Summary: Sponsored by Representative WINGARD (at the request of Deputy Emile Burley of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office) (Presession filed.) -- Relating to medical marijuana.

> Requires Oregon Health Authority to deny application for medical marijuana registry identification card if applicant has been convicted of felony involving controlled substance.

> Prohibits person convicted of felony involving controlled substance from using medical marijuana registry identification card.

> Requires Oregon Health Authority to conduct criminal records check on persons who possess medical marijuana registry identification card and to revoke card issued to person convicted of felony involving controlled substance.

OREGON MARIJUANA POLICY INITIATIVE 2011 Oregon Legislature Policy Recommendation

HOUSE BILL 2982

Recommendation: The Oregon Marijuana Policy Initiative recommends a vote of NO

Summary: Requires Oregon Health Authority to deny application for medical marijuana registry identification card if applicant has been convicted of felony involving controlled substance. Prohibits person convicted of felony involving controlled substance from using medical marijuana registry identification card. Requires Oregon Health Authority to conduct criminal records check on persons who possess medical marijuana registry identification card and to revoke card issued to person convicted of felony involving controlled substance.

Effect:

> Requires background checks for all new OMMP card applicants, as well as background checks of all existing OMMP cardholders -- approximately 80,000 people.

> Would deny or revoke the OMMP card of any new or existing OMMP cardholders for any past felony involving a controlled substance.

Read more in >> Details << section, below.

The text on this Bill can be found in PDF format at: http://www.leg.state.or.us/11reg/measpdf/hb2900.dir/hb2982.intro.pdf

Status:

There will be a Rally (11am) about and Hearing (1pm) on HB 2982 on Wednesday, February 23, 2011. Go here and enter the bill number - ie; "2536" for HB2536 - or other keyword to check on latest.

Rally and Hearing on Measure - Date: Wednesday - February 23 / Time: 11 A.M., Capital Steps, Salem, Oregon. * Getting to the Capitol > 900 Court Street NE, Salem, Oregon 97301 * Hours: Monday-Friday: 8:00-5:30 ~ Saturday: Closed ~ Sunday: Closed * Visitor Services Phone: 503-986-1388 * For more information on How to get to the Capitol, including things like Where to Park. visit: www.leg.state.or.us/capinfo/

Time: 1:00 P.M. / Room: 343 - HB 2982 FIRST PUBLIC HEARING - Requires Oregon Health Authority to deny application for medical marijuana registry identification card if applicant has been convicted of felony involving controlled substance. * How to Testify in Front of Committee is at: www.leg.state.or.us/citizenguide/ * NOTE: You may call your legislators by contacting the WATS operator. Within Salem, call 503-986-1187. Outside of Salem, please call 1-800-332-2313.

If you are a constituent of a member of the committee PLEASE contact your representative urging they NOT refer this to Ways and Means.

Here is the info:

The House Judiciary Committee

*Judiciary * *Membership:

*Jeff Barker, Co-Chair - Beaverton and Aloha
Wayne Krieger, Co-Chair - Curry County
Chris Garrett, Co-Vice Chair - Lake Oswego and SW Portland (part)
Wally Hicks, Co-Vice Chair - Josephine County (most)
Mary Nolan - Inner NW and SW Portland (Part)
Andy Olson - Linn and Benton Counties (Part of both)
Mike Schaufler - East Mult. Co. (part) Clackamas Co (part)
Carolyn Tomei - Milwaukie and parts of SE Portland
Matt Wand - E. Mult Co (Troutdale, Wood Village, Corbet)
Gene Whisnant - Deschuttes Co.

If you're not sure who your representative is, go here: http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/ and enter your address.

Remember, without the OMMA, all patients would be in violation of the Oregon controlled substances act. Many patients have controlled substance convictions which pre-date the OMMA and which were directly related to their medicinal use.

Be polite, direct and use short sentences.

If you schedule a meeting, be prompt and dress appropriately.

If you can't lobby, come to the hearing to show your opposition to this proposal.

Click here for quarter-sheet Flyers in > WORD < or > PDF < to print off and spread about.

History: go here, select Senate/House type of Measure and enter the bill number - ie; "2536" for HB2536 - or other keyword to To check up on bills and see their history.

01/11 (H) First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.
01/21 (H) Referred to Judiciary with subsequent referral to Ways and Means.
02/23 (H) Public Hearing scheduled.

Testifying

Each speaker called to testify will have two minutes to address the committee. The order of testimony may be managed to ensure that all points of view on these measures are presented.

Staff respectfully requests that you submit 25 collated copies of written materials at the time of your testimony and, if possible, an electronic copy of materials provided to staff 24 hours prior to the meeting. Persons making presentations including the use of video, DVD, PowerPoint or overhead projection equipment are asked to contact committee staff and provide an electronic copy 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Whether you want to testify or not, it would be good to come to Salem for any hearings. It would be especially good to try to schedule a meeting with your Senator -or- Representative before the meeting, possible.

As with coming to court, if you decide to attend hearings, please dress appropriately and be polite and respectful.

click here -

http://www.leg.state.or.us/capinfo/

- for Capitol Info, such as directions, phone numbers and maps.

If you cannot attend, Please write and testify. You can find wording of the measures here: http://www.leg.state.or.us/bills_laws/

you can listen to the hearings online here http://www.leg.state.or.us/listn/

Details:  

... to medical marijuana; creating new provisions; and amending ... to deny application for medical marijuana registry identification card if applicant ... controlled substance from using medical marijuana registry identification card. Requires Oregon ...

