precaution Wednesday night, but no water was used from the ladder.
Atmore purchased the surplus truck from the City of Pensacola late last year for $30,001.
“It’s a nice a piece of equipment that we were very fortunate to get,” McGhee said of the ladder truck.
Pictured: One unit was heavily damaged Wednesday night in an apartment fire in Atmore. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FHP: Cell Phone Distraction Leads To Wreck Near Jay
April 3, 2013
The Florida Highway Patrol says a cell phone distraction led to a crash southeast of Jay late Tuesday night.
According to the FHP, 32-year old Gillam G. Boyd of Milton was northbound on Highway 87 about 11:20 p.m. when he looked away from the road and at his cell phone, failing to realize that his vehicle was drifting across the roadway. His 2003 Chevrolet 1500 traveled into a ditch, hit a culvert, went airborne, struck a utility pole and overturned, coming to a final rest right side up on shoulder of Highway 87.
Boyd was transported to Jay Hospital with minor injuries. He was cited for careless driving, according to the FHP.
Gas Tax Hike Deal Sealed; Century Can’t Opt Out
April 3, 2013
The Escambia County Commission voted Tuesday night to approve a gas tax increase interlocal agreement with the City of Pensacola, sealing the deal on a four-cent countywide tax hike for mass transit set to begin next year. And, despite the Town of Century’s refusal to along with the increase, the higher gas tax will be collected in the town for ECAT.
Century refused sign off on an interlocal agreement with Escambia County that would allocate additional gas taxes collected in Century to the county for mass transit. Town officials contended the new tax is unfair to North Escambia residents and may force the three gas stations in Century to close as drivers purchase lower priced gasoline across the state line in Flomaton.
But regardless of Century’s refusal to support the tax, they simply can’t opt-out of the tax altogether, County Attorney Alison Rogers said.
“The local option fuel tax statute provides that the most populous municipality within the county speaks for all the municipalities in the county on this issue,” Rogers said. “Century will not be receiving any of the fuel tax proceeds of the additional 4 cents. That will go to the county for mass transit purposes.”
The Century Town Council wanted the Florida Legislature to consider exempting the town from the tax, but the proposal never made it to a meeting of the Escambia County State Legislative Delegation. That’s because, according to Rep. Clay Ingram, Florida law won’t allow the Legislature to consider such an exemption.
“The Century mayor’s office concluded that, under Florida’s constitution, a local bill is not the appropriate procedure by which to achieve an exemption, but they are currently looking at other options,” Ingram said in February.
Pictured: Two of Century’s three gas stations at the intersection of East Highway 4 and Highway 29. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
County Administrator Search Extended; No Raise For Touart
April 3, 2013
The Escambia County Commission will extend its search period for a new administrator, while George Touart will stay on board as interim without a pay raise.
Commissioners voted Tuesday night to give the county’s human resource office another 90 days to search for an administrator, with a progress report due in a month. In an attempt to lure qualified candidates, the upper end of the salary scale for the job will be bumped 10 percent, to $165,000 per year.
A five person committee — comprised of one nominee per commissioner — will review the applicants and narrow the field before presentation to the full commission.
Commissioners hope to hold interviews and offer the administrator post to someone by August, with an aim of having them on the job by October or November — just after a new budget year begins.
Tuesday morning, during an agenda review meeting, Chairman Gene Valentino and Commissioner Wilson Robertson pushed to drop “interim” from Touart’s title and give him a $10,000 raise from his current $130,000 salary. That would put him in line with former County Administrator Randy Oliver’s $145,000 per year.
Touart Tuesday night said he told commissioners to forget about any raise.
Crews To Complete Paving Operations On Highway 89
April 3, 2013
Crews will complete paving operations this week on Highway 89 in Santa Rosa County. There will be intermittent and alternating lane restrictions from County Road 178 to the Jay City Limits through Friday, April 5. Lane restrictions will be in effect 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily.
Workers will also be installing mailboxes, new signage, and performing cleanup measures along the corridor. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of April.
Construction activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather. Motorists are reminded to obey the posted speed limit when traveling through the work zone, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
Perfect Softball Seasons Spoiled For Jay, Northview; Jay Over NHS In Baseball
April 3, 2013
Perfect softball seasons were ruined Tuesday in Jay for both Northview and Jay, while Jay took two from Northview in baseball.
SOFTBALL
In varsity softball, the Northview Chiefs suffered their first loss of the season to the Jay Lady Royals, 6-0. The Chiefs, now 10-1 overall, were plagued by errors, according to Coach Amy Holland.
In JV softball, Northview beat Jay 8-2 to end the JV Lady Royal’s season at 14-1.
Northview’s Lady Chiefs will be on the road Saturday afternoon against Freeport (JV at 1:00, varsity at 3:00) before rounding our their season April 9 at Escambia Academy. Jay’s varsity softball team will travel to Holmes County on Thursday (6:00 p.m.), before hosting Pace on April 11 and Pensacola High on April 12.
The District tournament begins Monday, April 15 in Chipley.
BASEBALL
In JV baseball, Jay beat Northview 5-2..
In varsity baseball, Jay rallied to beat Northview 7-6. The Royals scored three in the seventh inning for the win.
The Royals will be on the road Friday at Freeport (4:00 JV and 6:00 varsity), while Northview will be at Chipley on Thursday (4:00 JV and 6:00 varsity).
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.