Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
The office of State Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Madison) has confirmed that the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act (JRMMA) is now in drafting. They also report that State Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Waunakee) is again prepared to be the lead Senate sponsor, with Rep. Pocan again the Assembly lead sponsor. It is unknown when the bill will be ready and there is not yet any timeline on when it would be introduced.
Republicans currently control both houses of the legislature as well as the governor's office. With many Republican leaders staunch medical cannabis opponents, chances of passage are not good in the short term. But with pending State Senate recall elections targeting Republican state senators, the balance of power in the Senate could shift with as few as 3 seat pickups by Democratic candidates. In one recall, JRMMA opponent Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills), is facing Rep. Sandy Pasch (D-Shorewood), a nurse who was a cosponsor of the 2009-2010 JRMMA.
Gov. Scott Walker, who has taken no public position on medical cannabis, is also facing recall, with petitioners planning to start collecting signatures on the first possible date, Nov. 3, 2011.
The medical cannabis advisory referendum landslide victories in Nov. 2010 demonstrated that an overwhelming majority of Wisconsinites support legal access to medical cannabis. While the GOP majorities passed bill after bill with little or no public support this session, medical cannabis, despite being perhaps the most popular issue with the public, has languished for well over a decade, dying in committee session after session.
Recently, it was predicted that as many as 27 states might have legal medical cannabis by 2014. While some states one does not often see linked with medical cannabis were on that list, sadly Wisconsin was not. But, Wisconsinites today are a lot more involved in the political process. As many as a million people turned out in bad weather to protest actions by Walker and his GOP legislative allies last winter. With the majority of Wisconsinites already backers of legal medical cannabis for Veterans, seniors, the sick, disabled and dying, those new activism skills could help make it a reality in the Badger State too.
NewsHawk: Jim Behr: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: examiner.com
Author: Gary Storck, Madison NORML Examiner
Copyright: Clarity Digital Group LLC d/b/a Examiner.com
Contact: Contact | Examiner.com
Website: Medical cannabis legislation coming back to Wisconsin legislature
Republicans currently control both houses of the legislature as well as the governor's office. With many Republican leaders staunch medical cannabis opponents, chances of passage are not good in the short term. But with pending State Senate recall elections targeting Republican state senators, the balance of power in the Senate could shift with as few as 3 seat pickups by Democratic candidates. In one recall, JRMMA opponent Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills), is facing Rep. Sandy Pasch (D-Shorewood), a nurse who was a cosponsor of the 2009-2010 JRMMA.
Gov. Scott Walker, who has taken no public position on medical cannabis, is also facing recall, with petitioners planning to start collecting signatures on the first possible date, Nov. 3, 2011.
The medical cannabis advisory referendum landslide victories in Nov. 2010 demonstrated that an overwhelming majority of Wisconsinites support legal access to medical cannabis. While the GOP majorities passed bill after bill with little or no public support this session, medical cannabis, despite being perhaps the most popular issue with the public, has languished for well over a decade, dying in committee session after session.
Recently, it was predicted that as many as 27 states might have legal medical cannabis by 2014. While some states one does not often see linked with medical cannabis were on that list, sadly Wisconsin was not. But, Wisconsinites today are a lot more involved in the political process. As many as a million people turned out in bad weather to protest actions by Walker and his GOP legislative allies last winter. With the majority of Wisconsinites already backers of legal medical cannabis for Veterans, seniors, the sick, disabled and dying, those new activism skills could help make it a reality in the Badger State too.
NewsHawk: Jim Behr: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: examiner.com
Author: Gary Storck, Madison NORML Examiner
Copyright: Clarity Digital Group LLC d/b/a Examiner.com
Contact: Contact | Examiner.com
Website: Medical cannabis legislation coming back to Wisconsin legislature
