On Friday I posted an article about Idaho Senator Chuck Winder introducing legislation that would block medical marijuana from EVER being allowed in Idaho. Luckily, hardworking activists showed up at the first hearing to voice their opposition and it seems to have slowed the process. Had those hardworking activists like Lindsey Rinehart not been there, this bill could have been fully approved, and who knows what the fallout would have been, inside and outside of Idaho. Below is some more information about what happened, and information about how to fight this:
What: PROTEST against Chuck Winder’s presentation of RS 21862 and 21872 to PERMANENTLY ban Marijuana in Idaho, regardless its application– meaning recreational, spiritual, or MEDICAL.
THIS MOVED ON TO COMMITTEE. THEY WANT MORE COMMENT. PLEASE COME TO THE COMMITTEE HEARING. THE EVENT WILL BE UPDATED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WITH THAT INFORMATION. PLEASE CONTACT THE SENATORS. THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION IS BELOW! IF WE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN THERE, THIS WOULD HAVE MOVED TO THE FLOOR FOR A VOTE. WE NEED TO KILL IT IN COMMITTEE!! OUR PRESENCE THERE WAS ALREADY A SMALL VICTORY BECAUSE THIS DIDN’T GO TO THAT VOTE. WE NEED ALL OF YOUR VOICES!
THIS IS THE TRANSCRIPT FROM THE HEARING: <iframe width=”420″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/
Here is Senator Winder’s contact information~ Senator Winder phone number is 208 322 1307 and his email is [email protected] Call his office and tell him to take back this language immediately.
Where: Idaho State Capitol Building, Room WW55
Why: Our State Elected Officials are supposed to represent us, Idahoans, and make our wishes and demands know and attempt to see them effected. Chuck Winder has no business attempting to ban marijuana in Idaho, since a 2010 Clear Research Poll showed 74% of Idahoans polled to be supportive of medical marijuana legalization, and there is a healthy percentage of us who would see it legalized entirely.
Our neighbors in Washington have spoken up and made responsible marijuana possession legal, as did Colorado. Many cities across the nation have decriminalized marijuana possession and use, or made it ‘lowest priority’– HAILEY, IDAHO being one of them. With 18 states allowing medical marijuana, and multiple states preparing to introduce legislation to legalize it in the coming year, it is absolutely a step backward for Mr. Winder to introduce this bill.
If you’re tired of waiting for Idaho to catch up with modern medical scientific research that proves marijuana is less harmful than alcohol and a better medicine than most currently legal prescription medications, if you’re tired of being considered a criminal because you choose to use a plant, if you don’t want to see your children fighting the same battle we are now, SHOW UP tomorrow and SPEAK UP for your right to choose!! BRING A SIGN AND LET OUR REPRESENTATIVES KNOW THAT IDAHO SUPPORTS MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION!!!
State Affairs
M, W, F, 8:00 am, Room WW55
Secretary: Twyla Melton
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 332-1326
Curt McKenzie (R) E-mail Additional Information
District 13
412 W. Franklin St., Boise, 83702
Bus (208) 344-4379
FAX (208) 331-2150
Bart M. Davis (R) E-mail Additional Information
Majority Leader
District 33
2638 Bellin Circle, Idaho Falls, 83402
Home (208) 529-4993
Bus (208) 522-8100
FAX (208) 522-1334
Russell M. Fulcher (R) E-mail Additional Information
Majority Caucus Chair
District 22
P.O. Box 1166, Meridian, 83680-1166
Bus (208) 332-1340
FAX (208) 332-1422
Brent Hill (R) E-mail Additional Information
President Pro Tempore
District 34
1010 S. 2nd E., Rexburg, 83440
Home (208) 356-7495
Chuck Winder (R) E-mail Additional Information
Assistant Majority Leader
District 20
5528 N. Ebbetts Ave., Boise, 83713
Home (208) 853-9090
Patti Anne Lodge (R) E-mail Additional Information
District 11
P.O. Box 96, Huston, 83630
Home (208) 459-7158
Jeff C. Siddoway (R) E-mail Additional Information
District 35
1764 E. 1200 N., Terreton, 83450
Home (208) 663-4585
FAX (208) 663-4428
Michelle Stennett (D) E-mail Additional Information
Minority Leader
District 26
P.O. Box 475, Ketchum, 83340
Home (208) 726-8106
Elliot Werk (D) E-mail Additional Information
Assistant Minority Leader
District 17
6810 Randolph Dr., Boise, 83709
What REALLY happened:
Today there were two RS’s introduced in the Senate Affairs Committee. They were RS 21862 and 21872. One is to permanently ban marijuana from Idaho, in all forms. One is to demand that the Federal Government enforce it’s law that it’s already enforcing to crack down Federally. Here is the audio from the hearing with the transcription. Please look and listen. This does NOT add up! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q1ZqdKGEfU
We went to the hearing today to oppose the legislation. There were several people there for comment. It went to committee because there were too many of us to take comment from at that hearing.
