Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
A bill expanding medical marijuana in Florida has been sent to Gov. Rick Scott.
The Florida Legislature sent the bill (HB 307) to Scott on Thursday. The governor has until March 25 to act on the measure.
The proposal — sponsored by Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Fort Walton Beach Republican, and Sen. Rob Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican — allows eligible patients, defined as someone with one year left to live, to purchase medical marijuana from dispensing organization.
Under the proposal, licensed organizations can grow and distribute medical marijuana — not just the low-THC products authorized under the 2014 Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act — to terminally ill patients.
The measure also creates new regulatory standards, gives assurances to the five nurseries that won licenses last year, and paves the way for more dispensing organizations to get licenses in the future.
The bill was one of 20 bills sent to Scott on Thursday. While the vast majority of the measures were local bills, the governor also received a bill (HB 229) that requires school districts to review their anti-bullying and harassment policies every three years.
A spokeswoman for the governor said Scott is reviewing the proposal.
