Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschFebruary 1, 2017

The Tampa Bay Times is just plain wrong about something, and it has stuck in my craw for nearly a week now. Last Thursday, a Times headline read: “Voter intent on medical marijuana ignored.” Two days later, columnist John Romano followed suit with virtually the same narrative. “Ignored?” The clear inference of the editorial – […]

Scott PowersJanuary 5, 2017

Medical marijuana champion John Morgan has said repeatedly recently that the “now-what?” questions regarding Amendment 2 are in the hands of lobbyists, lawyers, and legislators; but on Thursday a lobbyist, a lawyer and a legislator told told the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce they don’t really know what’s next at this point. Lobbyist Louis Rotundo who represents […]

Larry GriffinJanuary 3, 2017

Senator Jeff Brandes has filed a new bill, SB 228, that would create a Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) program in the Florida Department of Health. The POLSTs are documents provided to specify directions on patients with terminal conditions. Brandes’ bill establishes a laundry list of small rules and regulations to cement the way […]

Jim RosicaDecember 13, 2016

The right way to put the new constitutional amendment on medical marijuana into effect is to “treat (it) like medicine,” supporters said Tuesday. The Senate Health Policy committee held its first workshop for the 2017 Legislative Session on medical cannabis implementation. “The states that have done it poorly, with a lack of regulation, allowed folks to market […]

Jim RosicaNovember 29, 2016

Florida’s bong ban, as toothless as critics say it may be, now is preempted by the recently approved constitutional amendment on medical marijuana. That’s according to Ben Pollara, campaign manager of United for Care. The group has fought for the ballot initiative, which first failed in 2014 before passing this year with 71 percent of […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterOctober 13, 2016

The Department of Health has identified a new transmission zone for locally acquired Zika. Gov. Rick Scott announced Thursday that health officials confirmed local transmissions are occurring in a small area in Miami-Dade County. The one-square mile area straddles Interstate 95 and stretches from N.W. 79th Street to the north to N.W. 63rd Street to […]

Associated PressOctober 3, 2016

Just over a month ago, Miami Beach Botanical Garden was home to over 2,000 colorful, water-trapping bromeliads, some featuring red flowers that burst like fireworks from dark green spirals. Identified as breeding grounds for mosquitoes that carry Zika, they’ve all been pulled out, leaving shallow depressions in flower beds and exposing irrigation lines. Walking through […]

Associated PressOctober 2, 2016

Florida health officials say they will not fight a judge’s order that would change the gender on a transgender teen’s birth certificate from female to male. The Department of Health told the Miami Herald that it will comply with Leon Circuit Judge Karen Gievers‘ order to change the marker on the 15-year-old Fort Lauderdale resident’s […]

Staff ReportsSeptember 23, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott, lamenting federal inaction on the Zika virus, has earmarked $25 million in state money for vaccine research. “I have traveled multiple times to Washington this year to meet with congressional leaders to tell them how urgent this need is. Yet, despite endless claims of support from those within both parties, nothing has […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 19, 2016

As former Florida Supreme Court Justices, we once took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the State of Florida. Today, we urge all Floridians to protect and defend our constitution by once again voting “No” on Amendment 2. The amendment’s sponsors say they fixed the problems that caused Floridians to reject a […]

Tag: Florida Department of Health

Saying voter intent ‘ignored’ on medical marijuana, Tampa Bay Times is just plain wrong

Panel: Amendment 2 firing up big bowl of who-knows-what

New Jeff Brandes bill creates program for Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment in Department of Health

Treat medical marijuana “like medicine,” advocates say

Bong ban doesn’t apply to medical pot, advocate says

Rick Scott identifies new Zika transmission zone in Miami-Dade County

Growers: Bromeliads aren’t to blame for Zika in Miami Beach

Fla. judge says state must amend transgender teen’s birth certificate

Rick Scott launches Zika vaccine research initiative

Why 5 former Florida Supreme Court justices oppose Amendment 2