"it's only the second reading" Keep calling you're reps and tell them you're going to vote them out :thumbsup::DQuote:
Originally Posted by TheReleafCenter
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"it's only the second reading" Keep calling you're reps and tell them you're going to vote them out :thumbsup::DQuote:
Originally Posted by TheReleafCenter
Did you happen to hear when the third reading was scheduled? I couldn't understand that fast talking speaker.Quote:
Originally Posted by TurboALLWD
No but I heard they have till next tuesday to seal the deal.Quote:
Originally Posted by COzigzag
HB1284 Passes Full House on Second Reading
A Report by the Cannabis Therapy Institute
Contact: Cannabis Therapy Institute
1-877-420-4205
{Denver} -- The Colorado state Senate today voted in favor of HB1284 by a
voice vote, with what sounded like only a handful of dissenting votes.
According to Senator Chris Romer (D-Denver), the bill's main sponsor, the
bill will eliminate from 50% to 80% of the current 1,100 dispensaries in
Colorado.
In a surprise vote, the Senate narrowly adopted Amendment 173 to the bill,
proposed by Senator Josh Penry (R-Grand Junction), which would eliminate
the sales tax on medical marijuana. Senator Penry pointed out that 95% of
prescription medicines in the state are not subject to sales tax. Sen.
Penry said it would be "inappropriate, crass and wrong" to take money from
the sick and disabled people who use medical marijuana to help fund other
state programs. Sen. Penry said, "This bill should not be a revenue bill."
Senator Romer said he did not support the amendment to strike the sales tax
because "we're not at the point that we are treating this as medicine."
Sen. Romer said that medical marijuana should be taxed "until we get
evidenced-based medicine" and "until it's like other supplements."
Senator Penry countered that Senator Romer "can't say it's medicinal on one
hand and then on the other say it's not medicinal."
The amendment was adopted by a vote of 18 to 17. Senator Romer, unable to
accept defeat, promised that he would bring the amendment up for another
vote at the Third (and final) Reading of the bill to see if he could get
the full Senate to again approve creating a revenue stream off of the backs
of sick and dying people.
HB1284 will now go to its final vote in the Senate, called the Third
Reading. This has yet to be scheduled. The Third Reading will require a
roll call vote, so the Senators will be forced to go on the record with
their vote.
Senator Joyce Foster (D-Denver) unapologetically pointed out that the bill
was not written for the patients, but rather for the police. "We're basing
this on the public safety model, and not the medical model. If we were
basing it on the medical model, it would be a completely different bill,"
Sen. Foster said.
"This bill seems like it was more about Chris Romer than about medical
patients," says K. Evan Rude, patient advocate for the American Medical
Marijuana Standards Association. "He didn't consult with any medical
professionals or disability activists or patient advocate groups. He
obviously had his own agenda going into this to make the medical marijuana
program a police state that will be operated only by well-funded
dispensaries with little care for the patients. The patients will now pay
more for their medicine and have their access severely restricted. This
bill is so restrictive that it is clearly a blatant violation of patient's
Constitutional rights."
The Cannabis Therapy Institute is urging the state to instead set up a
Commission to study the issue to make sure the needs of the patient are
foremost in any legislation and to make sure this complicated issue gets
addressed properly.
CALL AND EMAIL
Click here to contact your state senators:
Cannabis Therapy Institutue - Medical Cannabis (Marijuana) Research, Education and Advocacy in Colorado
READ THE BILL
Here is a link to the General Assembly Home Page. Look for House Bill 1284.
The versions keep changing, so we cannot provide a direct link.
Colorado General Assembly Home Page
DONATE TO CTI
Support our continued mission of cannabis education, research and advocacy.
Cannabis Therapy Institutue - Medical Cannabis (Marijuana) Research, Education and Advocacy in Colorado
WATCH VIDEO
HB1284 House hearing (5/5/10), posted by Angela Macdonald of the Reefer
Report.
YouTube - CO Senate Hearing HB 1284 PART 1
---
Provided as a Public Service by the:
Cannabis Therapy Institute
P.O. Box 19084, Boulder, CO 80308
Phone: 877-420-4205
Web: Cannabis Therapy Institutue - Medical Cannabis (Marijuana) Research, Education and Advocacy in Colorado
Email: [email protected]
I believe the third reading will take place as soon as tomorrow:(Quote:
Originally Posted by TurboALLWD
This bill, and also Boulder city's proposed rules, effectively break up dispensaries into separate departments, which will cost small to medium size dispensaries/centers a lot more to continue operating (I've heard Under 100 patients=10k, 100-300=12,500, 300+ = $18k, State alone).
