The “Montana Therapeutic Marijuana Act,” drafted at the last minute by a Senate-subcommittee, comes forward as an attempt to reduce the number of medical marijuana card-holders from almost 30,000 down to under 2,000 and strictly regulate the industry. That nearly 50 page bill had its first hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee Friday morning.

“Pretty sure we’re going to be guaranteed that not every body’s going to be happy,” says Senate Bill 423 Sponsor Senator Jeff Essmann (R – Senate District 28.)

Whether it’s called therapeutic or medical, the controversy surrounding marijuana continues… “Government is not responsible for providing the people with pot,” says a mother from Billings in opposition.

Despite the House’s push for repeal, Senate Bill 423 is the Senate’s last-ditch effort to overhaul Montana’s medical marijuana law. “We must resolve this in order to deal with the public safety issue that’s been raised, it’s evident we know it. This bill is our best attempt to offer,” adds Senator Essmann.

Senator Essmann’s proposal even has supporters saying, “this bill is horribly flawed,” says proponent Tom Daubert with Patients and Families United. Daubert has been a key advocate for medical marijuana throughout the Legislative process and helped the Interim Committee on Health and Human Services while they drafted their own proposal.

The bill that goes to great lengths to limit the number of patients, shuts down all storefronts, growers and manufacturers on July 1st of this year.

“We believe this bill goes a long way to, in getting, probably reducing the number of cardholders from 30,000 significantly down,” says proponent Jon Bennion, Montana Chamber of Commerce Government Relations Director.

“Everything, there’s nothing left, there’s not a seed, there’s nothing. Where does the first seed come from to begin growing again? We know that the seed was given by God in the first place but I don’t know how to call him down to have him drop one in my backyard so I can start growing,” says opponent Executive Director for Montana Medical Growers Association, Jim Gingery.

Growing operations would not be allowed to make a profit. “Get the money out really is get the patients out,” says another opponent.
While supporters say any attempt at regulation is a good first step, the Public Service Commission, appointed as the state licensing authority in the bill, rose in opposition. “The commission has a full plate of utility regulatory issues with numerous important cases either before us now or expected in the near future. Adding the role of state licensing authority as contemplated in this bill would distract the agency from its core mission,” says Bill Gallagher, PSC Chairman.

But not distracted from its purpose is Senate Bill 423, which is to repeal and cleanse the current system and then strictly regulate a new one which would begin on October first. “I am confident that we’ll arrive at a solution because we must arrive at a solution,” adds Essmann.

While other measures proposed to tackle the issue have been tabled or stuck in committee Senate Bill 423 seems to be the leading reform bill left before lawmakers. The Senate Judiciary Committee gave the green light to Senate Bill 423 late Friday afternoon with a vote of ten to two, the measure will hit the Senate floor on Monday.