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Juice: National politics

• Tuesday Morning Reads: $10K degrees, a texting judge and booster seats

  TALLAHASSEE -- Good morning and happy Tuesday.

  Here's what we're reading this morning.

  * The Orlando Sentinel reports on Gov. Rick Scott's challenge to community colleges to create degrees for only $10,000.

  * The Sun-Sentinel writes that a former judge faces disciplinary action from the Florida Bar' [...]

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• House committees take shape under Weatherford

  TALLAHASSEE-- New House Speaker Will Weatherford just released his committee assignments.

  Here's the full list of Committee_Assignments.

  Here are a few of the committee chairman:

  
  Appropriations: Seth McKeel, R-Lakeland

  Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee: Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula

  Government Operations Appropriations Subcommittee: Clay Ingram, R-Pensacola

  Health' [...]

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• Gaetz picks leadership team

  TALLAHASSEE -- Senate President Don Gaetz has just named his leadership team for the next two years.

  Majority Leader -- Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers

  Deputy Majority Leader and Whip -- Former Senate President Tom Lee, R-Brandon

  Appropriations Chairman -- Joe Negron, R-Stuart

  Ethics and Elections Chairman -- Sen. Jack [...]

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• Scott's top lobbyist leaving in December

  TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Rick Scott will be getting a new chief lobbyist, his fourth since he was sworn into office in 2011.

  According to emails from staff in the governor's office available on Sunburst, Legislative Affairs Director Angela Peterson, who took the job in August following the departure of Jon' [...]

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• Monday Morning Reads: Vanishing springs, voter suppression and a sex questionnaire

  TALLAHASSEE -- Good morning and happy Monday to you all.

  Hope everyone had a nice and restful holiday weekend.

  So, to get you caught up on news after that turkey-induced weekend coma, here's what we're reading this morning.

  * The Orlando Sentinel has a piece on former House Speaker [...]

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• Gaetz sworn in as Senate President

  TALLAHASSEE -- State Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, was officially sworn in as the Senate President for 2012-2014 and promised to make changes in the state leading to stricter ethical guidelines for lawmakers, improved elections and a better higher education system.

  Gaetz, who was accompanied by his wife, daughter and [...]

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• Allen West made lasting mark

  Far more than most one-term wonders, Congressman Allen West made a lasting mark on Washington and on the political scene in South Florida and across the country.

  West, the tea party champion who moved from Plantation to Palm Beach Gardens, finally gave up his fight on Tuesday to win election [...]

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• Fort Lauderdale lawmaker sworn in as Senate Dem leader

  TALLAHASSEE -- Fort Lauderdale state Sen. Chris Smith was sworn in as the Senate Democratic leader Monday afternoon.

  Smith will serve as leader for the next two years, replacing fellow Broward County lawmaker Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston.

  Other members of his leadership team will include state Sen. Maria Sachs, D-Delray [...]

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• Conservative group slams GOP leaders on health care act

  TALLAHASSEE -- Americans for Prosperity, the Koch brothers-backed conservative lobby group, is slamming Gov. Rick Scott and legislative leaders Will Weatherford and Don Gaetz for remarks saying they needed to move forward to implement the Affordable Care Act.

  All three men have conceded that with Mitt Romney's loss to' [...]

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• New gambling committee on deck for Senate

  TALLAHASSEE -- The Senate, by vote tomorrow, will create a new gambling committee that will take a two-year, comprehensive review of the Seminole Compact, destination casinos and Internet cafes.

  The new committee was listed in a copy of the proposed Senate rules that were released by the Senate today. [...]

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