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The debate over medical marijuana that dominated much of the 2011 Legislature was rekindled Wednesday before a House committee, but before a much smaller crowd.
The House Human Services Committee heard testimony on four bills by Rep. Kelly McCarthy, D-Billings, that fix four provisions in a 2011 law that a Helena district judge in January has preliminarily blocked from being enforced until a trial is held. Attorney General Tim Fox has not yet decided on whether to appeal the decision to the Montana Supreme Court.
Some medical marijuana cardholders and representatives of the Montana Cannabis Information Association supported the bills. They were joined by two Billings attorneys and a representative of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Opposing the bills were representatives of the Billings Chamber of Commerce, Rimrock Foundation of Billings, which treats people with substance abuse problems, and Safe Community, Safe Kids, a Billings group opposed to medical marijuana. Law-enforcement representatives also testified against the bills.
McCarthy said he wasn't arguing about the merits of medical marijuana, an issue on which voters have weighed in twice, once in 2004 to pass the initiative and in 2012 to leave the 2011 law in place.
"While well-meaning, Senate Bill 423 was put together in haste," McCarthy said of the 2011 bill.
With his four bills, McCarthy said, "We have an opportunity to put the matter at rest for all concerned at the Legislature."
Here is what his bills would do to change the current law
--House Bill 340 eliminates the requirement that Board of Medical Examiners automatically review any physicians who have given written certification for more than 25 people, in any 12-month period, to use medical marijuana.
--HB341 allows medical marijuana providers to be paid for providing pot to cardholders. The 2011 law didn't allow them to be compensated.
--HB342 removes the three-person limit for the number of cardholders that medical marijuana providers can serve.
--HB343 eliminates medical marijuana recordkeeping and provisions for automatic inspections of providers.
Pat Pardis, a retired chiropractor, spoke for the Cannabis Information Association, which challenged the 2011 law. He said the law has been ripped apart in court.
"With these gaping holes, SB423 does not remain intact as a viable law," Pardis said. "Before you today, you have an opportunity to correct most of these constitutional issues. SB423 is far from ideal, but it appears we will be living with it until either light dawns on the horizon or the courts throw it out entirely."
Kathleen Shannon, a Billings business owner, said medical marijuana has helped treat her Crohn's disease and scoliosis.
"For myself, I have my life back with no toxic prescriptions," she said. "If I didn't have cannabis, I imagine I would no longer be able to work and I would have to look at disability."
Opposing the bills, Candace Payne, a lobbyist for Rimrock Foundation, said the 2011 law "is having the desired effect of getting the medical marijuana industry under control in Montana.
"HB341 is an attempt to supply statutory language to allow marijuana providers to sell as much pot as they want to, to as many people as they can," Payne said. Her use of the term "pot" drew a protest from one committee member.
Cherrie Brady of Billings, a co-founder and chair of Safe Community, Safe Kids, urged the committee to reject all four bills.
"Is putting the money back into this industry in the highest interest for the people of Montana?" she said. "Is taking the limit off the number of patients, therefore taking the limit of how much they can grow, paving the way for large grows and black market again? Is removing the number of patients paving the way for more medical marijuana caravans?"
The committee didn't take immediate action on the bills.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: helenair.com
Author: Charles S. Johnson
Contact: helenair.com | Contact Us
Website: Medical marijuana bills heard
The House Human Services Committee heard testimony on four bills by Rep. Kelly McCarthy, D-Billings, that fix four provisions in a 2011 law that a Helena district judge in January has preliminarily blocked from being enforced until a trial is held. Attorney General Tim Fox has not yet decided on whether to appeal the decision to the Montana Supreme Court.
Some medical marijuana cardholders and representatives of the Montana Cannabis Information Association supported the bills. They were joined by two Billings attorneys and a representative of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Opposing the bills were representatives of the Billings Chamber of Commerce, Rimrock Foundation of Billings, which treats people with substance abuse problems, and Safe Community, Safe Kids, a Billings group opposed to medical marijuana. Law-enforcement representatives also testified against the bills.
McCarthy said he wasn't arguing about the merits of medical marijuana, an issue on which voters have weighed in twice, once in 2004 to pass the initiative and in 2012 to leave the 2011 law in place.
"While well-meaning, Senate Bill 423 was put together in haste," McCarthy said of the 2011 bill.
With his four bills, McCarthy said, "We have an opportunity to put the matter at rest for all concerned at the Legislature."
Here is what his bills would do to change the current law
--House Bill 340 eliminates the requirement that Board of Medical Examiners automatically review any physicians who have given written certification for more than 25 people, in any 12-month period, to use medical marijuana.
--HB341 allows medical marijuana providers to be paid for providing pot to cardholders. The 2011 law didn't allow them to be compensated.
--HB342 removes the three-person limit for the number of cardholders that medical marijuana providers can serve.
--HB343 eliminates medical marijuana recordkeeping and provisions for automatic inspections of providers.
Pat Pardis, a retired chiropractor, spoke for the Cannabis Information Association, which challenged the 2011 law. He said the law has been ripped apart in court.
"With these gaping holes, SB423 does not remain intact as a viable law," Pardis said. "Before you today, you have an opportunity to correct most of these constitutional issues. SB423 is far from ideal, but it appears we will be living with it until either light dawns on the horizon or the courts throw it out entirely."
Kathleen Shannon, a Billings business owner, said medical marijuana has helped treat her Crohn's disease and scoliosis.
"For myself, I have my life back with no toxic prescriptions," she said. "If I didn't have cannabis, I imagine I would no longer be able to work and I would have to look at disability."
Opposing the bills, Candace Payne, a lobbyist for Rimrock Foundation, said the 2011 law "is having the desired effect of getting the medical marijuana industry under control in Montana.
"HB341 is an attempt to supply statutory language to allow marijuana providers to sell as much pot as they want to, to as many people as they can," Payne said. Her use of the term "pot" drew a protest from one committee member.
Cherrie Brady of Billings, a co-founder and chair of Safe Community, Safe Kids, urged the committee to reject all four bills.
"Is putting the money back into this industry in the highest interest for the people of Montana?" she said. "Is taking the limit off the number of patients, therefore taking the limit of how much they can grow, paving the way for large grows and black market again? Is removing the number of patients paving the way for more medical marijuana caravans?"
The committee didn't take immediate action on the bills.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: helenair.com
Author: Charles S. Johnson
Contact: helenair.com | Contact Us
Website: Medical marijuana bills heard