New Options Wellness is a good example: we grow and make nearly everything but a few edibles, so we would need to purchase a 1) Center License, a separate 2) Infused Product Mfg License, and yet 3) a 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, etc License FOR EACH Growop location, for EACH, city and state! In our case, we grow a percentage too, but we value our multiple smaller growers who we've helped setup professionally, mainly in homes, correctly with great odor control and everything; they grow only for us and so we can tightly control the quality of the product, genetics, etc - this "Artisan" model works great, and our patients appreciate it and stay with us as proof. We make our own Tincture, CannaCaps, concentrates, etc and rent time at a commercial kitchen which also is used for regular food prep - this isn't toxic like, say, trans-fats, and we learned how to cleanup without a trace, when we were 5, I recall.. Most medibles we purchase from independents. SO, in our case and I'd presume dozens or maybe hundeds of others dispensaries who are also fully-integrated like N.O.W., it will require a separate License fee for each of these departments and each independent supplier even IF they are only growing/mfg for us exclusively - so who do you think will have to cough up any fees they can't afford? Last I heard for our medium size the State was considering a $12,500 License, and Boulder at $5000 - MULTIPLIED BY EACH DEPT, so for in Boulder it will be a minimum $52,500 with but a single growop!! Yikes, this changes the game.. IF we or the growers and mfrs have to purchase Licenses for each location, well you get the picture; these are very abusive fees. Does any other industry have to pay so much, and have separate licenses for each department of their biz? I was a builder and Mfr of custom wood products, but I didn't ever have to pay a separate license fee for building, finishing, installing, and selling the product; they're all part of the same business! IF the state and cities pass these rules it'll likely force a lot of "centers" out, or force them to take on equity partners to survive, or charge fees to independent growers to cover them; certainly someone making small batches of brownies will have a really hard time staying alive. The Walmartization direction this is headed will insure only a few are funneled most of the money, and they'll likely drive growers down and push retail prices up for the end-consumer. We would like to see a provision for smaller growers and/or CG's with maybe up to 20 patients get a full exemption from these onerous fees. We cannot afford an extra $4,000 - 6000+ per month, or even $1000/mo, without cutting out say our advertising budget or an employee, but they NEED to realize that MOST of these fees will get passed on to the customer in some way. Some might be able to afford these kind of fees and I've spoken to a few that flatly do not mind it since it WILL kill most of their competition. I'd like to see many smaller neighborhood dispensaries like mom-n-pop shops everywhere - or used to be everywhere, until the Walmarts and Home Depots came in and forced all the small shops out within about a year. Now we all get in the car and drive to distant centers, rather than walk to a more human-scale experience. It seems nobody wants Walmart in their backyard, but the BigBox's alway win out because they can afford the cost of influence. We have a chance to possibly keep the smaller shops around, but these License fees alone WILL change things - that's a ridiculous tax folks... Add up the costs for your little slice of this pie, and let everyone (who has some influence) know how these proposed License Fees are even WAY more than they first sound. Hammer this point!
Capitalism at its finest.... Love it or leave it I guess. I was never a proponent. I'm no Marxist, but I'm now starting to really see how Capitalism can NOT stand over time....like Marx said. Its just not economical in the long run. I wish I lived in Holland....Quote:
Originally Posted by NewOptionsWelln
JUST HEARD ON THE NEWS THAT THE WHOLE BILL WAS IN DANGER AS A FEW OF THEM ARE TRYING TO STRIKE THE 70/30 OUT OF THE BILL AND A FEW OTHER THINGS??????
HB 1284 did not pass the Senate officially. It only passed 2nd reading. They must have a 3rd and final reading of the bill and it has to go back over to the House because of the amendments the Senate added so it can be voted on by the House as well.
We're getting down to the wire here, friends. Our only chance to keep this from passing is persuade as many House members as we can for a no vote. Get/be on your phones all day tomorrow and day after calling everyone in the house and urge them to vote no. You don't have to be in a district to voice an opinion.
If there were good news; it would be that the Senate, repeatedly, acknowledged the fact that if this bill passes there WILL be litigation. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to find some of our lawyers have already started the paperwork to file as soon as it passes. I think there are several points in the bill that could have it struck down by the court. I'm fairly certain that if/when this passes we'll be back before Judge Naves asking for an injunction.
That said, we do have lots of people (lawyers included) who support this bill and its passage. I don't see their point but I DO see their right to their opinion and to express said opinion...as long as I (we) win! LOL ;)
Yes, we do need regulation in the community. I'm sure we all know one or many people who should be regulated out of existence but we all shouldn't have to pay for a select few people who cause trouble.
I've been attacking this on the basis of math and fire.
If this passes, they will close at least half the disps that's going to put it into the hands of upwards of 20,000 caregivers/grows. With numbers like that, we will have fires. Letâ??s face it, people make mistakes, or worse yet, don't know what they are doing.
The disps, generally, have been doing this or something close for much of their lives, how to do it, and do it well. Taking it out of the hands of the professionals who can take fire suppression precautions, security precautions and can do it in a industrial atmosphere to reduce the risk of growing is a bad idea no matter how you look at it. Then, to have caregivers growing it in confined spaces that pose more of a risk to fire/loss of life just does not make sense. Let the disps do what they do best, dispense meds in a safe and secure atmosphere. Don't force attic grows!
SB 109 did pass the Senate and IS on it's way to the Governor's desk to be signed any day now. While not as bad as 1284; 109 is still unfriendly legislation that will impose limits on MMJ.
I have audio from 2/3 (2ish hours) of the 2nd reading of the bill. As soon as I get it edited (to take out buffering gaps) I'll post it up on 4shared.com for any/all to download.
This bill will KILL if enacted! You can find the list of Reps here...
http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/cli...mbers?OpenView
Call every Reprehensive in Colorado all day tomorrow and Friday and tell this is bad legislation. That's our only hope.
Go go gadget Freedom,
just
that's great news if true, thanks for the ray of light.:thumbsup:Quote:
Originally Posted by throatstick