Capitol News

Florida’s unemployment rate is now at 11.2 percent, increasing point one percent over the last month. The small increase could mean the state’s unemployment crisis is slowing down, but as Whitney Ray tells us, the effects of double digit unemployment may stick with business owners for years in the form of higher taxes.

Crime stats comparing Florida A&M and FSU with other universities rank the two schools near the top when computing how many crimes might have occurred if there were a hundred thousand students on campus, as Mike Vasilinda tells us, both schools are relatively safe.

Today the Agency for Health Care Administration launched the Florida Medicaid Health Information Network, becoming the first state in the country to make the move toward a paperless system. As Whitney Ray tells us, the move is expected to save money and improve quality, but concerns about security surround the new system.

Inmates on Florida’s Death Row have an equal chance of dying from old age as they do from lethal injection. Since 1993, 74 death row inmates have gone to their maker, but only half of them died from execution. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, even supporters believe the system is broken.

A lawsuit filed in Tallahassee today claims the state is violating its constitutional obligation to provide a “high quality” education to Florida students. The suit claims budget cuts and an intense focus on test scores are limiting learning. As Whitney Ray tells us, the suit comes as lawmakers prepare for more cuts to fill an expected 2.6 dollar budget hole.