Welcome to

Do you know if the food you eat has been genetically modified? The answer can sometimes be elusive, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, one state lawmaker wants to make it easier to know what;s going in your mouth.

Florida law already requires fruits and vegetables to be labeled with their country of origin. But no such labeling is required if your food has been genetically modified. State Rep, Kathleen Peters wants to change that.  “My youngest son…it’s so important to him, and he gets very frustrated when he goes shopping when he tries to figure out when he buys things, and he says just let us know. Put a label on it so we can make educated and informed decisions. That’s all we want” says Peters.

We toured a Whole Foods store with manager Paul Clements.  The store is a favorite for consumers looking for organic and non GMO food. “Of course, you’re alway looking for organic products being labeled as well. Like out 365 brand products” says Clements. We asked “Can a product be organic and GMO as well?”

“it’s shouldn’t be, no” he responded.

Donna Brown is a regular here. We asked her “”So, if foods were labeled GMO or non GMO, would that be helpful?”

“Yes! Non GMO for us. Absolutely.”

The legislation wouldn’t ban genetically altered foods…just require they be labeled. But big agriculture is against it. That includes Citrus growers who feel they will have to modify their fruits just to survive.

But at this Whole Foods, times are changing. Beginning in 2018, vendors won’t even get into this store unless they label their food GMOP or non GMO.

The legislation didn’t even get a hearing last year.

Peters says one way to ease big ag’s concerns is to come up with a reasonable definition of what genetically modified really means.

With 60 Florida nurseries eligible to dispense medical marijuana and only 5 spots available, the idea of a lottery is on the table. But as Matt Galka tells us, some of the lawmakers that passed the law aren’t on board.

How low-THC medical marijuana known as Charlotte’s Web will be distributed is still being figured out by the state’s Department of Health.  A lottery to determine the 5 growers and dispensers in the state is just fine with the bill’s original sponsor.

“Well, anyone who’s been growing cannabis in their basement isn’t going to have an opportunity to participate in the lottery. I think the Department of Health has done an excellent job raising standards,” said sponsor Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Shalimar).

But some lawmakers believe the product is too important to leave to a game of chance.

St. Petersburg Senator Jeff Brandes says a random selection of distributors wasn’t the original intent of the law.

“Let the very best people in this business operate these facilities, I think when we’re talking about medical grade or at least as close to medical grade as we can get, we want the experts doing it,” said Sen. Brandes (R-St. Petersburg).

Democratic Representative Katie Edwards agrees.

“We’re not talking about handing out liquor licenses, we’re talking about providing medicine for kids with epilepsy and cancer patients. I want to make sure that these patients get the best of the best and that their health is not given to chance in a lottery system,” said Rep. Edwards (D-Sunrise).

It’s expected that new legislation next session would close some of the unintended loopholes of the law.

January 1^st is the target date for doctors to start ordering the treatment.  But the process of cultivating the plant is expected to take longer than that.

It’s almost time to go back to school for students and parents. As Matt Galka tells us, school safety is always on everyone’s mind, and a controversial safety bill will be coming back this legislative session.

A proposal that would allow teacher’s to carry guns on school grounds will be coming back in 2015.  Representative Greg Steube says the proposal came from the Sandy Hook tragedy, and points to other shootings as the reason it needs to be discussed again.

Rep. Greg Stebue/(R) Sarasota

“There’s been multiple shootings all across the country on school grounds, and one of the reasons is when individuals like this that have mental illness, they’re going to a place where they know nobody else is armed,” said Rep. Greg Steube (R-Sarasota).

The bill has died in the Senate each of the past two years, but lawmakers in that chamber might be coming around.

Democratic State Senator Chris Smith (D-Fort Lauderdale) has led the charge to roll back gun laws in Florida. Even he says the proposal has merit.

“That was a bill that I’ve had problems with, being from an urban county, I always thought “there’s a problem at school, cops can get there quick.” But when talking to some of my friends from the rural community, it really changed my mind,” said Sen. Smith.

Smith said he was still on the fence about teachers carrying a gun. But one of the original authors of Florida’s Stand Your Ground law says the idea shouldn’t be written off just yet.

“I think its important for us not to prejudge and say hey guns being carried by administrators or teachers is out of the question, I think it’s something that will have to be debated,” said Sen. David Simmons (R-Altamonte Springs).

One tweak that the bill’s sponsor said he’d look into: looking into a state trust fund to be used just for school resource officers.

18 states already allow an adult to carry a gun on school campuses with special permission. More than 30 have proposed similar legislation.

