Pubdate: Sat, 26 Mar 2016
Source: Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Copyright: 2016 Sun-Sentinel Company
Contact: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-letters-to-the-editor-htmlstory.html
Website: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/159
Author: Jim Saunders, The News Service Of Florida

SCOTT APPROVES MEDICAL POT FOR TERMINALLY ILL

Sponsor Says Governor Has 'Heart & Compassion'

TALLAHASSEE With Floridians poised to vote this fall on broad 
legalization of medical marijuana, Gov. Rick Scott on Friday signed a 
bill that will allow terminally ill patients to have access to 
marijuana as they try to ease suffering.

The bill, which lawmakers approved this month, was one of 68 measures 
that Scott signed into law Friday. He also vetoed one bill dealing 
with a utility in Alachua County.

Scott did not issue a comment on the medical-marijuana bill (HB 307), 
but House sponsor Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, went on Twitter to 
say the governor showed "heart & compassion" by signing the measure.

The bill expands a 2015 law known as the "Right to Try Act" to 
include medical marijuana. That law allows terminally ill patients to 
have access to experimental drugs that have not been approved for 
general use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Along with making marijuana available to dying patients, the bill 
also seeks to address long-running problems in carrying out a 2014 
cannabis law that was primarily billed as a way to help children with 
severe forms of epilepsy. That law was supposed to make available 
forms of cannabis that do not get users high - but administrative 
issues and legal challenges have prevented patients from getting 
access to the substances.

The 2014 law and the newly signed bill are far narrower than the 
legalization proposal that will go on the November ballot. That 
proposed constitutional amendment, spearheaded by prominent Orlando 
attorney John Morgan, would allow patients with a wide variety of 
medical conditions to use full-strength marijuana if they get 
physician approval. Examples of those conditions include cancer, 
epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV, posttraumatic stress disorder, Crohn's 
disease and Parkinson's disease.

A similar ballot initiative in 2014 fell short of the required 60 
percent voter approval for proposed constitutional amendments.

Other bills signed Friday that dealt with health care issues included 
a measure (HB 1061) aimed at helping nurses practice across state 
lines. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Cary Pigman, R-Avon Park, and Sen. 
Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, would lead to Florida entering into what 
is known as a "nurse licensure compact" with more than two dozen other states.

Florida nurses would be able to receive multi-state licenses to 
practice in other states that are part of the compact. Similarly, 
nurses from the other to practice in Florida.

Also, Scott signed a bill (SB 586), sponsored by Sen. Kelli Stargel 
and Rep. Colleen Burton, that would require hospitals to notify 
doctors at least 120 days before closing obstetrical units or halting 
obstetrical services. Supporters of the measure argued, at least in 
part, that obstetrical-unit closures can affect pregnant women who 
are nearly ready to give birth.

The Alachua County utility bill (HB 1355) was the only measure Scott 
vetoed during the week. In a veto message, Scott said the bill would 
create an authority to manage and operate city-owned Gainesville 
Regional Utilities. But he objected to part of the bill that would 
provide compensation to appointed board members of the authority.

"Across Florida, hundreds of appointees serve on boards with critical 
governance and regulatory responsibilities for which the appointees 
are not compensated," the veto message said. "The success of similar 
utility authorities that do not compensate board members demonstrates 
that qualified individuals will answer the call to serve the public, 
without consideration of a taxpayer supported payment."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom