With residents already struggling to make ends meet during the recession, the last thing they need now are higher premiums on Citizens Property Insurance homeowner insurance policies, a state lawmaker believes. So state Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, announced this week he will introduce legislation in March to extend the rate freeze on Citizens rates for another year. Citizens is the state-sanctioned property insurer of last resort. ...more

January 17, 2009

The Legislature this week cut spending by roughly $2.8 billion to bring the state budget in balance. Then Gov. Charlie Crist threatened to veto the portion of the spending-cut plan that would take money from public education. We have a much better target for him if the governor is looking to wield his veto pen. ...more

January 17, 2009

Fathers who fail to pay child support would do a weeklong work detail wearing a shirt, overalls or vest that reads "Deadbeat Dad" if state lawmakers pass a bill being introduced by Sen. Mike Fasano. ...more

January 17, 2009

Fathers who fail to pay child support would do a week-long work detail wearing a shirt, overalls or vest that reads "Deadbeat Dad" in bold letters under a bill being introduced by state Sen. Mike Fasano. ...more

January 16, 2009

At least 34 Florida businesses would be eligible to obtain low-interest loans from the state to help them expand under a bill lawmakers passed Wednesday. ...more

January 15, 2009

The home foreclosure crisis will inspire still more legislation this year to protect people from fraud. ...more

January 15, 2009

Now that Progress Energy Florida customers have opened their first bill with a rate increase of nearly 25 percent, legislation is taking shape that might roll back part of the increase. The utility balked at requests from state Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, and state Rep. Peter Nehr, R-Tarpon Springs, to suspend the portion of the rate hike to jump-start nuclear power projects. ...more

January 14, 2009

The home foreclosure crisis will inspire still more legislation this year to protect people from fraud. State Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, learned about a trick played on renters, Fasano's chief legislative assistant, Greg Giordano, explained. ...more

January 14, 2009

Legislation is in the works to extend the two-year freeze on Citizens Property Insurance homeowner policy rate increases Florida lawmakers imposed on the state's insurer of last resort. ...more

January 13, 2009

Progress Energy Florida said Monday that it has signed a contract to build two nuclear reactors on a 5,100-acre site in Levy County. ...more

January 9, 2009