Florida: 5 Things To Know For April 1

Your daily look at news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today.

WEB PROBLEMS THWART LAST MINUTE INSURANCE SIGNUPS

The federal government’s health insurance website ended the same way it started six months earlier, as technology troubles prevented many consumers from completing the application process on the final enrollment day. A West Palm Beach enrollment center was booked solid Monday with 69 appointments and nearly two dozen walk-ins. But the website delays left them with a waiting room full of frustrated consumers.

FLORIDA LEGISLATURE IS TARGETING WEBSITES THAT CHARGE FEES FOR REMOVING POLICE MUG SHOTS

Lawmakers are pushing through a bill that targets companies that obtain booking photos, put them online and then charge arrestees hundreds or thousands of dollars to remove them. Some websites refuse to remove the photos even if the charges are later dropped or the person is acquitted. Under the proposed law, an individual could obtain a court order for removal and the website would be subject to a $1,000 a day fine if it doesn’t comply within 14 days.

GOV. RICK SCOTT SIGNS “FLORIDA GI BILL” TO BENEFIT VETERANS LIVING IN THE STATE

The bill offers a tuition break to honorably discharged veterans regardless of when they moved to the state. It also includes college scholarships for National Guard members and sets aside money to renovate armories and acquire land adjacent to existing military installations in the state. Florida has roughly 1.5 million veterans, and there are an estimated 61,000 active military personnel stationed in the state.

COAST GUARD REPORTS MORE THAN 200 MIGRANTS PICKED UP TRYING TO ENTER THE U.S. ILLEGALLY IN THE LAST WEEK

Officials say all the migrants were removed from overloaded, unseaworthy vessels that lacked lifejackets or navigation equipment. They included 90 Cubans, 82 Haitians and 41 from the Dominican Republic. All were returned home. Among the Cuban migrants were 65 rescued by two cruise ships came in separate incidents in the Florida Straits and 12 stranded on an uninhabited island in the Bahamas.

PUBLIC RECORDS MEASURES MOVE FORWARD

A Florida House subcommittee has approved seven bills that add exceptions to the state’s public records laws. Information connected to auto accident victims, red light cameras, safe houses and family trust companies would be limited under the various measures passed Monday by the the House Government Operations Subcommittee. The panel also approved a bill that would broaden the open records statute by a 13-0 vote.