Siplin calls Stand Your Ground "negligently written," weighs in on abused woman case

Florida's Stand Your Ground law continues to stand its ground in the national spotlight, after an abused woman was sentenced to 20 years for firing a shot at her abusive husband.

Now, a state Senator who sits on a task force that is currently reviewing the law, is using the case of the woman, Marissa Alexander, to criticize the law.

Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, released a statement  this week saying that he was "deeply saddened" by Alexander's sentencing, and that the Stand Your Ground law was meant to protect people like her. Siplin, who voted for the law in 2005, now says that Alexander's case and the case of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin offer proof that the law is being applied inconsistently. No one was physically injured in the Alexander case.

New GOP ad touts Gov. Rick Scott's work on PIP reform

The Republican Party of Florida is airing a new TV ad that praises Gov. Rick Scott and the Legislature for reforming the no-fault car insurance system.

Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford stars alongside Scott in the 30-second ad. Rutherford, legislative chair for the Florida Sheriffs Association, was also featured in an advertisements earlier this year sponsored by a group pushing legislators to support personal injury protection reforms.

The latest ad shows Scott taking a victory lap of sorts, driving an SUV as he talks about how PIP reforms he signed into law earlier this month will save Florida taxpayers money. (Yes, he's wearing a seatbelt.) At the end of the ad, Scott and Rutherford make a joke that alludes to the staged accidents that have plagued the PIP system in recent years.

A GOP spokeswoman wouldn't say how much the party is spending, though she added it is a "substantial buy" in media markets across Florida. She said the goal was to help Scott spread the word about his work on PIP reform, a main priority of his during the 2012 legislative session.