Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

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 […]

Michael MolineMarch 24, 2017

Legislation that would exempt medical marijuana from sales taxes would cost $24.3 million per year to Florida’s tax receipts, according to an estimate by state economists Friday. HB 1397, by Fort Myers Republican Ray Rodrigues, is one of five medical marijuana bills to enact Amendment 2 that are circulating in the Legislature. It would impose […]

Ben PollaraMarch 22, 2017

Majority Leader Ray Rodrigues claims to have polled Floridians on whether they want marijuana legalized. They do not. Undisclosed interests hired a political consultant, who then hired Donald Trump‘s pollster to ask the same question. They got the same answer: 48 percent oppose legalization, while 46 percent support it. I have two questions that don’t […]

Mitch PerryMarch 20, 2017

Because polling in 2016 showed less than half of all Floridians want to legalize marijuana outright, Ray Rodrigues believes he is doing the right thing by pushing regulations that ban people from smoking cannabis or using edible pot. “Here’s what we know,” the Fort Myers House Republican told former Congressman David Jolly on AM 820 WWBA Thursday […]

Staff ReportsMarch 15, 2017

The House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee approved an assignment of benefits reform bill Tuesday. The bill links fees to pre-litigation offers of judgment and requires policyholders receive notice if a contractor files suit. “The Consumer Protection Coalition applauds Rep. Jamie Grant and House leadership for taking on the issue of Assignment of Benefits fraud and […]

Staff ReportsMarch 8, 2017

Voters across the state will be getting robo-calls blasting their representative for voting for a bill to kill Enterprise Florida. POLITICO Florida reported that Let’s Get to Work, the political committee backing Gov. Rick Scott, has funded another round of robocalls hitting Republicans who voted for a bill (HB 7005) that would eliminate Enterprise Florida […]

Tag: Ray Rodrigues
Supporters celebrate the opening of a wheel-chair accessible playground at Anastasia State Park. Image via Florida State Parks Foundation.

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

Revenue conference prices sales tax exemption for medical marijuana

Ben Pollara: Medical marijuana implementation for the 29, 48 … or 71 percent?

Ray Rodrigues stance on medical marijuana angers Amendment 2 advocates

Capitol Reax: AOB reform, workers compensation, medical marijuana, gun bills

Report: Rick Scott committee releases robocall targeting Republicans who support killing Enterprise Florida