“We’re watching you” – that’s the message from the feds to Governor Rick Scott.  As Matt Galka tells us, Washington doesn’t want to see another election mess in Florida.

Voter purges, early voting cuts, and election flubs.  A letter from U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder points out all of these problems and more in a three page lecture to Florida’s Governor.  State Democrats are taking the opportunity to pile on.

“It’s been a continuing practice of trying to suppress the vote.  That’s what Attorney General Eric Holder was saying, that the federal Government is now going to monitor what happens in the election process,” said State Sen. Geraldine Thompson (D-Orlando).

Holder says “Florida has repeatedly added barriers to voting and restricted access to the polls.” He cited examples including a 2011 elections bill that cut early voting hours and brought long lines for some voting sites in the state. Dems say the Governor should heed Washington’s warning, and they’re going to keep watch.

The US Attorney General chastised the Governor for making it harder for a felon’s rights to be restored.  The policy has come under fire at many of clemency board hearings.  State representative Darryl Rouson says it all adds up to Florida needing to shape up.

“Anybody can look at what we’ve done in the last several years in the legislature and we keep tampering with the rights of the people to participate in Government by voting,” said Rep. Rouson (D-St. Petersburg).

The Governor’s Office says Holder is just playing politics.

A statement from Scott’s campaign linked the letter to the Governor’s race.  Part of it reads “the White House is desperately trying to prop up the sagging campaign of their candidate, Charlie Crist.”

It also says Holder’s justice department pre-cleared the voting law changes in 2011. The Justice Department did sign off on the voting changes in 2011, but only after Florida showed the maximum number of voting hours would be allowed in five counties that suffered past discrimination.

Florida lawmakers are in the State Capitol tonight for a rare special session after a judge found Republican leaders were wrong to allow GOP consultants to draw the states congressional lines. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, leaders are now promising a quick fix.

Lawmakers came to the Capitol for a rare and rushed special session. They pledged allegiance, and vowed to do a better job of drawing the states congressional maps the second time around. House Speaker Will Weatherford was in charge of and defended the map drawing, but not the consultants. “I’m disappointed in what I saw myself, upon reflection, and frankly upon testimony that some political operatives were doing.”

Judge Terry Lewis said allowing GOP consultants to draw politically motivated maps made a mockery of the process.

Bill Galvano of Bradenton is now in charge of map drawing for the State Senate. We asked about input this time around Q:” No input from consultants?”

“None. None” responded the state Senator.

A Jacksonville to Orlando and a Central Florida district must be redrawn. Moving lines could impact neighboring districts.

The best guess is that this special session is costing in excess of 68 thousand dollars a day.

State Senator Audrey Gibson isn’t taking any of the blame. “Well. I thought we followed the constitution the first time. Obviously, the judge sees it a little differently” she says.

The biggest question is whether the maps will delay the November election for some congressional seats. Leadership is strongly opposing any 2014 election delays.

“We would certainly stand our ground in our position that it should not effect the 2014 election cycle” said Will Weatherford when asked by a gaggle of reporters.

Democrats asked why the same people are being allowed to draw maps, and the voters coalition that won the law suit says it will submit its own map to both lawmakers and the judge.

One state Senator is proposing a compromise for election dates, suggesting the August Primary be run on existing maps while basing the November election on the newly drawn maps.

The manufacture and sale of log grade THC marijuana know as Charlotte’s Web is expected to be a two hundred million dollar a year business in Florida. But regulators and bankers are already warning that finding a banker to handle the cash could be trouble.

Colorado pot stores do a brisk business. Armed guards stand ready at the door. But all the cash generated from sales is posing a problem for entrepreneurs and bankers alike.  Marijuana is still illegal under federal law and the banks are regulated by the Feds.

Now, here in a Florida,  A 40 page glossy presentation from the Office of Financial Regulation is warning that banks could face a host of federal charges if they deposit cash from legal marijuana sales in Florida that will begin next year.Greg Hila is the Deputy Commissioner in the Office of Financial Regulation. He says OFR is monitoring the situation and is ahead of the curve. “There is a know your customer clause which doesn’t allow a bank to actually bank certain entities if they are dealing with criminal activity” says Hila.

Florida Bankers are already saying “no thanks.” Mike Fields is the state President for Bank of America. “We follow all federal laws and regulations” says Fields, “and as such we do not bank anyone related to the marijuana business.”

And if voters legalize medical marijuana by approving amendment two the problem is only going to get more complicated for everybody.”

Pot was designated a schedule one drug with no medical use in 1970. Representative Matt Gaetz is the sponsor of the Charlotte’s web legislation that passed this year. He says the designation has to change. “It’s been proven to be ridiculous by virtually every scientific study. And the Federal government has failed the people of this country.”

