Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 17, 2018

The opioid crisis has hit Jacksonville hard. And now, via engagement of an international class-action law firm, the city is ready to hit back. Scott & Scott, headquartered in Connecticut, will help the city pursue tangible remedies from opioid manufacturers. This firm has scored significant eight-figure cash settlements from numerous pharmaceutical companies and is currently […]

Ana CeballosJanuary 9, 2018

A Senate panel on Tuesday advanced a bill that would grant people immunity for carrying small amounts of drugs if they seek medical help for an overdose. The proposal applies to individuals who are found in possession of any drug, including fentanyl and illicit opioids, if they ask for medical assistance in “good faith” when […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 9, 2018

2017 ended with bodies piling up in Jacksonville’s morgue. 2018 brings something approaching a solution via Ordinance 2018-005. A bill slated to be introduced at Tuesday’s City Council meeting on an emergency basis will offer what Medical Examiner Valerie Rao called last week a “proposed space solution,” which includes “office and refrigerator space”: a walk-in cooler […]

Scott PowersDecember 7, 2017

State Sen. Kathleen Passidomo has launched a powerful and alarming promotion of her bill to create a new Florida-based project to take care of babies born to opioid-addicted mothers. Passidomo, a Republican from Naples, posted social-media advertising featuring a video produced with Golisano Children’s Hospital of Fort Myers, talking about babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome, […]

Terry RoenOctober 2, 2017

State Attorney General Pam Bondi stressed the importance of global collaboration to end sexual slavery during opening remarks at Florida’s Human Trafficking Summit Monday in Orlando. “If we don’t tackle this worldwide, we’ll never solve the problem,” Bondi said. “This is a transnational crime and a worldwide problem.” Bondi spoke to an audience of more […]

Scott PowersAugust 17, 2017

Speaking before a crowd of mental health and substance abuse treatment professionals, Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Latvala promised more money for their causes and lashed out at Speaker Richard Corcoran and House Republicans for neglecting them. Latvala, the Republican state Senator from Clearwater who chairs the Appropriations Committee, said Florida has neglected mental health and […]

Scott PowersJuly 13, 2017

Saying that Gov. Rick Scott has done little to address Florida’s opioid crisis compared with how counties and other states are responding, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum pledged Thursday to make it a major effort. Gillum, mayor of Tallahassee, released a statement that offers several initiatives he said he will undertake if elected to take […]

Scott PowersJune 28, 2017

Chris King’s performance in the Democratic candidates’ gubernatorial forum earlier this month in Fort Lauderdale apparently won him the backing of at least one South Florida lawmaker, state Rep. Nicholas Duran of Miami. Duran, a freshman who emerged in this year’s Legislative Session as a leading voice for the Democrats on health care policy and […]

Scott PowersMay 23, 2017

The crisis of heroin and other opioids that is pounding Orlando, every part of Florida and every part of America might not be any easier to solve than it is to blame, as panelists from Orange County’s Heroin Task Force blamed doctors, middle schoolers and dealers. It’s a crisis that is causing three to five […]

Scott PowersApril 18, 2017

In a letter sent today to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, Florida’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson called attention to Florida’s heroin and opioids crisis and sought answers on how Medicaid can do more. In his letter, Nelson declared that the heroin and opioid epidemic is “devastating Florida” and he encouraged Price […]

Tag: opioids

Jacksonville strikes back against ‘human tragedy’, picks proven opioid suit lawyers

Florida could grant legal immunity for reporting drug overdoses

Jacksonville City Council mulls morgue money Tuesday

Kathleen Passidomo backs SB 434 push with video of addicted babies

Pam Bondi urges collaboration at human trafficking summit

Jack Latvala vows more mental health, substance abuse money, rips Richard Corcoran

Andrew Gillum pledges major response on heroin/opioid crisis

Chris King picks up Nick Duran’s endorsement in Democrats’ governor race

Opioids epidemic crisis blamed on careless doctors, unsupervised children

Bill Nelson presses Tom Price on Florida’s opioid crisis, Medicaid’s ability to fight it