About $80 million worth of road and bridge projects across the state – halted by Gov. Rick Scott’s rules freeze – were released to go forward after being reviewed by regulations czar Jerry McDaniel.
The executive order Scott signed within hours of his swearing-in has halted almost $500 million in road projects across the state. It also blocked hundreds of rules from taking effect, including some involving background screening at adult day-care facilities, standards at waste management plants, and food preparation at child-care centers, which were removed from Health Department oversight last year by lawmakers.
McDaniel, who was placed in the oversight role by Scott, offered no explanation of the decision-making that set the $80 million of small-scale projects in motion.
The governor’s office’s review also cleared new rules for Lottery scratch-off games and affecting Medicaid reimbursement standards for hospitals.
Several hundred million dollars worth of environmental projects and grants to local governments also were released from the freeze after governor’s office review.
