How Florida GOP No Friend of Small Businesses

Gov. Rick Scott should love HB 7095. Florida House Rep. Robert Schenck gave the big chain pharmacies a big boost.

Rep. Robert Schenck, sponsor of the bill (HB 7095), offered an amendment that would limit dispensation of narcotics to pharmacies that are publicly traded, have more than $100 million of taxable assets in Florida or have been in operation continuously for at least a decade.

This is proof that Republican Party talk of supporting small businesses is nonsense. Mom & Pop pharmacies will be put out of business by Schenck's legislation. Which is exactly the point. From 2003 to 2010, CVS spent more money in Florida than any other state. CVS will have a monopoly of the retail drug business was HB 7095 has a companion bill in the Senate and is signed by Scott.

Retail pharmacy store owners realize this. Owners gathered at the Embassy Suites Hotel to plot strategy.

"We feel this is job-killing legislation," said Leke Alli, owner of Bearss Pharmacy in Tampa and one of the organizers of Sunday's event. "They're trying to taint independent pharmacies with pill mills. We believe that pharmacies should be well-regulated, but not to our detriment."

Mr. Alli will lose his job and business. Under the regulation proposed by Schenck; Alli must have $100 million of taxable assets. No small business has those kind of assets. Republicans are looking for an excuse to increase the business of CVS, at the expense of small businesses.