Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
State Sen. Jason Lewis, D-Winchester, chairman of the special Senate committee on marijuana, last week asked the drafters of two potential state ballot questions to "get the details right" as they push for legalization in 2016, and opined that statements made by top political leaders in Massachusetts have not helped support fruitful debate on the legalization issue.
Lewis was one of a dozen speakers at a June 13 day-long marijuana policy forum sponsored by the UMass-Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences. Among the invitation-only crowd were Matt Simon, New England political director for the Marijuana Policy Project, and Northampton law partners Richard Evans and Michael Cutler, who are advising the national advocacy group as they draft their 2016 ballot petition in Massachusetts. Evans is chairman of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol in Massachusetts, the registered funding mechanism for the MPP initiative. Terry Franklin, a key leader with Bay State Repeal, which has already filed draft legislation with the office of Attorney General Maura Healey, was in attendance as well.
Both the Massachusetts Policy Project and Bay State Repeal are hoping to put legalization questions on the state ballot in 2016.
Lewis, in delivering his remarks, said he would prefer if the Legislature would take up the issue of legalization, but didn't see that happening. He noted that Gov. Charlie Baker, Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo, and Attorney General Maura Healey have all spoken out against legalization. Additionally, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has made his opposition clear.
"When you have your leaders making those very clear public statements, it does make it obviously very difficult to take this up and consider it and debate it in a thoughtful way, which I think is unfortunate," said Lewis.
Speaking to Evans, Cutler, Franklin, and Simon, Lewis advised caution.
"You have an awesome responsibility," said Lewis. "I hope you appreciate the responsibility you have ... you are drafting one of the most major pieces of legislation that will come before Massachusetts maybe this decade."
Lewis encouraged the ballot writers to move conservatively and carefully, and to stay touch with the committee.
"It doesn't all have to be done on day one," said Lewis. "We can phase things in."
Lewis, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health, was asked by Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, D-Amherst, to head up the special marijuana committee in January. The committee's mission is not to decide whether Massachusetts should legalize marijuana, said Lewis, but to look at the "myriad of policy questions that need to be understood, analyzed, and addressed in the areas of public health, public safety, revenue and taxation, regulation and licensing, compliance, and banking" should legalization become a reality.
Lewis said the committee is examining the Massachusetts experience around decriminalization (2008) and medical marijuana (2012), both approved at the ballot box, as well as lessons learned from other states, such as Colorado, which have legalized the drug's recreational use.
The goal is to be as smart as possible, said Lewis, and to start the conversation early about the policy implications of legalized marijuana, given that the matter is likely to appear on the 2016 ballot.
In an email, Lewis explained that even though he's the sole member of the special committee, he's been consulting with Senate colleagues who chair committees that would have jurisdiction in marijuana policy, including Judiciary, Revenue, Public Safety, Mental Health and Substance Abuse, and Ways and Means.
Lewis said that he has been gathering research and reports and interviewing experts, and that the special committee has met with both organizations – Marijuana Policy Project and Bay State Repeal – that are currently drafting potential ballot initiative petitions in Massachusetts.
The committee is expected to prepare a report and make policy recommendations to the full Senate by early 2016. Lewis said the committee is on track to meet that goal.
There will still be a role for the Legislature even if voters legalize recreational marijuana at the ballot box, said Lewis last Saturday, noting that many issues will still need to be sorted out and a regulatory regimen put in place.
The Massachusetts Legislature seems reluctant to take on the legalization issue during its 2015-16 session.
In April, Rosenberg announced on Boston Herald Radio that he believes the Legislature has "no appetite" to take up the issue. More recently, Rosenberg suggested floating a non-binding resolution on legalization in 2016, then having Beacon Hill craft legislation if it passes. Rosenberg said he's trying to avoid the possibility of a poorly written law advanced by advocates.
