Robert Celt
New Member
What could be the final vote needed to legalize medical marijuana in Pennsylvania isn't expected until next week at the earliest.
Sources on Thursday said leaders and staffers in the state House and Senate continue to review the recently-passed House legalization bill and discuss possible tweaks.
It remains an uncertain, delicate situation. The bill originated in the Senate but then was substantially changed by the House, making it necessary for the Senate to approve it again.
But Senate leaders have cited "technical" issues in the House-approved version they say could hinder the process of getting a medical marijuana program up and running. Private meetings which have been taking place for more than a week are focused on addressing those issues in a fashion that would pass a second vote in the House, where some influential members oppose medical marijuana.
If the bill can't be tweaked in a way that will withstand another vote in the House, it's possible the Senate will approve the present version of the bill. That would send it to Gov. Tom Wolf, who has promised to sign it.
"I just know there is a desire to get this resolved as soon as possible," said Fred Sembach, chief of staff for state Sen. Mike Folmer, R-Lebanon, the primary sponsor of the Senate Bill.
Medical marijuana is being sought by groups including mothers of children with a form of seizures that aren't well-controlled with approved drugs, and who often suffer severe side effects. Others include veterans who want it to treat chronic pain and post traumatic stress disorder.
Some of them are satisfied with the version of the bill that passed the House, and believe any needed tweaks can be addressed through the regulatory process.
They would rather the Senate approve the House-passed version than risk a breakdown that could lead to another long delay or no bill at all. Medical marijuana supporters have been pushing for passage for more than two years, with some of them making dozens of trips to the state Capitol from far-flung parts of the state, sometimes accompanied their sick children, as they sought to show legislators the severity of their plights. Some are filled with dismay that legalizing medical marijuana, which has occurred in about two dozen states and which public opinion surveys show strong support for, has dragged on for so long.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: PA: Medical Marijuana Approval Still Hanging
Author: David Wenner
Contact: PennLive
Photo Credit: Dan Gleiter
Website: PennLive
Sources on Thursday said leaders and staffers in the state House and Senate continue to review the recently-passed House legalization bill and discuss possible tweaks.
It remains an uncertain, delicate situation. The bill originated in the Senate but then was substantially changed by the House, making it necessary for the Senate to approve it again.
But Senate leaders have cited "technical" issues in the House-approved version they say could hinder the process of getting a medical marijuana program up and running. Private meetings which have been taking place for more than a week are focused on addressing those issues in a fashion that would pass a second vote in the House, where some influential members oppose medical marijuana.
If the bill can't be tweaked in a way that will withstand another vote in the House, it's possible the Senate will approve the present version of the bill. That would send it to Gov. Tom Wolf, who has promised to sign it.
"I just know there is a desire to get this resolved as soon as possible," said Fred Sembach, chief of staff for state Sen. Mike Folmer, R-Lebanon, the primary sponsor of the Senate Bill.
Medical marijuana is being sought by groups including mothers of children with a form of seizures that aren't well-controlled with approved drugs, and who often suffer severe side effects. Others include veterans who want it to treat chronic pain and post traumatic stress disorder.
Some of them are satisfied with the version of the bill that passed the House, and believe any needed tweaks can be addressed through the regulatory process.
They would rather the Senate approve the House-passed version than risk a breakdown that could lead to another long delay or no bill at all. Medical marijuana supporters have been pushing for passage for more than two years, with some of them making dozens of trips to the state Capitol from far-flung parts of the state, sometimes accompanied their sick children, as they sought to show legislators the severity of their plights. Some are filled with dismay that legalizing medical marijuana, which has occurred in about two dozen states and which public opinion surveys show strong support for, has dragged on for so long.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: PA: Medical Marijuana Approval Still Hanging
Author: David Wenner
Contact: PennLive
Photo Credit: Dan Gleiter
Website: PennLive
