Florida believes if you don't like the way a judge rules, just pass a law to correct it. Just forget the judge's ruling, and pass your laws anyway.
They tried it with private Christian school vouchers paid for with public money. They are trying it with Pre-K programs, wanting to allow private Christian schools to handle the programs with public money. A judge already said this was unconstitutional.
Private Pre-K can teach religion with public money
The civil-liberties union calls Florida's pre-kindergarten law unconstitutional.
March 5, 2005
"Florida's new pre-kindergarten program should not allow religious instruction because that would violate the state constitution, the American Civil Liberties Union argued in a letter sent to lawmakers Friday. The new pre-K program, slated to start in August, is to be run largely by private day-care centers and schools, including religious ones. The religious organizations have to meet state standards but are free to teach religious beliefs to the 4-year-olds in their care."
They tried it with Terri Sciavo.
Supreme Court strikes down law
-- The Supreme Court refused Monday to reinstate a Florida law passed to keep a severely brain-damaged woman hooked to a feeding tube, clearing the way for it to be removed. How soon that would happen, however, was unclear.
The Florida Supreme Court had struck down the law last fall, and the justices were the last hope for state leaders who defended the law in a bitter long running dispute over the fate of Terri Schiavo.
And now they are passing a law which goes over the head of a Charlotte County judge about the responsibility of phosphate companies.
Phosphate Measure Reverses Ruling
Phosphate Measure Reverses Ruling
Lobbyists say legislation ensures mines will stay.
"TALLAHASSEE -- The Legislature passed a measure Friday that reverses a judicial decision requiring phosphate companies to post bonds covering their entire cleanup costs when they open new mines. Lobbyists said the judge's ruling would have cost the industry millions of dollars and made it almost impossible to continue operation.
The bill sent to Gov. Jeb Bush on Friday afternoon would reverse a ruling by a Charlotte County administrative law judge. The ruling required phosphate companies opening new mines to post bonds paying for mine reclamation over the entire life of a mine -- usually 20 years."
Here is the sentence that tells how they really feel:
"Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, said the ruling needed to be corrected and that even the DEP backed a reversal of the judge's decision."
If you don't like a ruling, just pass a law. Dockery say the ruling is wrong, so she makes a law and the Department of Environmental Protection goes along. And all the phosphate companies are happy.
