There’s definitely a way to do trade missions that makes them legit versus taxpayer funded transnational road trips. Gov. Jeb Bush perfected that art. Before his first term had ended, Bush led Team Florida trade and business missions to Brazil, Mexico, Israel, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay along with business leaders representing 350 Florida companies who together brought greater than $350 million in new business to the state as a direct result of the trips.

Wednesday was report card day for the five largest banks that agreed to a $25 billion settlement with the 49 attorneys general, but they received mostly incomplete scores from the government-appointed monitor passing out the grades.

@Mdixon55

Gov. Rick Scott Tuesday signed legislation making it easier for judges to detain someone charged with a crime while they await trial.

The legislation (HB 7035) allows a judge to not release someone prior to trial if they are deemed a “habitual violent felony offender,” or a violent career criminal.

A group of Tampa’s best and brightest political stars is helping Michael Scionti launch his campaign for Circuit Court Judge, Group 19. The former representative of Florida House District 58 invites friends and supporters to a kick-off celebration this afternoon to promote his run for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit.

The event will be from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Siboney Dining Room of the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. The Columbia is at 2117 E Seventh Ave.

As she mulls her own political return, Alex Sink “resents all the attention on lifelong-Republican-turned-Democrat Charlie Crist and is intent on being courted for as long as possible,” the Tampa Bay Times<

Saying he has “a lot of concerns” about the immigration reform bill backed by Sen. Marco Rubio, former Rep. Allen West didn’t say no this morning when a Washington radio interviewer raised the possibility of West challenging Rubio in a 2016 GOP Senate primary.

The Florida Retail Federation (FRF) today announced that Sen. Jack Latvala is the recipient of its 2013 Senator of the Year Award for his strong support of the retail industry in the Florida Senate.  

In a release, the FRF noted that Sen. Latvala has been a champion and friend of FRF since his first term in the Senate.

It is common in public opinion studies for people to rate individual politicians more favorably than the political bodies they serve in — and that trend is once again alive in Florida, where recent polling shows only 32 percent of voters approve of the way the legislature is handling the business of the state.

Sometimes, disapproval can be tied to specific policies that a legislature enacted — or in this case, didn’t enact. 

By MICHAEL J. MISHAK 
Associated Press

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While Poynter’s Andrew Beaujon enjoyed John Harris and Jim VandeHei take down of Nate Silver, to me, the most important paragraph in Isaac Chotiner’s Q&A with the POLITICO honchos, is where VandeHei answers a question about whether there are any pol

By David Bauerlein

Community Rehabilitation Center — the Jacksonville nonprofit led by Reginald Gaffney — has agreed to repay the state about $336,000 the center received in Medicaid payments over a 2½-year period.

The settlement amount is considerably less than the almost $1.4 million identified in March by the state Agency for Health Care Administration.

Because I am friends with Senator Jeff Brandes, sponsor of legislation to bring the driverless cars to Florida, I can’t not highlight some interesting reads on whether society needs self-driving cars.

Kaid Benfield and Lee Epstein aren’t convinced that intelligent vehicles and automated highways are a good thing:

John Sides: “First, it matters for the 2014 election. A simple model of House election outcomes constructed by political scientist Gary Jacobson shows that the share of seats controlled by the president’s party depends in part on presidential approval…. Obviously, other factors matter too.

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn will be the highest-ranking elected official to attend the 2013 St. Pete Pride Carnivale Promenade.

Carnivale is the annual street festival and parade that celebrates the Tampa Bay LGBT community. It will be the highlight event of the five-day celebration beginning June 26.

This year, the parade is June 29, and will be held on Central Avenue, between 21 and 28 Streets. The Carnivale kicks off at 9 a.m. and continues through 3 p.m.