During a year when the state lost more than 400,000 jobs, Floridaâs cannabis industry in 2020 added nearly 15,000 employees, according to the cannabis website Leafly.
Four years after Florida voters approved its legalization for medical purposes, marijuana is a $1.2 billion business. Industry insiders say itâs growing every day.
That type of success would usually earn support in Floridaâs business friendly Legislature. But the 2021 lawmaking session is anything but a victory lap for Floridaâs pot sector. Entrepreneurs and medical marijuana patients are worried about a slate of sweeping reforms in the form of legislation or a Florida Supreme Court opinion.
Legislation inspired by the arrest of an Orlando 6 year-old in 2019 that would prohibit arrests of children under 7 for non-forcible felonies passed through a House panel Thursday, a sign the bill could make it into law this year.
Credit Port of Pensacola
Legislation filed in the new session would strip communities of locally controlling their ports when it comes to shipments of hazardous materials.
The House Tourism, Infrastructure & Energy Subcommittee voted 12-6 to approve a revised measure (HB 267) that would only block local regulations at municipal-run ports in Pensacola, Panama City, and St. Petersburg.
Rep. Spencer Roach (R-North Fort Myers) is the sponsor.
“The bill as written, would prohibit a local government from denying entry into a Florida port based on the size, cargo type, number or nationality of passengers,” said Roach. “And this bill, if enacted, would freshly preempt those matters to the state of Florida.”
Port of Pensacola included in bill aimed at restricting local control over ports pnj.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from pnj.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.