The stakes are big, Nation wide, the sale of legal pot this year alone is expected to generate two and a half billion dollars.

Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are all voting this year on legalizing medical marijuana. Alaska and Oregon will vote on legalizing recreational use.

It was only a drill today, but campus shooter training is becoming more prevalent around the country and the state. Matt Galka takes us along on an active shooter training scenario at one of the state’s universities.

An active shooter inside a campus dorm.  Officers respond, and in a scary flash, it’s over. Thankfully this was only a drill on Florida A & M’s campus.

“We want to make sure that if something happens on our campus, we’re able to have some type of training to be able to eliminate the threat,” said FAMU Police Chief Terence Calloway.

Police, sheriff’s deputies, Florida State Patrol and Fish and Wildlife all participated in the training exercise. The federally funded program travels to universities across the country.

“As a law enforcement officer it’s something that we all need to be thinking about and be prepared for, we always train for the unexpected, and it’s something I hope that we never have to experience in our area or that any of our folks have to go through,” said FWC Captain Rama Shuster.

Multiple close scenarios end in hostage situations, and all they have officers firing bullets with plastic tips.

Pulling the trigger and letting off a round gives participants the feel of what they may need to do if a real situation ever happened.  Earlier this year, the legislature nearly passed a bill that would give school faculty in Florida the ability to carry a weapon.  The idea died in the Senate. Chief Calloway says it was the right move, and that teachers don’t need the guns.

“Uh, no. I think people who have guns should be the police officers because they go through training, and it’s been proven time and time again, when an emergency arises you resort to what you’re trained for,” said Chief Calloway.

The training program is in its fourth year and tries to go to 50 different schools a year.

Climate change and environmental issues have been one of the hottest issues for the Governor’s race.  As Matt Galka tells us, the Governor is promising more money if he gets re-elected, but it might not matter who wins in November.

Governor Rick Scott is trying to show people he’s serious about environmental protection after a very spotty first term.  The Governor is touting a $1 billion dollar environmental spending plan for the next 10 years if he’s re elected.

But Amendment 1 on November’s ballot will direct much, much more money into water, springs, and land projects for two decades instead of just one.

“What amendment 1 would do is dedicate funding to the state constitution to protect our lakes, rivers, and streams, our drinking water quality, our wildlife habitat and our natural areas, all without increasing taxes,” said Will Abberger with The Trust for Public Land.

The second term promises from the Governor include tighter restrictions on polluters. Enviro-law firm Earth Justice says it’s a good start, but Florida needs longer than just one decade.

“{With amendment 1} You’re talking about 20 years, and the drafters of the amendment believe that it could end up actually promoting as much as 10 billion dollars in conservation funds,” said Alisa Coe, a lawyer with the firm.

The move comes at a time when the Governor was taking major heat for his stance on climate change. His non-committal “I’m not a scientist” words on climate change have been used as fodder for likely Gubernatorial foe Charlie Crist.  The issue could be a factor in November’s election.

It is widely expected that lawmakers will look to add more money to water and land protection projects next legislative session after only $30 million dollars was allocated for springs protections this year.

Nearly nine of every ten Florida voters are in favor of the medical marijuana amendment on this November’s ballot according to the latest Quinnipiac poll, but count Florida doctors out. The FMA doesn’t want voters telling them which medicines to prescribe.

The 400 member House of Delegates of the Florida Medical Association is just saying no to amendment two.  The measure passed without discussion says FMA legal counsel Jeff Scott. “It was on the consent calendar and it was not extracted.”

But not all doctors are saying no. Cary Pigman of Sebring is a State Representative and an emergency room doctor. In April he told a House committee “I’ve been working in the emergency room for forty years. I have never ever taken care of a marijuana overdose. In 40 years. Never. Ever.”

What the doctors are also saying is that the amendment would allow not just medical doctors, but chiropractors and optometrists to prescribe medical marijuana. They don’t like that idea.

The FMA’s Scott says the FMA is calling for marijuana to be removed from it’s schedule 1 classification so more research can take place.  “And if you remove it from the schedule one category, then that research can take place, and we can make a real determination on a scientific basis, whether this substance is effective as a medication or not.”

Q: “But until that happens, you’re opposed to what’s being voted on?”

“We’re on the side of science rather than popular sentiment” says Scott.

But Bradenton’s Kathy Jordan has been using marijuana legally to treat her Lou Gehrig’s Disease..Husband Robert says it makes all the difference in the world.

“If you take the cannabis out of the picture, she gets sick. You put it back in the picture, she starts getting better.”

