TALLAHASSEE — Less than three months after Florida voters narrowly rejected a plan to legalize medical marijuana, a Republican senator Monday filed a bill that would allow patients to get pot if they suffer from diseases such as cancer, AIDS, epilepsy or multiple sclerosis.
The proposal (SB 528), filed by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, includes a detailed regulatory structure that would place requirements on patients, doctors, growers and retail stores. Patients could only get “medical-grade” marijuana if their physicians sign off on the need.
SB 528: Medical Use of Marijuana
GENERAL BILL by Brandes
Medical Use of Marijuana; Citing this act as “The Florida Medical Marijuana Act”; allowing registered patients and designated caregivers to purchase, acquire, and possess medical-grade marijuana subject to specified requirements; allowing a cultivation and processing licensee, employee, or contractor to acquire, cultivate, transport, and sell marijuana under certain circumstances; allowing a retail licensee to purchase, receive, possess, store, dispense, and deliver marijuana under certain circumstances; specifying registration requirements for a patient identification card, etc.
Effective Date: 7/1/2015
Last Action: 1/26/2015 Senate - Filed
Location: Filed
The proposal (SB 528), filed by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, includes a detailed regulatory structure that would place requirements on patients, doctors, growers and retail stores. Patients could only get “medical-grade” marijuana if their physicians sign off on the need.
“Many groups have been working on this initiative for quite some time, and my goal is to work openly with all of the interested parties on this issue so that we can pass responsible legislation that provides relief to those Floridians in need,” Brandes said in a prepared statement.
Medical marijuana has been a heavily debated topic in Florida for more than a year, primarily because of a proposed constitutional amendment that would have legalized the substance. That amendment received support from 57.6 percent of voters during the November election, slightly short of the 60 percent needed to pass ballot initiatives.
Backers of the constitutional amendment made clear they would continue trying to legalize medical pot, either through the Legislature or another ballot proposal in 2016. It is unclear, however, whether Brandes can gain the support of Republican legislative leaders and Gov. Rick Scott to get the bill approved during the annual session that starts March 3.
“Senate Bill 528 is a very good start and we believe one that would serve as a huge step forward for Florida’s suffering patients and their families,” the group United For Care, which has led efforts to pass a constitutional amendment, said in an email to supporters Monday. “This bill proves that the massive support we received in the last election — 58 percent of voters — plus our quick work to bring the petition back for 2016 is getting recognized by reasonable legislators like Sen. Brandes.”
The November ballot proposal drew opposition from groups such as the Florida Sheriffs Association. A spokeswoman said Monday the sheriffs association could not comment because it still was reviewing Brandes’ bill.
Last Action: 1/26/2015 Senate - Filed
Location: Filed
The proposal (SB 528), filed by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, includes a detailed regulatory structure that would place requirements on patients, doctors, growers and retail stores. Patients could only get “medical-grade” marijuana if their physicians sign off on the need.
“Many groups have been working on this initiative for quite some time, and my goal is to work openly with all of the interested parties on this issue so that we can pass responsible legislation that provides relief to those Floridians in need,” Brandes said in a prepared statement.
Medical marijuana has been a heavily debated topic in Florida for more than a year, primarily because of a proposed constitutional amendment that would have legalized the substance. That amendment received support from 57.6 percent of voters during the November election, slightly short of the 60 percent needed to pass ballot initiatives.
Backers of the constitutional amendment made clear they would continue trying to legalize medical pot, either through the Legislature or another ballot proposal in 2016. It is unclear, however, whether Brandes can gain the support of Republican legislative leaders and Gov. Rick Scott to get the bill approved during the annual session that starts March 3.
“Senate Bill 528 is a very good start and we believe one that would serve as a huge step forward for Florida’s suffering patients and their families,” the group United For Care, which has led efforts to pass a constitutional amendment, said in an email to supporters Monday. “This bill proves that the massive support we received in the last election — 58 percent of voters — plus our quick work to bring the petition back for 2016 is getting recognized by reasonable legislators like Sen. Brandes.”
The November ballot proposal drew opposition from groups such as the Florida Sheriffs Association. A spokeswoman said Monday the sheriffs association could not comment because it still was reviewing Brandes’ bill.