Orlando

Rep. Smith Re-Files Statewide Cannabis Decriminalization Bill

Published

9 years ago

January 4, 2018

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) – Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando) re-filed legislation this week to overhaul Florida’s draconian cannabis possession laws. Sen. Randolph Bracy (D-Ocoee) will be filing the same bill in the Senate. HB 1203 re-categorizes misdemeanor criminal offenses for minor possession as non-criminal civil violations. If passed, adults and minors would no longer be subject to arrest for unlawful possession of “personal use quantities of cannabis” defined as 20 grams or less. Adult violations under the law would assess civil penalties of no more than $100 or up to 15 hours of community service for those facing financial hardships. Minors would be ordered to complete up to 15 hours of community service, a drug awareness program, or both.

This legislation earned its first-ever Senate hearing during the 2017 legislative session, a historic milestone. Since June 2015, 14 cities and counties in Florida have instituted similar policies to curb misdemeanor arrests for cannabis possession of modest amounts of marijuana, including Miami-Dade County, Volusia County, Alachua County, and the City of Orlando. HB 1203 builds on that momentum in an effort to modernize Florida’s cannabis laws in ways that benefit all Floridians. Common sense cannabis decriminalization eliminates our state’s punitive approach to low-level drug offenses, allows law enforcement to focus on serious crimes, and saves the state millions of dollars.

Under Florida law, cannabis possession constitutes at least a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. According to data prepared by FDLE at the request of Rep. Smith, 44,033 Floridians were arrested for misdemeanor drug offenses in 2016. Of those arrested, 90.2% were arrested for cannabis possession. The cost to taxpayers for arrests during that time period were unavailable, but based on the most recent data included in an ACLU report, Florida spent $228,635,840 enforcing cannabis laws in 2010.

This legislation also addresses the disproportionate impact cannabis criminalization has on communities of color. A 2015 report conducted by CBS Miami determined that even though arrests for cannabis possession were decreasing, the overwhelming majority of those arrested were black or African American.

Rep. Smith provided the following statement:

“2018 must be the year for cannabis reform in Florida. Not only must we fix the many problems with the implementation of our medical cannabis law, but we need to quit throwing Floridians in jail for simple possession. It makes absolutely ZERO sense for law enforcement to waste their time and valuable taxpayer resources arresting 39,706 Floridians per year for smoking weed. I’ve filed serious legislation to address this injustice and move Florida out of the stone ages on this important issue. Time to get it done.”

To view detailed statistical data provided by FDLE to Rep. Smith’s office click here.
To view official correspondence between FDLE and Rep. Smith’s office click here.

SOURCE | Florida State Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith’s Office

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Golf

Russell Henley Wins Red Cardigan at 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

1 year ago

March 9, 2025

Mike Brodsky

Russell Henley wins the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Russell Henley wins his first red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. This is Henley’s fifth win on the PGA Tour.

Russell Henley is greeted by his family on the 18th green after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

Henley finished at 11 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 70 today. Collin Morikawa finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Scottie Scheffler, finished today at 4 under par, tied for 11th place.

Scottie Scheffler tees off at the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo Credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

NFL

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Published

2 years ago

October 30, 2024

Mike Brodsky

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Former UCF football players Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant have partnered with GMTM to launch their Search for Greatness Combine at UCF on Saturday, November 9th. They’re giving local athletes a chance to showcase their talents and explore new sports opportunities. Griffin will be inducted into the UCF Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 2nd, during halftime of the Arizona vs. UCF football game. He is remembered for his tenacity, setting an NFL Combine record with the fastest 40-yard dash by a linebacker, and playing four seasons in the NFL, overcoming the challenge of only having one hand. He is now training to make the USA Paralympic Track and Field Team and hopes to compete in the 2028 Olympics. Joey Grant, the co-founder and CEO of GMTM, is a former UCF team captain, playing mostly Center for the Knights from 2011-2015.

Participation at the upcoming combine is free and invite-only, targeting athletes over the age of 18. To be considered, athletes must submit a highlight video via GMTM’s platform, showcasing their athleticism. GMTM will evaluate submissions and invite the most promising athletes to participate in the combine. The goal for this year’s event is to get 1,000 athletes to submit videos and be part of the combine process. Athletes chosen will receive personalized invites with further instructions, including event time slots and details. The athletes will be evaluated for their key athletic traits, to identify opportunities for them across multiple Olympic sports or professional sports programs. To learn more, or to apply for the combine, visit: https://gmtm.com/articles/the-search-for-greatness-at-ucf-with-shaquem-griffin-what-you-need-to-know.

Florida National News spoke with Shaquem and Joey about the combine, college football in the era of NIL and the transfer portal, and Griffin’s hall of fame induction. You can watch the full interview here:

Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant interview

Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com and www.FloridaSportsChannel.com for more.

Florida

Scottie Scheffler Wins Second Red Cardigan at 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

2 years ago

March 10, 2024

Mike Brodsky

Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Scottie Scheffler wins his second red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. Scheffler first won the API in 2022.

Scottie Scheffler wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational. (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

The number one ranked golfer in the world, Scheffler finished at 15 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 66 today. Wyndham Clark finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Kurt Kitayama, did not make the cut, this weekend, finishing 7 over par after the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday.

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for the 50th anniversary of The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.