Studies show that laws prohibiting sexual predators from living near schools and other places where children congregate do not prevent offenders from committing new crimes and may be counterproductive, a legislative policy analyst told a House panel Tuesday. ...more

November 3, 2009

President Barack Obama's top economic advisers say the administration will work with Congress to extend unemployment benefits for millions of Americans. ...more

August 2, 2009

Cities and counties across Florida increasingly are using taxpayer dollars in election campaigns when local politicians think an important issue is at stake. ...more

March 26, 2009

Endangered Revolutionary War and War of 1812 battle sites, including locations in Florida and throughout the South, could get federal preservation grants under a bill passed last week by the House. ...more

March 9, 2009

The U.S. House on Wednesday approved a major expansion of federally funded health coverage for children, a measure that would slam cigar manufacturers in Tampa and across the country with a big tax increase. ...more

January 15, 2009

Two Republican Bay area members of the U.S. House have said they would support giving up their annual, automatic, $4,700 pay raise this year because of the country's struggling economy. Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor of Tampa said today she probably would support a vote to take back the pay raise, which went into effect Thursday. ...more

January 5, 2009

Gov. Charlie Crist played Santa Claus to state workers, who have gone two years without a cost-of-living pay raise, by giving them a holiday gift - two paid days off - as a token of appreciation. ...more

December 20, 2008

Gov. Charlie Crist played Santa Claus to state workers, who have gone two years without a cost-of-living pay raise, by giving them a holiday gift — two paid days off — as a token of appreciation. ...more

December 19, 2008

Florida lawmakers soon will consider bills that would allow law enforcement officers to pull over drivers for not wearing seat belts and to stop new teenage drivers from carting their young pals around. ...more

December 3, 2008

Two road-safety proposals will soon be under consideration by Florida lawmakers. House Bill 1 comes this year from Republican Rep. Rich Glorioso, who wants to allow police officers to pull over drivers for not wearing seat belts. Democratic Rep. Kelly Skidmore, meanwhile, wants to stop new teenage drivers from carting their young pals around. ...more

December 2, 2008