The Chairman at one point asked a question along the lines of almost implying that it was a joke. As he said something like, “do you expect this to get far in committee?” That’s a loose quote. We had activists there signed up to speak, including myself, and they had people speaking For those laws signed up as well. They looked shocked that we were there. Our new petition comes back from the Idaho AG with recommendations no later than Tuesday. We feel that this is a knee jerk response to our petition.
We have contacted the Idaho ACLU.
Had we Not been there, this would have been voted through to print without committee and would have gone straight to the Floor for a vote. We wouldn’t have had a chance. I know it sounds backwards, but in this One case, it going to committee was better than what Would have happened. We have a chance to fight back now.
I called the secretary for this committee and she said that we need to watch the legislative page for when the next committee is. She said we will probably get about 2 days notice. We need this to be standing room only and in our favor. Supposedly The Association of Idaho Cities was the organization that put forth the one just for Idaho.
We will need this meeting to be PACKED and it will be very short notice. Please e-mail me at [email protected] to have your phone number placed on a Text list for when this goes to committee. We Need as many supporters of medical marijuana there as possible.
Senator McKenzie: Committee, we now have RS 21682 and RS 21872. And Senator Winder if you want to present those, I can go ahead right from there, if you prefer, take them in either order.
Senator Winder: Thank you Mr. Chairman, I’ll just go with presenting to show us here, starting with 21862. Just a brief background, this issue was brought to me by the Idaho Association of Cities. Obviously, there’s lots of issues going on around states like Washington, Oregon, Colorado, as regarding the legalization of Marijuana. And, this was an effort on behalf of The Assocation of Idaho Cities to make a statement. Some people think it’s a change in the law. Its not really a change in the law, it’s a statement.
The next one, which is RS 21872 is just a join memorial that gets sent on to the President, the Federal Government, the Congressional Delegation, Congress, asking them to enforce federal laws. As you know, there’s some conflict going on across the country with some states supposedly legalizing state level marijuana, but not allowing Federal Law, so its an effort on behalf of the cities to say, “please help us enforce the federal law.”
I’d be glad to answer any questions, and this is a request to print.
Senator McKenzie: Senator, if we print these, would this be a request to come back to the committee, or have them go directly to the floor? And, the reason I ask is that there are a few that have signed up to testify. Both some in support, and some against.
If it was going to come back, I’d probably prefer to allow them to address it and typically they don’t come back. I don’t know if you have a preference.
Senator Winder: I don’t have any objection if it’s the will of the committee.
Senator McKenzie: I defer to the committee.
We could take the testimony of the people who are here today, and proceed as we normally do. Or, we could bring it back.
Senator Hill: Mr. Chairman, just a comment I guess. I should have thought out my comment before I took the microphone.
If there are that many people that have interest in testifying, and there are people for and against.
I might recommend that we have it come back to committee, cause there may be other people out there that a feeling that didn’t know there was an RS here. Because it really isn’t, you know, publisized that way. So, from that standpoint I might suggest to the Chairman that we have it come back for that purpose.
Senator McKenzie: I’ve got some nods. It looks like that may be the preference of the committee to have them come back so we can take testimony following a print hearing.
Senator McKenzie: It looks like we got about 8 or 9 signed up who are interested in this. If you have questions for audience members, there are people with interest on both sides of this.
Senator Fulcher
Senator Fulcher: Mr. Chairman, I don’t know if you need a formal motion or not, but based on where I think the committee is, I’ll just make the motion. I move that we print RS 21862 and 21872 with the intent of those coming to committee for a full hearing.
Sen. McKenzie: Motion by Senator Fulcher.
Seconded by Senator Siddoway.
That they would come back for hearing before the committee.
Is there discussion?
All in favor, say aye
All Opposed?
The Ayes have it
