Sen Don Gaetz Backs Medical Marijuana Bill

Florida Senate President Don Gaetz has announced that he will support medical marijuana. This means medical marijuana will get a vote in the Senate.

“As a father myself, I am unwilling to require these parents to be criminals in order to get treatment for their children,” he said. “As the father of Rep. Matt Gaetz, I am proud of my son for his political courage in fighting for these families as they fight for their children’s lives.”

Gaetz's son, Rep. Matt Gaetz, is the sponsor of House Bill 843. The text of the bill.

An act relating to cannabis; amending s. 893.02, F.S.; revising the definition of the term "cannabis" for purposes of the Florida Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act and applicable to certain criminal offenses proscribing the sale, manufacture, delivery, possession, or purchase of cannabis, to which penalties apply; providing an effective date.

Translation: marijuana prescribed for medical purposes will no longer be a criminal offense under the bill.

There are problems facing HB 843. House Speaker has given no indication that he would support the bill. Gov. Rick Scott would most likely veto the bill. Scott and Weatherford were both against the ballot initiative making medical marijuana legal. Sen. Don Gaetz was against the ballot initiative. His support of his son's bill is a big step in making medical marijuana legal. The ballot initiative is still the most likely way to make medical marijuana legal. The ballot language.

Allows the medical use of marijuana for individuals with debilitating diseases as determined by a licensed Florida physician. Allows caregivers to assist patients’ medical use of marijuana. The Department of Health shall register and regulate centers that produce and distribute marijuana for medical purposes and shall issue identification cards to patients and caregivers. Applies only to Florida law. Does not authorize violations of federal law or any non-medical use, possession or production of marijuana.

Florida House Keeps Stand Your Ground Law

The Florida House Criminal Justice Subcommittee hearing on the "Stand Your Ground" law was all for show. Committee head Rep. Matt Gaetz made this statement before the hearing.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, the Fort Walton Beach Republican tapped to lead the hearing, said he would not support changing “one damn comma” of the statute.

Rep. Alan Williams filed a bill to repeal "Stand Your Ground." The subcommittee voted the bill down 2 to 11. The only reason there was a hearing is because of the Dream Defenders and the national media attention from Trayvon Martin's death. "Stand Your Ground" is the law for as long as NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer owns the Florida Republican establishment.

This statement by Rep. Marti Coley caught my attention.

“Today, our state is a safer place and has the lowest crime rate in 42 years,” said Rep. Marti Coley, a Marianna Republican. “Florida’s Stand Your Ground law is solid. It’s good and should not be changed.”

Does Coley have any scientific data to back that claim? A Tampa Bay Times investigative report found drug dealers and gang members were allowed to go free using the "Stand Your Ground" defense. "Stand Your Ground" has given Floridians permission to commit brutal murders.

• People often go free under "stand your ground" in cases that seem to make a mockery of what lawmakers intended. One man killed two unarmed people and walked out of jail. Another shot a man as he lay on the ground. Others went free after shooting their victims in the back. In nearly a third of the cases the Times analyzed, defendants initiated the fight, shot an unarmed person or pursued their victim —and still went free.

I don't know about you, but I don't feel safer. This is less about liberal politics and more about I don't want some maniac having the legal right to shoot me for no good reason.

The Immunity Bill

The bill PCB JDC 12-03 is making its way through the Florida House. The bill would give members of the Florida legislature immunity from civil suits. Text from the bill.

"A member or former member of the legislature has an absolute privilege in any civil action, judicial administrative proceeding or executive branch administrative proceeding against compelled testimony or the compelled production of any document or record in connection with any action taken or function performed in a legislative capacity."

People joke that politicians think they are above the law. Republicans in the Florida House are trying to make themselves above the law through legislative means. Rep. Larry Metz, R-Yalaha, and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach claim that they are protecting the Florida legislature from frivolous lawsuits. Democrats aren't buying it.

"Anyone who votes for this bill is thinking they will have something to hide and have to shield themselves," said Rep. Elaine Schwartz, D-Hollywood.

Florida Democratic Party chairman Rod Smith believes the immunity bill is to protect Republicans from lawsuits involving redistricting.

Yesterday, Republicans introduced a bill to give legislators, former legislators and their staff protection from lawsuits. This is nothing more than a thinly-veiled attempt to shield legislators from questions by the court. It's shameful, it's wrong, and we won't remain silent.

Concerned voters, in conjunction with the Florida Democratic Party, have filed a lawsuit in state court to challenge the constitutionality of the congressional map, which violates the Fair District Amendments and seeks to suppress the voice of Florida's citizens. And today, we will challenge the state legislative maps in the state Supreme Court.

Make no mistake: the stakes are high and the far-reaching consequences will leave an impact on both the state and national landscape for years to come.

It takes an incredible amount of chutzpah for Republicans to try to pass an immunity bill, on the verge of of lawsuits. Republicans in the Florida Senate tried to fight against any economic studies on the cost factor of private prisons. What the prison and immunity bills reveal is that Republicans know that they are writing legislation that won't stand up to scrutiny. The private prison bills rewrote current laws on state oversight of private contract. The immunity bill implies that citizens cannot call members of the legislature into court. Florida Republicans are making corruption into law.

Update: Trish Ponder comes out against the immunity bill.