Football in Florida — especially University of Florida football — packs plenty of muscle in the state Legislature.

So when Senate budget chief J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, said the Senate was having problems with the House’s push to deregulate more than a dozen profession, including athletic agents, he wasn’t averse to some influential name-dropping.

Alexander said Saturday morning that the day before he received a call from UF Athletic Director Jeremy Foley, reminding him of past tales of agent abuses, urging that the state maintain oversight of the profession.

“I’m very hesitant to deregulate that particular one,” Alexander said. “But we’re trying to find common ground.”

Alexander’s House counterpart, Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, said during Saturday morning’s budget negotiations that her side would have to talk further about the Senate’s counter-proposal, which would maintain regulation of health clubs, dance studios and talent agents.

The House earlier this month approved legislation deregulating movers, auto repair shops, travel agents, auctioneers, telemarketers, architects and several other professions as part of a sweeping push to cut government red tape, a goal endorsed by Gov. Rick Scott.

Alexander, however, warned Saturday that many of the professions in line for being cut free have figured in past headline-grabbing scandals.

Talks between the budget chiefs are expected to continue at least through Saturday.

From the Associated Press in Atlanta:

A Republican legislator wants to use the University of Georgia’s annual grudge match against the University of Florida as a bargaining chip in the long-running dispute over water rights.

State Sen. John Douglas, a Social Circle Republican, says the game should be played every other year in Georgia instead of Jacksonville, Fla. The rivalry attracts tens of thousands of fans and has an estimated economic impact of $25 million for the north Florida city.

Georgia officials were sent scrambling after a federal judge’s devastating ruling last week that said the state had little rights to withdraw water from a massive reservoir at the center of a dispute involving Georgia, Florida and Alabama. The ruling gives lawmakers three years to hash out a compromise.

Gov. Charlie Crist and Tim Tebow threw the football for a few minutes this morning before opening the gates at the governor’s mansion to celebrate the Florida Gators second football championship in three years. About 75 people were invited and twice as many showed up to collect autographs from Tebow, linebacker Ryan Stamper and coach Urban Meyer.

Meyer, while signing an autograph for Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente, said that he and Tebow are heading to Atlantic City this weekend for the Maxwell award ceremony.

Tebow will then take off for the Philippines, where he’ll spend another spring break doing mission work.

“Very similar,” Tebow said about the two trips. “I’m not sure 100 percent sure about everything I’m doing yet, but it will be a mission trip.”

(more…)