Topic: FL Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation

A pair of bills easing restrictions on craft breweries is causing concern among large distributors who say they are put at a disadvantage by brewpubs piercing the "three-tiered" regulatory system for the manufacture and sale of beer.

Managers of homeowners associations fear a pending decision from the Florida Supreme Court could cement a move by The Florida Bar to declare some of their activities the unlicensed practice of law. ... Related Research: May 15, 2013 Proposed Advisory Opinion - FAO #2012-2, Activities of Community Association Managers, and The Florida Bar - Formal Advisory Opinion Request Regarding Community Association Managers.

Before the EDR can determine the fiscal impact of a proposed medical marijuana constitutional amendment, it has to decide whether cannabis is exempt from taxes as an over-the-counter drug. Two more workshops are scheduled to try to calculate whether voter approval of a medical marijuana initiative would add or subtract from government's bottom line. ... Related Research: Public Notice of FIEC workshops and conference, and EDR Notebook from the FIEC public workshop.

The Department of Business and Professional Regulation filed an administrative complaint against the track alleging it ran minimal horse races as a means of obtaining a slot machine license in Miami-Dade County.

DBPR Deputy Secretary Michael Walker is the second high-ranking agency official to leave because of the investigation into complaints of sexual harassment, employee intimidation and personnel favoritism in the Alcoholic Beverage and Tobacco Division. ... Related Research: Resignation letter from DBPR Deputy Secretary Michael R. Walker.

Beverage agents say they were told to obey illegal orders and complained that racially offensive and sexist remarks had created a "hostile work environment" in the Alcoholic Beverage and Tobacco Division's Orlando office. A statement from Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Ken Lawson said, "We will not tolerate improper behavior in the workplace. The investigation is currently under review for action."

The Florida Current summarizes the 2013 legislative session as Democrats push Scott to call a special session for health care and environmental groups question whether the state can sell enough of its land to make the $70 million allocation for land acquisition to work.

Rep. Katie Edwards, D-Plantation, said Florida should start preparing now for licensing, regulating and taxing medical marijuana because, she predicted, that sooner or later legislation will be approved. The head of the Cannabis Action Network joined her plea.

Bills mandating interlocking ignition devices for first-time DUI offenders and limiting the use of coupons for beer vendors passed, but a bill allowing the sell of beer on the premises of breweries ran into trouble.

A Senate panel approved changes to a bill dealing with workers' compensation drug costs that puts it at odds with a similar bill now moving through the House.