Will Rick Scott sign or veto 'liquor wall' bill? Two big clues here

Gov. Rick Scott has until Wednesday to decide the fate of one of the most heavily-lobbied bills in years, the removal of the so-called "liquor wall" so that Walmart, Target and other big box stores can sell liquor. Publix and local chain liquor stores tried mightily to kill the bill but it squeaked through the Senate, 21-17, and the House, 58-57, after years of intense lobbying on both sides. The lobbying is now aimed at Scott -- and the clock is ticking.

If Scott wants to use "the wall" to thank a friend and punish an enemy at the same time, it's not even a close call. Scott's ally on economic development issues, Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, is a leading critic of the liquor wall bill who voted no, and Scott's No. 1 nemesis, House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O'Lakes, is a supporter who voted yes and whose brother, Michael, is a lobbyist for Walmart.

Walmart has made three separate contributions to Scott's Let's Get to Work PAC totaling $110,000, including a $50,000 check on March 31, a week after the Senate sent the bill to the House. If the pro-business Republican governor signs this bill, he'll see headlines connecting the two.

The bill (SB 106) passed the House amid controversy and allegations, reported here by the Florida Times-Union, that several lawmakers "took a walk" and skipped a close vote to avoid antagonizing special interests and lobbyists on either side. Two absent House members cast no votes after the roll call vote and a third changed his vote from yes to no. Those late votes are in the record but they don't change the outcome of a "board" vote. Still, that alone provides another rationalization for Scott to issue his first veto of the 2017 session.

If Scott is looking for five more reasons to veto the bill, at least that many House Republicans who voted to abolish Enterprise Florida also voted to tear down the liquor wall in the spirit of free enterprise. They are Reps. Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast; Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford; Mike LaRosa, R-St. Cloud; Clay Ingram, R-Pensacola; and Frank White, R-Pensacola. They're listed here because Scott called out all five by name and on TV at recent events where he criticized the Legislature for turning its back on Florida's economy.

This story was originally published May 23, 2017 at 10:26 AM with the headline "Will Rick Scott sign or veto 'liquor wall' bill? Two big clues here."