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Tallahassee Trend
Florida Legislative Preview - 2012
Redistricting won't completely dominate the legislative landscape in January. A look at other issues percolating in the background and who wants what.
SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
 [Photo: Brendan Fitterer/Tampa Bay Times] |
• Sen. Mike Fasano (R-New Port Richey) has introduced a bill that would prohibit Florida's three NFL teams that receive tax dollars from the state from blacking out their games.
• Meanwhile, Sen. Mike Bennett (R-Bradenton) has a bill that would make sports franchises in Florida comply with an overlooked statute that requires them to use their sports facilities as homeless shelters when the stadium is not in use.
MEDICAL
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• NURSES — The Florida Nurses Association wants the state to give more responsibility to registered nurse practitioners, including allowing them to prescribe certain controlled substances. Florida TaxWatch estimates the move could save $339 million across all healthcare systems, including Medicaid.
• DRUGS — State Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty and a broad business coalition that includes the Florida Chamber of Commerce, AIF and corporations are urging lawmakers to cap the amount that physicians charge when they include repackaged drugs as part of an injured worker's treatment under workers' comp insurance — a lucrative source of income for many physicians but a cost driver in workers' compensation insurance rates, which are set to rise 8.9% this year. On the other side of the issue are groups like the Florida Medical Association and businesses like Automated HealthCare Solutions, a Miramar-based company that sells software called ezDispense to doctors who dispense medications in their offices.
