By:  Emily G. Pierce

Frustrated with the Legislature’s failure to fund Visit Florida and Enterprise Florida, two projects which the Governor sees as critical to the future of Florida, and following on the heels of his veto of approximately $410 million in education funding, the Governor has convened a special Legislative session for June 7 through June 9.  The special session was initially convened to address three issues:  (1) to fund education; (2) to fund the state’s tourism agency Visit Florida; and (3) to create a new economic development fund to lure new business to the state.  However, shortly after the session began, the Governor called for the addition of a fourth issue, the adoption of legislation regulating medical marijuana.  As of Wednesday evening, June 7th, no agreement had been reached regarding the education budget or the funding of the Governor’s tourist and economic programs.  However, a consensus has been reached regarding the regulation of medical marijuana and the Senate, in an unexpected move, voted to override the Governor’s veto of approximately $75 million in higher-education projects.  The override votes, which are the first in the Republican-led Senate since Governor Scott took office in 2011, will not take effect unless approved by two-thirds of the House, a move that political pundits say is unlikely to occur.