—Rep. Jim Waldman, D-Coconut Creek,, Referring to a provision in the budget approved by the House that cuts taxes for manufacturing companies that will last three years and cost $100 million next year.
— House Speaker Will Weatherford , Talking about the chaotic session in the House on Wednesday.
—Jason Marks, Miami divorce attorney,, Reacting to Gov. Rick Scott’s veto of a bill that would have ended permanent alimony in Florida.
—House Democratic Leader Perry Thurston, Commenting on why he made a rarely used motion to demand that bills be read in full, to protest the Florida House’s refusal to pass a Senate bill that would provide more Floridians with health-care coverage
—State Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, sponsor of bill, Commenting after the Florida House amended her bill banning texting while driving, 73-46, in the last days of the legislative session -- timing she found “suspicious”
—Chris McCarty, director of Florida survey, Commenting on a report of the University of Florida’s Survey Research Center that showed consumer confidence increased in Florida for the second month in a row
—Palm Beach County teacher Mike Dowling, Commenting after Florida lawmakers finalized a state budget and delayed teacher raises for 13 months – tying them to Florida’s new merit-pay law.
—Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Archdiocese of Miami, Commenting on the archdiocese’s new campaign to encourage some 400,000 legal South Florida residents, many immigrants who have lived in in Florida for years, to obtain their U.S. citizenship
—State Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, Describing a Florida Senate bill he drafted that relies on $51 billion in federal funding to provide private health insurance to 1 million poor Floridians over 10 years, in contrast to a House proposal that relies only on state money.
—Will Weatherford, the Florida House Speaker said as the 2013 Legislative session entered its final week. He was referring to Senate President Don Gaetz, with whom Weatherford has had a cordial relationship.
—Katie Betta, a spokeswoman for Senate President Don Gaetz, said about a directive coming from Gov. Rick Scott’s office telling his legislative affairs staff and agency staff to not communicate with the Legislature until his priorities are addressed.
—Florida Rep. Joe Gibbons, a Democrat from Hallandale Beach, asked in regard to what he and other out-party Legislators call “the conservative agenda” of the 2013 sessions’ Florida House majority.
—Florida Gov. Rick Scott, responded to the state Legislature’s apparent agreement that tuition at state colleges and universities should increase 3 percent .
—President Barack Obama, speaking at the annual White House Correspondents Dinner, playfully chided Florida’s junior Sen. Marco Rubio for his ambitious reach.
—Doug Martin, lobbyist for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, representing 50,000 employees, told reporters after the Legislature agreed to the first automatic salary increase in seven years.
—Sen. Jack Latvala of Palm Harbor, Referring to a bill the Senate passed that would let elections supervisors expand early voting days and sites.
—Senate President Don Gaetz, Referring to an ethics bill the Legislature passed and sent to Gov. Rick Scott for his signature.
—State Rep. Halsey Beshears, Explaining why he voted against a bill that would outlaw the sale of bongs.
—Rep. Ritch Workman, R-Melbourne, Talking to reporters in Tallahassee while urging Gov. Rick Scott to sign into law a bill to end permanent alimony
—Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican, In a press release commenting on the impact on immigration reform legislation now being considered by Congress after the Boston terrorist attack last week during the Boston Marathon