The FMA did support the Charlotte’s Web legislation. The non euphoric marijuana should be available to select patients next year.

Some form of medical marijuana is legal  23 states and the District of Columbia. Recreational marijuana is legal in 2 states, with Alaska and Oregon voting on legalizing marijuana in November.

Florida lawmakers will be back at the Capitol at noon Thursday to redraw at the states congressional maps. But as Mike Vasilinda tells us, what remains up in the air is whether there will be a special election, and if so, for how many districts and counties.

Legislative staff say leadership’s intent is to make as few changes as possible to maps and satisfy the courts. That could mean moving just two percent of the voters of sprawling district 5.There is also a problem with this appendage in District 10Until new maps are approved and the judge rules…answers on a special congressional election will remain allusive.Leon Supervisor of Elections Ion Sancho, a former President of the State Association says uncertainties abound.  “Right now there are so many uncertainties, we don’t know until we see a map adopted that we can start planning for…we don’t know what to prepare for” says Sancho.

One plan being circulated calls for using the November election to hold a congressional primary. A special election to follow in late December or early January. Ron Labasky represents the state wide Supervisors of Elections in the State Capitol. “In those revised districts, however number many those are, two or five, those would be the only districts that would be affected in this current election cycle” if there were  a special election.

A memo calling a special session for Thursday is blunt. It says leadership will “continue to maintain our strong objection to any attempt to disrupt the current election process.”

“Once a decision is made, there’s always possible appeal by one or any number of the parties” says Labasky, who is quick to point out they will do whatever the courts tell them to do.

Special elections can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars for every county involved. Who pays? County taxpayers.

Statewide, more than one point eight million ballots have already been mailed using the current congressional maps.

Lawmakers must submit new maps on August 15th. A court hearing is scheduled for the 20th of August, just six days before the August primary.

A lofty tourism goal for the state looks to be exceeding expectations. As Matt Galka tells us, all the visitors add up to more jobs here at home.

With an economy seemingly back to pre-recession numbers and plenty to offer, Florida tourism business is booming. 2013 was another record year for out of staters coming in.

“We went to 91.5 million visitors to 94.3 million.  What we calculated is, that has increased Florida jobs by a total of 75,771,” said Florida TaxWatch economist Jerry Parrish.

More visitors mean more jobs – so the Governor wants to see an all time high of 100 million tourists come through the state this year. Early numbers from 2014 show the state is ahead of the pace. More than 26 million people stopped by in the first quarter of this year.

Will Seccombe/Visit Florida President and CEO

“Today in the state of Florida there are more visitors than live in 12 US states, and those people are coming in and experiencing all that we have to offer, they’re staying in hotels, they’re buying at retail stores, they’re buying at restaurants,” said Visit Florida C.E.O. Will Seccombe.

Florida TaxWatch says with all the visitors coming in, it could lead to tax savings for the people living here year round.

The state benefits when someone from out of state and out of the country chooses to spend their money in Florida.  About 23% of sales tax collected every year comes from tourists.

“What that makes possible is things like the tax holiday we had this past weekend, the nearly 500 million tax break that the most recent legislature gave to Florida citizens, it makes those things possible,” said Parrish.

Visit Florida is not technically a state department, but does benefit greatly from legislature money. This past year – lawmakers voted to up the public/private partnership’s budget to $74 million dollars.

The state’s visitation numbers have increased for four straight years since a recession low of 80 million visitors in 2009.

The proposed rules for growing and dispensing low grade marijuana are taking shape at the state Capitol. Regulators held a second hearing today, and as Mike Vasilinda tells us, qualifying patients may soon be able to have the drug delivered.

It wasn’t the smell of pot, but of money that hung in the air of the standing room only rule making hearing. Doug Mannheimer, representing Costas Farms, warned that financial problems for nurseries could be on the horizon. “Many legal marijuana businesses around the country , in different states, find themselves, now, in a banking quagmire” says the veteran lobbyist.

The most compelling testimony came from two mothers spearheading the Charlotte’s Web effort. Paige Figi told regulators the emphasis should be on quality.  “Quality is very important. To have access to the proper quality.”

And Holly Mosley, who’s daughter Ray Ann was the poster child for the low THC drug in Florida says her only goal is to get the drug available for her child and others as quickly as possible. “I had an email just this morning from a mom, begging me, please help, I’m desperate. My daughter is in the ICU. How can I help get this here  faster” says Mosley.

But the earliest the drug will be available is spring, providing no one files a legal challenge.

Growers like this one will still be chosen by a lottery, but only the most experienced will make it into the pool.”