Discussion: This bill would punish citizens who committed a past felony, but that have served their time, and who are also sick enough become doctor-qualified to use medical marijuana. In this way, the bill seeks to re-punish citizens. This will would create a significant unfunded mandate for background checks on an estimated 80,000 current OMMP cardholders, including caregivers as well as patients. The OMPI estimate for the cost of 80,000 background checks is at least $7.5 million.

It is unlikely that state agencies could conduct 75,000 background checks without the assistance of law enforcement agencies or private contractors. This would create a significant privacy concern for OMMP cardholders, who currently enjoy privacy unless part of an active criminal investigation. This bill also has a punitive effect on patients who were convicted as drug felons in states with harsh laws; those same patients would have suffered no more than a misdemeanor under Oregon law. For example, Oregon residents can possess not more than one ounce of marijuana and receive only a civil penalty. In other states, the amount needed for a felony conviction is much lower.

The cost of this measure raises the fear of new fees and fee increases for OMMP program members, to pay for background checks. In general, OMMP patients are not able to afford higher fees. 39.4% of OMMP cardholders currently receive a discounted OMMP fee because they are low-income, according to OMMP analysis.

A copy of the Bill may be found online at:

http://www.leg.state.or.us/11reg/measpdf/hb2900.dir/hb2982.intro.pdf

. and here .

http://www.leg.state.or.us/11reg/measures/hb2900.dir/hb2982.intro.html

LTL (Letters-To-yer-Legislator, Editor, Org Director, Biz Owner)

you can send identical emails to every oregon senator (which will show as individual emails from you, to that senator) by sending To: orsen@oreg.net

you can send identical emails to every oregon representative (which will show as individual emails from you, to that representative) by sending To: orhouse@oreg.net

NOTEs - MAP's media resource center:


http://www.mapinc.org/resource/

If you go to about the middle of the page you will find the "Style Guide" with links to:

• MAP Letters to the Editor Archive
• Tips for Getting Letters to the Editor Published, by Platinum Letter Writer, Robert Sharpe
• Letters to the Editor & Opinion Pieces, American College of Emergency Physicians
• MAP Three Tips for Letter Writers
• Powerful Paragraphs, ClearWriter's ClearTips
• How to Write Letters to the Editor, Schaffer Library of Drug Policy
• Grammar Bytes!, Grammar Instruction with Attitude
• How to Communicate with Journalists, Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting
• Letter Writer's Style Guide, by Chris Donald
• Writing Effective Letters to the Editor, 20/20 Vision


respectfully, we suggest two main rules-of-thumb for letter writing to improve the liklihood of being published.

1. Write short declarative sentences as if you were speaking to a child, a small animal or a judge.

2. Limit yourself to 150 words.

Best of luck.

Here is .   Examples -

Date: Wednesday-February 23 / Time: 1:00 P.M. / Room: 343 - HB 2982 FIRST PUBLIC HEARING - Requires Oregon Health Authority to deny application for medical marijuana registry identification card if applicant has been convicted of felony involving controlled substance.

History: go here, select Senate/House type of Measure and enter the bill number - ie; "2536" for HB2536 - or other keyword to To check up on bills and see their history.

01/11 (H) First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.
01/21 (H) Referred to Judiciary with subsequent referral to Ways and Means.
02/23 (H) Public Hearing scheduled.

The House Judiciary Committee

*Judiciary * *Membership:

*Jeff Barker, Co-Chair
Wayne Krieger, Co-Chair
Chris Garrett, Co-Vice Chair
Wally Hicks, Co-Vice Chair
Mary Nolan
Andy Olson
Mike Schaufler
Carolyn Tomei
Matt Wand
Gene Whisnant

There will be a Rally (11am) about and Hearing (1pm) on HB 2982 on Wednesday, February 23, 2011.

If you are a constituent of a member of the committee PLEASE contact your representative urging they NOT refer this to Ways and Means.

Here is the info:

Barker - Beaverton and Aloha
Kreiger - Curry County
Garrett - Lake Oswego and SW Portland (part)
Hicks - Josephine County (most)
Nolan - Inner NW and SW Portland (Part)
Olson - Linn and Benton Counties (Part of both)
Schauffler - East Mult. Co. (part) Clackamas Co (part)
Tomei - Milwaukie and parts of SE Portland
Wand - E. Mult Co (Troutdale, Wood Village, Corbet)
Whisnant - Deschuttes Co.

If you're not sure who your representative is, go here: http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/ and enter your address.

Remember, without the OMMA, all patients would be in violation of the Oregon controlled substances act. Many patients have controlled substance convictions which pre-date the OMMA and which were directly related to their medicinal use.

Be polite, direct and use short sentences.

If you schedule a meeting, be prompt and dress appropriately.

If you can't lobby, come to the hearing to show your opposition to this proposal.

Questions?  Comments?   Need some info?   Got some info?   NetWork!   E-Mail us or visit the Bulletin Board for further comments on this Bill -or- to post your own.

Wednesday, February 23 at 06:16 PM:
me from here wrote:
"Do you support adding restrictions to Oregon’s medical marijuana law?

Related Stories Medical marijuana fight looms in Salem | Fifteen bills pending in the Oregon House and Senate propose restrictions on the drug ... visit - http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/polls/index .csp "