Florida House Freezes Salary, Expenses at Department of Health

The freeze is in response to the department failing to respond to concerns raised by a joint legislative committee over a trio of emergency rules relating to medical marijuana.

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News4Jax.com

February 1, 2018

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The House on Wednesday froze $2.1 million in salary and expenses at the Department of Health for failing to respond to concerns raised by a joint legislative committee over a trio of emergency rules relating to medical marijuana.

There was no debate when Rep. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, tagged the amendment onto the House’s proposed health care spending plan for the 2018-19 fiscal year Wednesday morning.

But Brodeur told The News Service of Florida that he sponsored the amendment because the department has not followed the Legislature’s direction when it comes to medical marijuana.

“There have been a number of instances where they have missed deadlines and implementation of the medical marijuana law. They have yet to respond to a number of letters sent to them on behalf of the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee. And so now I think we’ll get their attention that they need to respond to those,” he said.