Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersJanuary 4, 2016

Florida’s Division of Administrative Hearings has split up the fourteen challenges to the state’s newly-awarded medical marijuana licenses, re-assigning the three Central Region challenges to Judge Elizabeth W. McArthur and the four Northeast region cases to Judge R. Bruce McKibben. Initially, the challenges all had been assigned to Judge W. David Watkins, who had presided over […]

James CallMay 8, 2015

The latest challenge to proposed regulations for Florida’s medical marijuana law is in its final stage. Late Thursday, attorneys for the Department of Health and Baywood Nurseries filed proposed final orders with Judge W. David Watkins. The two sides repeated the arguments they made during a hearing last month. Baywood went into greater detail in […]

James CallMay 4, 2015

Baywood Nurseries’ challenge to a proposed regulatory structure for a medicinal marijuana industry will move forward. Judge W. David Watkins, on Monday, rejected a Department of Health’s motion to dismiss the challenge based on the Apopka growers’ lack of standing. DOH had cited a 30-year-old ruling in a Medicaid case in which a challenge to […]

James CallApril 27, 2015

It’s a waiting game. Transcripts from a two-day hearing on the state’s medicinal marijuana law will be posted Monday. Later this week, briefs on a motion to dismiss the suit blocking implementation of the law authorizing low-THC cannabis as medicine are due in court. It’s been almost 11 months since Gov. Rick Scott signed the […]

James CallApril 24, 2015

The battle over the Florida’s Charlotte’s Web law may come down to a snapshot in time. The question before administrative law Judge W. David Watkins is at what point Baywood Nurseries became an affected party with standing to sue and block the state from implementing the Compassionate Medical Marijuana Act of 2014. Put another way, to […]

James CallApril 23, 2015

A potential Florida medical marijuana grower is getting every opportunity to make its case in court. Baywood Nurseries of Apopa insists the proposed rule to enact the 2014 Charlotte’s Web law by the Florida Department of Health is unfair to smaller nurseries: Blocking it from applying for one of five licenses to grow marijuana. The DOH […]

James CallApril 23, 2015

Sen. Rob Bradley may want to consider performing some CPR on SPB 7066. Many speculated the legislative fix for last year’s Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act of 2014 was dead when Bradley said it was in a “holding pattern.” The comment came after the state Department of Health prevailed in a series of legal challenges blocking […]

James CallApril 22, 2015

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One challenge remains to block planting Florida’s first legal marijuana crop. And the Department of Health has a 5:00 p.m. deadline Wednesday in its effort to defeat it and begin implementing the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act of 2014. Late Tuesday, Judge W. David Watkins dismissed the challenge filed by Master Growers. The order is here. Watkins ruled that Master Growers […]

James CallApril 22, 2015

On Wednesday morning, Sen. Rob Bradley temporarily postponed Senate consideration of SPB 7066, the legislative fix for the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act of 2014. Scheduled for a second reading is the measure addressing concerns believed to be driving legal challenges to a proposed rule for the Act. Meanwhile, the state Department of Health faces 5 […]

James CallApril 19, 2015

Florida is poised to take a significant step in making medicinal cannabis available to people who need it. This week, decisions by lawmakers at the Florida Capitol and an administrative court judge could determine when and how. Frustrated by legal challenges preventing implementation of the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act of 2014 lawmakers are pursuing a legislative fix allowing […]

Tag: W. David Watkins

State to split 14 medical marijuana license challenges among three administrative judges

Final arguments heard in Charlotte’s Web challenge

Judge allows Charlotte’s Web rule challenge to continue

Investors and growers await Charlotte’s Web ruling

Charlotte’s Web rule challenge comes down to ‘snapshot in time’

Charlotte’s Web hearing to enter 2nd day; glitch bill still on calendar

Baywood scores quick victories in Charlotte’s Web rule battle

Charlotte’s Web challenge dismissed, DOH ordered to respond to last one

Charlotte’s Web “glitch” bill pulled from Senate floor

Important week ahead for medical marijuana advocates