Ryan Ray
Sen. Wilton Simpson has filed a 203-page bill aimed at cracking down on synthetic drug use and manufacturing, and closing various loopholes that have allowed their continued presence in Florida.
Simpson’s SB 1528, filed Friday, authorizes the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco and Department of Business and Professional Regulation to suspend business licenses over drug violations, adds new drugs to the list of contraband substances, and increases criminal penalties for trading synthetic drugs.
Synthetic drugs such as “flakka” have proven a scourge in the state, especially in Miami and South Florida.
“Cocaine was king, until this year,” a veteran narcotics officer with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office recently told Reuters.
The bill was filed at the behest of Attorney General Pam Bondi, Simpson told Florida Politics in an official statement.
“Senate Bill 1528 has been filed at the request of Attorney General Pam Bondi,” said Simpson. “I’m proud to assist AG Bondi with her efforts to give law enforcement and our courts the tools they need to get these extremely dangerous synthetic drugs off our streets and out of our communities.”
Bondi was among several heavy-hitting Republican state pols who endorsed Simpson after the renumbering of newly redrawn state Senate district maps on Wednesday.
Simpson may still face a challenge from fellow GOP-er Sen. John Legg, but the Tallahassee establishment was swift to back the Trilby lawmaker, who made his significant wealth in the poultry and environmental consulting industries.
So far no House companion bill has been filed, but the bill will almost certainly go before the Senate Judiciary Committee where Simpson sits.
After this week’s Senate redistricting moves, Simpson is now the favorite to take over the chamber’s presidency in 2021-2022, provided Republicans maintain their majority.
