Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJune 13, 2017

The sponsor of a bill to implement the 2016 medical marijuana constitutional amendment said he is confident the state would prevail if sued over the proposal’s smoking ban. “We believe we will win that lawsuit,” said House Majority Leader Ray Rodrigues, who sponsored the House’s version of the medical marijuana implementing bill during both the […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJune 12, 2017

Rep. Jose Felix Diaz has raised more than $400,000 in the special election to replace Sen. Frank Artiles in Senate District 40. Diaz, a Miami Republican, said his campaign raised about $450,000 — about $280,000 for his official campaign and another $167,000 for Rebuild Florida, his political committee — between May 10 and June 8. “Our […]

Staff ReportsJune 12, 2017

Rep. Matt Caldwell is getting a little help from his friends in bid for Agriculture Commissioner. Majority Leader Ray Rodrigues, Rep. Dane Eagle, and Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen are among the more than three dozen Southwest Florida officials scheduled to host a fundraiser for Caldwell on Monday night. The fundraiser, according to a copy of the […]

Joe ReedyJune 12, 2017

The Florida Legislature’s passage of a bill to enact the state’s constitutional amendment expanding the use of medical marijuana has ended one chapter in the battle over setting up regulations for the nascent industry. But pro-pot supporters say it doesn’t go far enough. Once Gov. Rick Scott signs the bill, the principal backer of getting […]

Jim RosicaJune 8, 2017

A change to the Special Session’s medical marijuana legislation that would have allowed patients to smoke it was handily defeated Thursday. The amendment offered by Rep. Evan Jenne, a Dania Beach Democrat, was killed on the House floor by a vote of 37-71. “If a doctor and a patient determine that (smoking) is the best way to […]

Jim RosicaJune 8, 2017

Everyone loves a mystery, so how did a provision to help concerns with underused or shuttered citrus factories get into this year’s medical marijuana legislation? Language in both bills (SB 8-A, HB 5A) would give preferential treatment for up to two growing licenses to applicants who can show “they own one or more facilities that are, or were, […]

Jim RosicaJune 7, 2017

As the medical marijuana implementation bill winds its way through the Special Session, some lawmakers still are grappling with whether smoking medicinal cannabis is the same as ‘vaping’ it. Before the Health and Human Services Committee approved the House bill (HB 5A) on Wednesday night, members asked bill sponsor Ray Rodrigues, the House Republican Leader from […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 5, 2017

A bill to implement the 2016 medical marijuana constitutional amendment is dead, after the House amended the bill to increases the cap on retail facilities twentyfold. The decision to send the bill back to the Senate kill the legislation (HB 1397), where senators were unwilling to increase the caps. Earlier in the day, Sen. Bill […]

Staff ReportsMay 4, 2017

The Florida Legislature has passed a bill that will give a renewable-energy tax break to commercial and industrial properties with solar installations. The measure (SB 90) was sent to Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday after passing the Senate unanimously. If signed into law, businesses that install solar panels to their properties would not have to […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 4, 2017

The Florida Senate voted 31-7 to approve an amended version of a medical marijuana bill, sending it back to the House for a final vote on Friday. But with the clock running out on the 2017 Legislative Session, the fate of the proposal remains unclear. The Senate amended the House bill (HB 1397) to limit […]

Tag: Ray Rodrigues

Ray Rodrigues: ‘We believe we will win’ suit over medical marijuana smoking ban

Jose Felix Diaz raises about $450K for SD 40 race

Ray Rodrigues, other SWFL leaders host fundraiser for Matt Caldwell’s bid for Ag Commissioner

John Morgan plans lawsuit to allow for smoking of medical pot

House beats back effort to allow smoking of medical marijuana

Whodunit? or, How did citrus get into Special Session medical marijuana bill?

Are vaping and smoking the same? Ray Rodrigues won’t say

Medical marijuana bill dead for 2017 Session

Renewable-energy tax break bill headed to Rick Scott

Senate approves amended medical marijuana bill, sends back to House for final vote