Posted: 1:28 PM The Florida Supreme Court is siding with public defenders who believe they should be able to reject cases if they don't have the budget and lawyers to adequately represent poor people charged with crimes.

Posted: 9:12 PM Scott signed a bill that requires elections supervisors to hold eight days of early voting, but gives them the flexibility to hold up to 14 days.

Updated: 7:53 PM Our area is feeling some of the cuts from Florida's 2013 budget.

Updated: 7:49 PM Governor Rick Scott today highlighted the Florida Families First budget that includes $20.3 billion in total funding for K-12 education, an increase of $1.08 billion over last year’s budget.

Updated: 4:03 PM Scott will sign the budget into law on Monday, but is expected to veto numerous spending items.

Updated: 4:03 PM Scott already has signed five death warrants this year.

Updated: 11:34 AM A government panel has begun a hearing on the IRS's screening of conservative groups.

Updated: 3:52 PM An administration official says Obama will name a new acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service this week.

Updated: 2:39 PM “It is little wonder that TaxWatch is irrelevant 364 days a year.”

Posted: 2:00 PM The Turkey Watch "identifies appropriations that appear in the budget at the last minute, bypassing the legislatively-established competitive process and receiving little or no public review."

Posted: 3:18 PM Pablo Pantoja said Tuesday he switched parties because of a "culture of intolerance" among Republicans.

Posted: 11:44 AM Despite Scott's poor poll numbers, beating him won't be easy.

Updated: 5:13 PM Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox is on the witness list for a defendant in the Allied Veterans gambling case.

Updated: 11:25 PM The hanky has dropped and Florida's $74.5B budget is on its way to the desk of Governor Rick Scott.

Updated: 10:31 PM Florida Democrats are urging Governor Scott to call a Special Session on Medicaid.

Updated: 2:58 PM The legislation signed Monday takes effect Jan. 1.

Posted: 1:53 PM Scott, Senate Republicans, Democrats, Florida hospitals, health advocates and a diverse mix of business and labor groups had an unusual alliance.

Updated: 4:02 PM It shows the fun side of session-- one year the cloth morphed into a tablecloth, and this year it's got its own Twitter account!

Updated: 11:34 PM After a whirlwind of activity, the 2013 Florida Legislative Session has officially ended.

Updated: 10:16 PM Florida's public school teachers will be getting their pay raises, possibly earlier than expected.

Updated: 10:39 PM Governor Rick Scott has vetoed alimony reform legislation that advocates describe as unfriendly to women and families. One more day remains in the legislative session in Tallahassee and the bill’s sponsor is doing his best to save the majority of the legislation.

Updated: 8:43 PM It will give the Florida Ethics Commission more authority to collect fines, among other things.

Updated: 9:33 AM Democrats are using a delay tactic to protest the lack of a Medicaid expansion deal.

Updated: 9:16 AM The votes are in for the controversial Midway City Council race today.

Updated: 6:37 PM House and Senate budget negotiators agreed late Friday to raise college and university tuition rates by 3 percent in the fall.