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James Call has 398 articles published.

Jeff Brandes makes another run at ending red-light cameras

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State Sen. Jeff Brandes has never been shy about his dislike of red-light cameras. Last year, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability released a stinging report on how local governments use the cameras. In response, Brandes filed legislation to rein in their use. “There are perverse incentives inherent in the red-light camera program,” he said at the time. Although the proposal did not make it in 2014, Brandes takes another run at the cameras Tuesday.  He seeks…

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Senate committee passes bill limiting drone surveillance without consent

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On Monday, a Senate committee approved the bill regulating drones used to take photos without consent. If passed, violations would carry a $5,000 fine. Distribution of the picture would cost the drone operator $10,000. Even though the Federal Aviation Administration expects to issue guidelines governing drones, officially known as unmanned aerial vehicles, Florida is among more than a dozen states not waiting on federal regulations. The Senate Criminal Justice Committee unanimously passed SB 1178, to protect Floridians from those swarming bug-size robots equipped with…

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Judge orders Medical Cannabis Trade Association to disclose membership

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The Medical Cannabis Trade Association of Florida is considering whether to withdraw its challenge to a proposed rule of the Charlotte’s Web law. Judge W. David Watkins ordered the association on Monday to divulge its membership when he granted a motion to compel filed by the Department of Health. DOH attorney Eduardo Lombard argued during a telephone hearing that the Department and the court needed to know the association’s membership in order to determine whether MCTA had standing to block…

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Will 1030 or 7066 put medicinal marijuana in the ground?

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Growers, investors, and patient advocates are reading state Rep. Matt Gaetz’s words on medicinal marijuana as if they were ancient tasseographers reading tea leaves. They are trying to discern whether medicinal marijuana will become available under SB 1030, approved in 2014, or SPB 7066, which is moving through the Florida Senate. “What are they doing in Tallahassee? Where are we going with this?” asked Kerry Herndon, a Central Florida grower interested in one of the licenses authorizing the cultivation of medicinal…

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Five minutes with Travis Hutson

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State Sen. Travis Hutson won a special election Tuesday night to replace John Thrasher, who had resigned to become president of the Florida State University. As the House District 24 representative, the Elkton Republican already represented three of the four counties in Senate District 6. Now as a senator, Hutson also serves Putnam County, in addition to St. Johns, Flagler, and Volusia counties. Hutson is a Florida native who attended public schools in Elkton and earned an economics and business degree…

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Charlotte Web ‘glitch’ bill bans candies and edibles for kids

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A fix for Florida’s Charlotte’s Web law is headed to the Senate floor after lawmakers amended the proposal to address concerns of drug abuse prevention experts. In a series of amendments to SPB 7066, approved by the Rules Committee, advertising of cannabis products and marketing edibles attractive to children is prohibited. Lawmakers also placed restrictions on testing laboratories and dispensary medical directors. Supporting the prohibition is Save Our Society from Drugs, a St. Petersburg-based organization aligned with Drug-Free America, a group that…

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House passes tax-cut package, uncertain in Senate

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Although the Florida House overwhelmingly passed a $690 million tax-cut package Thursday, it still faces an uncertain future in the Senate. While the Senate looks to plug a $2.2 billion hole in the healthcare budget, the House is focused on keeping Florida’s economy growing by cutting costs for households and businesses. “One of the best ways to have a vibrant economy is to put money back in the pocket of taxpayers. That is why we cut the cellphone and TV…

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