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Florida Matters: 2013 Legislative Wrap-Up
State lawmakers wrapped up this year's legislative session by passing a $74.5 billion budget which the governor trimmed to $74.1 billion. But overall, lawmakers were happy with the budget and proud of their bipartisan spirit.
Less than two weeks after the session, eight members of the Pinellas County legislative delegation attended a luncheon sponsored by the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club to give their version of the 2013 session hits and misses.
They were Democrats Carl Zimmerman, Darryl Rousson, and Dwight Dudley and Republicans Kathleen Peters, Jack Latvala, Ed Hooper, Jeff Brandes, and Larry Ahern.
Each lawmaker made an opening statement but the real “fun” started with the direct questioning from members of the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club.
Expanded Medicaid coverage for low income families was a popular topic especially after a newspaper article showed that house members were receiving subsidized health insurance.
But there were also questions about education and the repeal of the nuclear cost recovery fee.
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