EFFORT TO REFORM MARIJUANA LAW BURNS OUT

Senate Relights Repeal Idea

HELENA -- A move by Democrats to stall what appears to be the
Legislature's last chance for medical marijuana reform on Wednesday
could set up a repeal-or-nothing choice for lawmakers this session.

Talk of deal-making underscored the debate and heightened tension as
Republican leaders refused to trade votes on other measures or support
amendments to loosen the reform bill.

The bill received a solid 37-13 endorsement on its first vote
Wednesday and need just six Democratic votes for rules to be suspended
so a final and confirming vote could be made to send the over to the
House by the end of business Wednesday.

But that motion twice failed once at 31-19 and then again at
32-18.

"We had bipartisan support right up until they wanted to get something
for it," said Sen. Chas Vincent, R-Libby. "They're playing politics
with people's lives, and I think that's atrocious."

Senate Democratic leaders said they withheld support for the motion on
SB 423 because Republicans refused to cut a deal and accept their
amendments to loosen requirements.

"It was like (Republicans) had forgotten that it's not the initial
'Oh-we've-got-the -majority-we-can-do-anything-we-want bill," said
Senate Minority Leader Carol Williams, D-Missoula.

The bill Democrats saw as too strict would ban all advertising and
seek to cut the number of card holders from more than 28,000 to less
than 2,000. Those seeking permission to use the drug to treat severe,
chronic pain would need recommendations from two physicians and proof
of their ailments.

The bill would also do away with dispensaries and completely repeal
the 2004 voter-approved law for 90 days before the new, stricter law
took effect.

But GOP leaders said Democrats wanted more than that. They said they
wanted to trade their support for Republican votes on a $98 million
bonding bill to build new state buildings.

After the move for a final vote on SB 423 failed, Republicans
resurrected House Bill 161, a bill to repeal Montana's medical
marijuana law entirely. That bill had been tabled in committee, but is
now scheduled for a debate-stage vote Thursday.

Vincent was one of the Republican holdouts whose opposition had
blocked that bill in committee, a move that led to the drafting of SB
423. Now he says he has no choice but to vote for repeal.