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Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterApril 24, 2017

A House panel advanced an amended version of the lower chamber’s medical marijuana implementing bill, preparing the bill for a vote by the full House in the coming weeks. But with two weeks left until the scheduled end of the 2017 Legislative Session, the House and Senate continue to be at odds when it comes […]

Peter SchorschApril 18, 2017

Perhaps they’ve been reading the rash of vitriolic emails and op-eds from Florida for Care, or the equally brutal reporting and editorializing from the Tampa Bay Times this past weekend. Maybe it was the litany of emotional public comment at Tuesday’s hearing. Whatever it was, Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee – led by the […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterApril 18, 2017

A House panel cleared the lower chamber’s medical marijuana implementing bill, despite continued concerns from advocates who said the measure doesn’t go far enough. The House Appropriations Committee approved a bill (HB 1397) by Majority Leader Ray Rodrigues that would implement the 2016 medical marijuana constitutional amendment. The proposal now heads to the Health & […]

Joe ReedyApril 14, 2017

Florida’s voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment in November that formally legalized medical marijuana for chronic pain and other ailments, but with less than a month to go in their session, Florida legislators remain far apart on how to implement it. Bills in the Senate and House don’t agree on the details of expanding access […]

Staff ReportsApril 13, 2017

A Senate panel approved a bill by St. Petersburg Sen. Jeff Brandes that would implement solar tax breaks approved by Florida voters in last year. More than 70 percent of Florida voters backed Amendment 4 in August, which makes it so the increased value of a home due to renewable energy improvements such as solar […]

Mitch PerryApril 5, 2017

Trulieve, the first company to dispense medical marijuana in Florida, will open its fourth medical cannabis dispensary in the state Wednesday morning, this time in Pensacola. “We are proud to open our fourth dispensary and our first in the Pensacola area. And this opening is especially exciting because we maintain our headquarters in the panhandle and […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterApril 3, 2017

A Senate panel is poised to approve legislation this week that could add five more medical marijuana treatment centers in Florida by October and lower the threshold for adding additional treatment centers in the future. The Senate Health Policy Committee is scheduled to discuss and vote on a bill (SB 406), sponsored by Sen. Rob […]

Mitch PerryApril 1, 2017

House members now say the possibility of a fracking ban is dead for the 2017 Legislative Session. Sen. Dana Young thinks it’s premature to administer last rites, at least just yet. “You never say never, but now we’re saying it looks like that will be next year,” Rep. Mike Miller, an Orlando Republican, told the Naples Daily […]

Mitch PerryMarch 31, 2017

Advocates of Amendment 2, which legalized medical marijuana in Florida, have been expressing disdain for HB 1397, moving through the Legislature this Session, sponsored by Fort Myers Republican Ray Rodrigues. “Folks, this bill is bad,” wrote Ben Pollara, head of United for Care, the organization that campaigned for the constitutional amendment that passed with more than 71 […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 28, 2017

A House panel approved legislation Tuesday that would implement the 2016 medical marijuana constitutional amendment, despite concerns from some advocates the proposal doesn’t honor the spirit of the amendment. The House Health Quality Subcommittee voted overwhelmingly to approve a bill (HB 1397) that would implement the 2016 constitutional amendment. Sponsored by House Majority Leader Ray […]

Tag: Ray Rodrigues
Aerial photo courtesy Jesse Biter.

House medical marijuana implementing bill headed to the floor

House Democrats wake up on weed

House Appropriations Committee clears medical marijuana bill, despite concerns from advocates

Legislature makes slow progress on medical pot rules

Jeff Brandes wants to keep renewable energy bill clean

The Panhandle gets a medical marijuana dispensary as TruLieve opens fourth outpost

Senate amendment quickens pace for medical marijuana treatment center growth

Dana Young, environmentalists still hold hope for fracking ban in 2017

Unless legislation is changed, Joe Redner says he’ll sue over Legislature’s medical marijuana

House Health Quality Subcommittee approves medical marijuana implementing bill