Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
Hi Folks - I've been reluctant to write and be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like all the medical cannabis bills are dead for this Session. (I say "looks like" cause w/ the Lege strange things can happen and it ain't over til the fat lady sings.)
This go 'round we can blame the House:
SB 2141 SD1 (which would have made improvements to the program) was referred to PBS/HLT (Public Safety/Health) and then Judiciary. Although Rep. Hanohano of PBS was supportive and willing to hear it, Rep. Yamane, the Health Chair, refused. Nor would he waive it, which would have meant it could move on w/o his cmttee hearing it. So since there was never that joint hearing on it, it could not move on to Judiciary (JUD).
SB 2213, SD2 (which would have set up compassion centers county by county) was referred to JUD and Finance. It was never scheduled for a hearing by Rep. Karamatsu's Judiciary Cmttee reportedly after he was visited by a delegation of police from all the counties. (Police lobbying, you say? I thought their mantra was that they only enforced laws once they were in place.)
So that's the sad tale of an election year at our state legislature. When the other side sensed that we had momentum they increased their firepower bringing in a cop, a sheriff and a d. a. from L. A. County to spread fear and misinformation about dispensaries and mmj laws in general.
Ready for some good news?
1. We have the largest, best organized, and most knowledgeable group of proponents we've ever had. The testimony at the last hearing was most impressive with 110 pages submitted compared to just
35 or so at the prior one and lots of articulate testifiers on our side.
2. "Controversial" bills like ours historically take at least 2 legislative sessions to pass (this was the case, for example, with both the needle exchange bill in 1990 and the mmj bill itself in 2000
- despite the fact that the latter was initiated by Gov. Cayetano himself.)
3. We have the impressive Medical Cannabis Working Group Report available and ready for us to use in our lobbying efforts.
4. We have the "Interim (between Sessions) to regroup, strategize, write some really tight bills and get our legislative backers in place. We could also bring in some activists or public officials from places with successful mmj programs and showcase their models.
5. We will have a new, and hopefully more supportive, Governor in 2011.
I know it's hard to accept that we have to wait at least another year for any long overdue changes to be put in place. Unfortunately that's the political reality in Hawai`i Nei. Hang in there, friends, and try not to be too discouraged.
(I will write separately about the status of the mj decrim bill, SB 2450, SD
1) since that's a different topic and I know that not everyone on this list is supportive of that effort.)
Mahalo everyone. pam
Pamela G. Lichty,
MPH President Drug Policy Forum of Hawai'i
P. O. Box 61233
Honolulu, HI 96839
This go 'round we can blame the House:
SB 2141 SD1 (which would have made improvements to the program) was referred to PBS/HLT (Public Safety/Health) and then Judiciary. Although Rep. Hanohano of PBS was supportive and willing to hear it, Rep. Yamane, the Health Chair, refused. Nor would he waive it, which would have meant it could move on w/o his cmttee hearing it. So since there was never that joint hearing on it, it could not move on to Judiciary (JUD).
SB 2213, SD2 (which would have set up compassion centers county by county) was referred to JUD and Finance. It was never scheduled for a hearing by Rep. Karamatsu's Judiciary Cmttee reportedly after he was visited by a delegation of police from all the counties. (Police lobbying, you say? I thought their mantra was that they only enforced laws once they were in place.)
So that's the sad tale of an election year at our state legislature. When the other side sensed that we had momentum they increased their firepower bringing in a cop, a sheriff and a d. a. from L. A. County to spread fear and misinformation about dispensaries and mmj laws in general.
Ready for some good news?
1. We have the largest, best organized, and most knowledgeable group of proponents we've ever had. The testimony at the last hearing was most impressive with 110 pages submitted compared to just
35 or so at the prior one and lots of articulate testifiers on our side.
2. "Controversial" bills like ours historically take at least 2 legislative sessions to pass (this was the case, for example, with both the needle exchange bill in 1990 and the mmj bill itself in 2000
- despite the fact that the latter was initiated by Gov. Cayetano himself.)
3. We have the impressive Medical Cannabis Working Group Report available and ready for us to use in our lobbying efforts.
4. We have the "Interim (between Sessions) to regroup, strategize, write some really tight bills and get our legislative backers in place. We could also bring in some activists or public officials from places with successful mmj programs and showcase their models.
5. We will have a new, and hopefully more supportive, Governor in 2011.
I know it's hard to accept that we have to wait at least another year for any long overdue changes to be put in place. Unfortunately that's the political reality in Hawai`i Nei. Hang in there, friends, and try not to be too discouraged.
(I will write separately about the status of the mj decrim bill, SB 2450, SD
1) since that's a different topic and I know that not everyone on this list is supportive of that effort.)
Mahalo everyone. pam
Pamela G. Lichty,
MPH President Drug Policy Forum of Hawai'i
P. O. Box 61233
Honolulu, HI 96839
