Illinois State

[MedicalNeed]

PRO Medical Cannabis, sponsored or co, or voted for.
State Rep. Lou Lang (D-16th)
Gov. Pat Quinn
State Rep. Angelo "Skip" Saviano (R-77th)
Jeff Schoenberg (D-9th)
Ira Sliverstein (D-8th
Senate President John Cullerton


Against-
State Sen. Susan Garrett (D-29th) voted against the bill.



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Medical Marijuana: 'It's About Healthcare'


By TOM ROBB Journal & Topics Reporter

A bill that would legalize medical marijuana passed the Illinois Senate and has substantial support in the State House, said State Rep. Lou Lang (D-16th), one of the bill's chief sponsors.

Lang held a press conference last week with several legalization advocates, religious leaders and doctors, including Gov. Pat Quinn's own physician pressing for the bill's passage.

Several area legislators, including State Rep. Angelo "Skip" Saviano (R-77th), Jeff Schoenberg (D-9th) and Ira Sliverstein (D-8th) signed on as co-sponsors of the bill.

Senate President John Cullerton voted for the bill, as did Sen. Dan Kotowski (D-33rd).

State Sen. Susan Garrett (D-29th) voted against the bill.

Lang said he now has the votes of 52 legislators in the House and will bring the bill to a vote as soon as he can muster the 60 votes needed to pass legalization.

"This is not about drugs, it's about healthcare," said Lang. "I'm not here to make life difficult for law enforcement."

Lang said children are dying by taking prescription medications such as Oxycontin and Vicodin from their parents' medicine cabinets.

"There has never been a death from an overdose of marijuana," said Lang.

He went on to say that many cancer and AIDS patients suffering from weight loss would benefit from the hunger causing properties of marijuana.

To be allowed usage of medical marijuana, users would need to be issued a letter from their doctor and be issued a card through the Illinois Dept. of Public Health that would oversee the program.

Lang said the Illinois program would be a three-year pilot program if passed and would be administered better with more controls than similar programs in California and other states.

Garrett said she opposes the bill, not because she opposes medical marijuana, but because she feels distribution provisions are not restrictive enough. Garrett said she wants more involvement in distribution from doctors and pharmacists.

Lang said that as for conflicts with federal law, President Barack Obama and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder have both instructed that medical marijuana cases will not be prosecuted.

Source: Journal & Topics Newspapers Online

[MedicalNeed]

At every level of government, the Nov. 2 election is about one thing: jobs.

Dave Winters, R-Shirland, said a big step could be taken toward statewide job retention and creation if he and his colleagues in the General Assembly would produce a balanced budget.

Winters is seeking his eighth term as representative of the 68th House District. He is being challenged by a couple of newcomers, Tony Viren, D-Machesney Park, and Gerry Woods, a Green Party candidate from Machesney Park.

The state has a $13 billion budget deficit. Winters said the uncertainty of how the budget will be balanced, as by raising taxes and to what extent, has stymied the growth of many businesses and perhaps steered new ones away.

“Our cash budget has deteriorated,” Winters said. “Businesses don’t know if we are going raise taxes. The certainty of knowing what is going to happen would help.”

Winters also said the state can make itself more competitive with other states in attracting businesses by reducing red tape and layers of bureaucracy when it comes to issuing permits.

“In both Iowa and Indiana, you can apply for an industrial site, and the EPA and water permits are handled very quickly,” Winters said. What is normally a 30-day permit process, for example for a new wind farm, in those two states is a six- to nine-month process in Illinois. “Illinois is very lackadaisical,” Winters said. “The length of time and the uncertainty that we have in our state bureaucracy is a great detriment. That’s one thing that has been driving business away.”

Woods lists the environment, education, roads and transportation, and public health and safety as his priorities. He also said new jobs can be found in green-energy technology,

“We must attract solar, wind and other green-energy technologies to Rockford along with high-speed 200-plus mph rail. These would be good-paying, long-term jobs for our skilled workers.”

Woods also said he would like to see the University of Illinois bring a campus to Rockford and suggested locating it at the old Barber-Colman grounds on Rock Street.

Woods does not support a tax increase, but he does support legalization and taxation of marijuana. He estimates the drug would generate more than $200,000 in taxation alone.

Viren could not be reached by phone but expressed in his submissions to the Register Star’s online election guide the state’s budget deficit should be addressed on multiple fronts.

“The state budget cannot be reduced quickly,” Viren said. “There is not a quick fix. It will take a combination of spending cuts as well as the need to be putting the people back to work. We can’t get the deficit down to zero by cutting alone. We must invest the $250 million in federal stimulus in job creation so our unemployed and underemployed residents can start spending again. Our economy is driven by consumption.”



68th Illinois House District: The Candidates

DAVE WINTERS
Age: 58
Family: Wife, Kathleen; children Theresa and Colin
Residence: Shirland
Occupation: State representative, part-time farmer
Education: Hononegah High School, 1970; Bachelor of Arts in European history, 1974, Dartmouth College; master’s degree in agricultural economics, 1976, University of Illinois
Public office experience: Serving his eighth term for the 68th District (sworn in, 1995), assistant Republican House leader (selected in 2003), six years on the Winnebago County Board.
Community involvement: Winnebago County Soil & Water Conservation District, La Voz Latina, Sinnissippi Audubon Society
On the Web: davewinters.com

ANTHONY ‘TONY’ VIREN
Age: 69
Family: Married 38 years to Ginny; children Richard, Shannon, Colleen and Mitch
Residence: Machesney Park
Occupation: Retired Teamsters union representative
Education: Associate degree, Blackhawk Junior College; Labor Study Tour Europe, University of Illinois at Chicago/University of Indiana; many courses and seminars in labor relations.
Public office experience: None
Community involvement: Assisted in the incorporation of Machesney Park; committee to plan and build Schoonmaker Park in Machesney Park; former board member, Handicapped Communications; member, American Legion and Local 325 Retirees Club; St. Bridget and Holy Family Catholic churches; blood and apheresis donor; Democratic precinct committeeman
On the Web: citizensfortonyviren.com

GERRY WOODS
Age: 64
Family: Wife, three daughters, four grandsons
Residence: Machesney Park
Occupation: Retired Xerox Corp. customer service engineer; part-time field representative, Mintel International
Education: Associate degree, Rock Valley College
Public office experience: None
Community involvement: Central Committee chairman, Winnebago County Green Party
On the Web: gerrywoods.org


NewsHawk: MedicalNeed:420 MAGAZINE
Source:Home - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
Author: Chris Green
Contact: Rockford Register Star Contact Us
Copyright: 2010 Rockford Register Star
Website:68th Illinois House candidates differ on how to create more jobs - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

[keninpain]

Lang to delay vote till 2011

Still a few votes shy of the necessary majority, Il house deputy majority leader Lou Lang say's he will not call his bill (SB 1381) to legalize medical marijuana for a committee vote till at least January of 2011.

[keninpain]

That info was found at progressIllinois.com