In January, a bill to regulate and tax marijuana was introduced by Rep. David M. Rogers, D-Belmont, and Sen. Patricia D. Jehlen, D-Somerville. The legalization bill, which has 13 co-sponsors, has been referred to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Proponents of marijuana ballot question need to 'get the details right,' Senate committee chairman says | masslive.com
Author: Mary Serreze
Contact: feedback@masslive.com
Photo Credit: Mary Serreze
Website: Massachusetts Local News, Breaking News, Sports and Weather - MassLive.com
Lewis was one of a dozen speakers at a June 13 day-long marijuana policy forum sponsored by the UMass-Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences. Among the invitation-only crowd were Matt Simon, New England political director for the Marijuana Policy Project, and Northampton law partners Richard Evans and Michael Cutler, who are advising the national advocacy group as they draft their 2016 ballot petition in Massachusetts. Evans is chairman of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol in Massachusetts, the registered funding mechanism for the MPP initiative. Terry Franklin, a key leader with Bay State Repeal, which has already filed draft legislation with the office of Attorney General Maura Healey, was in attendance as well.
Both the Massachusetts Policy Project and Bay State Repeal are hoping to put legalization questions on the state ballot in 2016.
Lewis, in delivering his remarks, said he would prefer if the Legislature would take up the issue of legalization, but didn't see that happening. He noted that Gov. Charlie Baker, Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo, and Attorney General Maura Healey have all spoken out against legalization. Additionally, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has made his opposition clear.
"When you have your leaders making those very clear public statements, it does make it obviously very difficult to take this up and consider it and debate it in a thoughtful way, which I think is unfortunate," said Lewis.
Speaking to Evans, Cutler, Franklin, and Simon, Lewis advised caution.
"You have an awesome responsibility," said Lewis. "I hope you appreciate the responsibility you have ... you are drafting one of the most major pieces of legislation that will come before Massachusetts maybe this decade."
Lewis encouraged the ballot writers to move conservatively and carefully, and to stay touch with the committee.
"It doesn't all have to be done on day one," said Lewis. "We can phase things in."
Lewis, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health, was asked by Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, D-Amherst, to head up the special marijuana committee in January. The committee's mission is not to decide whether Massachusetts should legalize marijuana, said Lewis, but to look at the "myriad of policy questions that need to be understood, analyzed, and addressed in the areas of public health, public safety, revenue and taxation, regulation and licensing, compliance, and banking" should legalization become a reality.
Lewis said the committee is examining the Massachusetts experience around decriminalization (2008) and medical marijuana (2012), both approved at the ballot box, as well as lessons learned from other states, such as Colorado, which have legalized the drug's recreational use.
The goal is to be as smart as possible, said Lewis, and to start the conversation early about the policy implications of legalized marijuana, given that the matter is likely to appear on the 2016 ballot.
In an email, Lewis explained that even though he's the sole member of the special committee, he's been consulting with Senate colleagues who chair committees that would have jurisdiction in marijuana policy, including Judiciary, Revenue, Public Safety, Mental Health and Substance Abuse, and Ways and Means.
Lewis said that he has been gathering research and reports and interviewing experts, and that the special committee has met with both organizations – Marijuana Policy Project and Bay State Repeal – that are currently drafting potential ballot initiative petitions in Massachusetts.
The committee is expected to prepare a report and make policy recommendations to the full Senate by early 2016. Lewis said the committee is on track to meet that goal.
There will still be a role for the Legislature even if voters legalize recreational marijuana at the ballot box, said Lewis last Saturday, noting that many issues will still need to be sorted out and a regulatory regimen put in place.
The Massachusetts Legislature seems reluctant to take on the legalization issue during its 2015-16 session.
In April, Rosenberg announced on Boston Herald Radio that he believes the Legislature has "no appetite" to take up the issue. More recently, Rosenberg suggested floating a non-binding resolution on legalization in 2016, then having Beacon Hill craft legislation if it passes. Rosenberg said he's trying to avoid the possibility of a poorly written law advanced by advocates.
In January, a bill to regulate and tax marijuana was introduced by Rep. David M. Rogers, D-Belmont, and Sen. Patricia D. Jehlen, D-Somerville. The legalization bill, which has 13 co-sponsors, has been referred to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Proponents of marijuana ballot question need to 'get the details right,' Senate committee chairman says | masslive.com
Author: Mary Serreze
Contact: feedback@masslive.com
Photo Credit: Mary Serreze
Website: Massachusetts Local News, Breaking News, Sports and Weather - MassLive.com
