Lawmakers seek fracking ban
Lawmakers rallied with environmental activists Wednesday at the Capitol to push for a statewide ban on fracking.
Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, and Sen. Dana Young, R-Tampa, called on supporters of SB 442 and HB 451 to hear the issue. The bills would ban fracking.
The House bill, which is co-sponsored by nine Republicans and 11 Democrats, has not been heard in committees.
Environmental advocacy groups hope the House will change course from last year when it approved a bill preempting local ordinances aimed at preventing fracking.
Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen, a Fort Myers Republican who is one of the co-sponsors of this year’s House bill, said the practice “makes no sense economically” in Florida.
Senate debates marijuana licenses
More growers, access to treatment for snowbirds and greater flexibility in the relationship between patients and doctors are among the items likely to be included in a Senate proposal to carry out a constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana.
The Senate Health Policy Committee held a workshop Wednesday on the implementation of Amendment 2. The most controversial issues include how many licenses the state should award to marijuana growers, now limited to seven.
Other issues include who should be deemed eligible to qualify for the treatment and whether to maintain the “vertical integration” system — requiring medical marijuana organizations to grow, process and distribute cannabis products.
Sen. Rob Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican, is the sponsor of SB 406. Bradley’s bill says the state would have to issue five new licenses by the end of the year, on top of the seven already in operation. Bradley says there could be another 20 marijuana operators once the number of patients registered for the treatment reaches 500,000. The number of licenses would go up as the number of registered patients increases.
Constitution panel sets hearing dates
The Constitution Revision Commission has scheduled four public hearings. The commission announced Wednesday the first hearing will be held at 5 p.m. March 29 at the University of Central Florida’s Fairwinds Alumni Center in Orlando. That will be followed by hearings at 5 p.m. April 6 at Florida International University’s Frost Art Museum in Miami; 9 a.m. April 7 at Florida Atlantic University’s FAU Stadium Recruiting Room in Boca Raton; and 4 p.m. April 12 at the University of West Florida’s Center for Fine and Performing Arts in Pensacola.
Palm Beach lawyer to lead Florida Bar
West Palm Beach criminal-defense attorney Michelle Suskauer has been elected to start serving as president of The Florida Bar in June 2018, the Bar announced Wednesday.
Suskauer was chosen over Tampa attorney Lansing “Lanse” Scriven to become the next in line to lead the legal organization. She will formally become president-elect during the Bar’s annual convention in June in Orlando.
At that time, Miami attorney Michael Higer will take over as president for the coming year.