Grower who doesn’t make the lottery, or lose it could delay the availability. Sponsor Matt Gaetz says that would be unfortunate. “I hope that no one is so sinister that they would litigate their own business interests above the needs of dying children, but that remains to be seen” says Gaetz.

The final rule will allow just five growers and distributors, but the latest draft says that patients can request 30 day supplies be delivered from any of the five dispensaries.

The rule being developed also calls for inspections by the state and law enforcement. If the inspections find any irregularities such as the presence of heavy metals or mold, the entire batch would have to be destroyed.

Two weeks and still no answers in the shooting death of a well known Florida State law professor. Matt Galka tells us what’s next for police in the investigation.

14 days and still no suspects.  Well known FloridaS tate law professor Dan Markel’s shooting murder is still yielding more questions than answers.

Dave Northway/Tallahassee Police Department

“We investigate all leads. We do not specifically look at certain leads and say ‘those are not credible,'” said Tallahassee Police Department Public Information Officer Dave Northway.

Police have released scattered information in the two weeks since the Canadian born professor’s death. The latest was the 911 call from a neighbor.

Officials have admitted an error by a dispatcher delayed EMT response to the father of two. It took an ambulance 19 minutes to get to Markel’s home.

Police reports indicate the focus of the investigation was on the garage, and Markel was sitting in his car when the crime happened.

Police have released one photo. They are still searching for information on a Toyota Prius type vehicle that was seen leaving the area around the time of the shooting.

“What we’re asking for is that our community members give us the time to follow all the proper steps in the case and we bring the case to a close as quickly as possible,” said Northway.

A reward for information on the case started at $3,000. It has since been bumped to $10,000.

Tallahassee Police will not say whether or not they are working with other state or federal agencies in order to try and solve the case.

You could be entitled to some money or valuables that you never knew existed. Matt Galka tells us about the state’s unclaimed property, and the items they’re getting ready to auction off.

The vault in Tallahassee is a little different than Al Capone’s. Inside dozens of boxes are millions of dollars worth of valuables – and they all belong to Floridians.

“Every item here came from a safe deposit box, somewhere in a bank in the state of Florida,” said Bureau of Unclaimed Property Chief Watler Graham.

Every year, unclaimed property is turned over to the office of Florida’s Chief Financial Officer.  The state waits at least 5 years before they auction it off.

“Florida traditionally is a state where people from other parts of the country come to retire. Maybe their children and other relatives are still in other parts of the country, and maybe they didn’t know about this particular account or this particular safe deposit box,” said Graham.

The annual auction held next week in Orlando will feature just about everything. From a nearly hundred year old gold flute to a gold pocket watch from 1856. There will even be baseball cards featuring Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays.

If the owners eventually come forward, they’re entitled to the auction money, too.

The CFO’s office estimates they have more than a billion dollars of unclaimed property or cash. They gave back almost $240 million of that last year alone.

Auction and unclaimed funds go into a trust that supports public schools.  If you want to know if you have any money or valuables floating around out there, go to www.fltreasurehunt.org and search your name.

Florida regulators hold their second rule making hearing for growing and distributing Charlotte’s web marijuana on Friday. The low THC marijuana is supposed to be available early next year, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us,  the latest proposal appears to restrict distribution, which could create challenges, legally and for patients.

A day long hearing earlier this month to set rules for growing and distributing low THC marijuana know as Charlotte’s web drew a standing room crowd full of questions and concerns. “It seems a little irrational” said one speaker of the proposed rule.

Now the Department of Health has published a second draft proposal. The second effort is still raising eyebrows among interested growers. “I think they’ve made some strides, positive strides” says grower advocate Jeff Sharkey.

The new plan continues to divide the state into five regions of different sizes. North Florida has two regions totaling 4 million people, but central Florida would have only one region, and one grower, for 8 million residents. Sharkey says that could make obtaining the substance difficult for patients. “Having one dispensary in central Florida for 8 million people is very hard order, particularly when you are trying to get this pharmaceutical to patients who need it quickly.”

The plan also sticks with a lottery to pick 5 out of 50 people who could qualify to grow. The hope is that lottery will keep those who don’t get picked from suing.

Taylor Biehl says the lottery leaves to much to chance without considering the merits of each proposal. He also says Amendment two’s likely passage in November will be a game changer. “I certainly think that in anticipation of amendment two passing in November, that things will come to a standstill. There will be a lot of protests and litigation.”

The second rule making hearing is set for Friday. Licenses must be awarded by the first of the year.

To qualify for a license to grow medical marijuana in Florida, ,a nursery must have been in continuous operation for at least 30 years and be at least 25% owned by a Floridian.