GROUP UP AGAINST TIGHT DEADLINE IN EFFORT TO VOTE OUT MARIJUANA LAW

A Billings-based group hopes to get an issue on the Nov. 2 ballots
in Montana to repeal the state's medical marijuana law.

It's a tall order, considering the deadline to collect signatures is
June 18 -- less than two weeks away.

A proposed ballot issue first must navigate a state labyrinth. The
Montana Secretary of State's Office received the materials May 25.
Then, the Legislative Services Division conducted a review and
passed it on to the Attorney General's Office late Wednesday.

Judy Beck, spokeswoman for the Montana Department of Justice, said
Friday that Attorney General Steve Bullock's office has received the
information and wrote a summary of the ballot issue late this week.

Beck said Bullock's office set a deadline of noon June 11 for
interested parties to comment on or accept the wording that would be
placed on the ballot.

After that, the proposal goes back to the secretary of state for final action.

Because of the required steps and the late nature of the group's
submission, organizers will have one week or less to collect more
than 24,000 signatures.

"The biggest challenge is time," said Pam Christianson of Billings,
one of the ballot issue's supporters. She said the notion of trying
to gather so many signatures in just a few days "doesn't sound too promising."

In an interview, Christianson said she got fed up this spring when
she noticed a marijuana shop trying to establish itself within 1,000
feet of her son's middle school.

"I was just irate," she said. "That was kind of our awakening."

Upset Magic City residents then formed an independent group called
Safe Community, Safe Kids to let officials know their worries about
a proliferation of marijuana shops in Billings.

Billings officials approved licenses for 82 medical marijuana
businesses before the city council there passed a six-month
moratorium on new marijuana businesses May 11.

Cherrie Brady of Billings submitted the repeal proposal to Secretary
of State Linda McCullough.

About 62 percent of Montana voters approved a medical marijuana
ballot issue in 2004.

"We do believe that most of the people in Montana feel that this is
not what they voted for," Christianson said. "We believe that it is
time to take back our great state, to end the mess that has been created."

Signatures from 24,337 registered voters would be required,
including at least 5 percent of registered voters from each of the
34 Montana House legislative districts, in order to get the issue on
the ballot.

Tom Daubert, a Helena-based marijuana grower and caregiver, said
there is no way repeal supporters will be able to collect the
signatures they need in such a short time span.

"It's a huge undertaking," said Daubert, who was involved in the
medical marijuana ballot issue voters approved in 2004.

Christianson said organizers of the effort will stay together to
lobby the Legislature to take action on the law if they fail to get
the repeal proposal on the November ballot.