Negron seeks input on deal for ‘pot shops’

Special session on medical marijuana would need accord.

TALLAHASSEE — Amid growing demands for a special session on medical marijuana and harsh criticism of lawmakers’ failure to reach agreement on the issue, Senate President Joe Negron sent a memo to his members Thursday seeking input on the possibility of sealing a deal with the House.

The Senate leader’s twopage memo doesn’t expressly call for a special session, but it’s the clearest indication since talks broke down May 5 that lawmakers might return to Tallahassee to implement a voter-approved constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana.

House and Senate leaders were unable to reach agreement on one major factor last week: how many retail outlets medical marijuana operators should be able to run. The annual legislative session ended May 5 for issues unrelated to the state budget, which was wrapped up Monday.

While the Senate favored a cap of up to 15 dispensaries for each operator, the House — which originally backed an infinite number of retail outlets — ultimately settled on a limit of 100 per operator before Republican leaders acknowledged publicly they had failed to finalize an accord.

“The question is whether or not there is a path forward to bridge that divide,” Negron, R-Stuart, said Thursday. “There is communication between House members and senators on lots of issues, including medical marijuana. That’s productive and healthy. So let’s see where it goes.”

L awmakers a re hi g hly unlikely to return to Tallahassee without having an agreed-upon deal.

Negron gave no indication he was willing to back down from his stance that the state must limit the number of “pot shops” as part of the rollout of the constitutional amendment, which passed in November with more than 71 percent of the vote and could make Florida one of the most lucrative medical marijuana markets in the country.

Estimates show that more than 500,000 patients could be eligible for the treatment.

But House Speaker Richard Corcoran predicted legislators will return to the Capitol and pass a comprehensive measure that eluded them during the two-month regular session.

“I believe there should be a special session, and there will be a special session,” Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, said Thursday. “I’m confident that we can get to a resolution.”