Topic: FL Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

The provision is contained in HB 7005, an omnibus transportation bill on its way to the Senate.

The omnibus transportation package bounced between chambers in the final week of session last year, never making it into law, and with three weeks to go this year the House and Senate versions aren't evenly aligned.

FSU will conduct a survey on social media this week to help pick the new design of its specialty license plate, but the process could take up to 10 months before the new plate is available to drivers.

The Brandes-Clemens bill would increase the speed limit by 5-miles per hour on Interstates and highways. It would be the first change in Florida's maximum speed limit since 1996.

House Democrats voted against motor vehicle registration and drivers' license fee increases in 2009, but Senate Democrats supported them. Then-Gov. Charlie Crist broke a campaign pledge not to raise taxes when he signed them into law, but the Republican-led Legislature has its fingerprints on the tax increases as well. That could complicate GOP efforts to blame Crist, a possible Democratic contender for governor.

Several state agencies and programs will be affected by the shutdown, with the severity depending on the length of the federal budget impasse. ... Related Research: Drafts of Florida Senate Reports on the Federal Government Shutdown.

The bill is a companion measure to legislation filed by Sen. Joe Negron.

This week we learned that Gov. Scott used an incentive deal made prior to a trade mission to justify such trips, that the state and Amazon are talking again about the online retailer setting up Florida facilities and that Scott signed a bill to speed up death penalty cases.

A speed-up for mental competency decisions, a public records exemption and a property tax exemption are blocked by Scott. Meanwhile, the governor signs bills concerning craft liquors sales and money to aid the oyster industry.

The Florida Current summarizes the 2013 legislative session as Democrats push Scott to call a special session for health care and environmental groups question whether the state can sell enough of its land to make the $70 million allocation for land acquisition to work.

The duel over a tax break for the insurance industry could portend a struggle between the two chambers over tax carve-outs for favored industries in the future.

A requirement for foreign visitors to Florida to obtain an International Driving Permit before driving in the state has angered some foreign tourists. ... Related Research: Meeting materials and video.

Cops are catching absconders, but tracking homeless and transient offenders is tough. ... Related Research: Read OPPAGA's Report No. 12-12: Registered Sex Offenders in Florida Communities Increased to Over 23,000; Transient Offenders Present Challenges.

The move of the motor vehicle agency's data center from its headquarters to the Northwood Shared Resource Center will black out online operations for two weekends in September. ... Related Research: Monday's announcement from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.