Currents
February 2018
> continued from page 4
budget calls for a 3.7 percent spending increase for
schools. Florida still ranks in the lower tier among
states in per-student spending and per-capita mental
health funding. 5) Further addressing the state’s
opioid crisis, such as SB 8 by state Sen. Lizbeth
Benacquisto, that regulates prescription writing and
Passidomo’s SB 434 to create a pilot project focus-
ing on withdrawal symptoms for newborns through
an alternative, less costly treatment program. 6)
Unravel the confusion for local governments created
by the 2017 law guiding where
medical marijuana dispensaries
are allowed. Many cities and
counties have adopted moratori-
ums on dispensaries while they
sort this out. 7) Fracking ban SB
462 and SB 834, offering sepa-
rate approaches to end advanced
oil-well stimulation techniques
and hydraulic fracturing. Naples
favors a “moratorium on such
techniques that’s accompanied by
an appropriation for a Florida spe-
cific geological and hydrological
study. In our view, the science
would be needed to support any
such ban if ultimately enacted
because it’s certain to be legally
challenged by the industry.” 8)
HB 33 would allow a law officer to
pull over and ticket a driver just
for texting behind the wheel. Cur-
rently, a driver has to commit
some other infraction for an offi-
cer to stop the vehicle and ticket
a texting-while-driving offense.
Governor Rick Scott delivered
his first state of the state in 2011.
He called for massive budget and
tax cuts.
"Government can not afford
what some have come to expect,"
he said. Fast forward seven
years and Governor Scott is
seeking a $3 billion increase.
Add to the mix the governor's
continued on page 6 >
5