NH House passes HB 442 medical cannabis

[Keith and stuff]

The New Hampshire House passed HB 442 medical cannabis this morning by a vote of 221 to 96. For those of you that do not know, the New Hampshire House has around 296 Republicans and 102 Democrats.

http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bil...=2011&txtsessionyear=2011&txtbillnumber=HB442

On March 9th, the bill was recommended ought to pass by the House Health, Human Services, and Elderly Affairs Committee in a 14 to 3 vote.

A similar bill pass the NH House (by a lesser margin) and Senate last year. It was vetoed by Gov. Lynch, a Democrat, and they veto override failed in the NH Senate by 2 votes.

 

[Keith and stuff]

NH House tries again to legalize medical marijuana
March 16, 2011

http://www.boston.com/news/local/ne...se_tries_again_to_legalize_medical_marijuana/

 

[muzzled dogg]

word, think this one will ve vetoed too?

 

[Keith and stuff]

I don't know, there will likely be dozens of pro-liberty bills that Gov. Lynch doesn't like which make it to his desk this year. I think he will veto a few of them, sign a few of them, and not sign most of them so that they will automatically become law without his involvement. If this bill makes it through the NH Senate, it may become law without Lynch's involvement.

 

[Keith and stuff]

http://nhcompassion.org/content/mmj_passes_nh_house
MMJ passes the NH House!

* NH Compassion newsletter

CONCORD -- The House passed a bill today by a vote of 221-96 that would allow Granite Staters to use marijuana for medical purposes. H.B. 422, which creates a narrow exception in New Hampshire law for people with certain qualifying conditions to use marijuana to treat their conditions with doctors’ recommendations, will now move on to the Senate. Medical marijuana treatment is currently permitted in 15 other states and the District of Columbia, and is being considered in more than a dozen additional state legislatures this year.



The bill was introduced by Rep. Evalyn Merrick (D-Coos), a cancer survivor, and is sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Jim Forsythe (R-Strafford). It would create a tightly regulated ID system for all patients, as well as establish state-licensed alternative treatment centers to provide safe access to medical marijuana. It also includes strict rules regarding public use, impairment, and driving under the influence.



"Today's vote sent a strong message from the House that compassion for patients is not a Blue vs. Red issue in New Hampshire,” said Kirk McNeil, executive director of New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy. “Regardless of party affiliation, legislators who study this issue reach the conclusion that seriously ill patients should have safe, legal access to medical marijuana.” Republicans have a nearly 3:1 majority in the House.



The General Court approved a medical marijuana bill in 2009, when the Democrats controlled both legislative chambers, but it was vetoed by Gov. John Lynch. The House voted by more than two-thirds to override the veto, but the effort in the Senate fell two votes short. HB 422 enjoys strong support among voters. 2008 Mason-Dixon poll showed that 71% of New Hampshire voters are in favor of allowing the use of medical marijuana, with only 21% opposed.

Washington, D.C. and 15 other states, including Vermont and Maine, have enacted laws protecting patients whose doctors recommend medical marijuana.

 

[eduardo89]

We should have a thread with a list of liberty bills that have passed and which ones have been signed into law or vetoed

 

[Keith and stuff]

What I'm thinking of doing it updating all of these threads if the NH Senate passes the bill and then updating them again if they become law. Then, when the legislative session ends for the year, I may post a new thread which lists all of the amazing bills that became law and the ones that didn't (and even how far they made it). These are all separate subjects and need to be looked at separately at this point in time.

 

[eduardo89]

What I'm thinking of doing it updating all of these threads if the NH Senate passes the bill and then updating them again if they become law. Then, when the legislative session ends for the year, I may post a new thread which lists all of the amazing bills that became law and the ones that didn't (and even how far they made it). These are all separate subjects and need to be looked at separately at this point in time.

I llook forward to that awesome thread once these pass!

 

[gls]

Are there any general decriminalization bills in the pipeline?

 

[Keith and stuff]

Are there any general decriminalization bills in the pipeline?

Not that I know of. One passed the NH House last year but the Gov. threatened to veto it so it was killed in the NH Senate. It is decriminalized in MA and ME, and both share long borders with NH.

I'd guess sure a decrim bill would easily pass the NH House no matter the make-up but be stalled in the NH Senate and vetoed by Gov Lynch. We need more pro-liberty State Senators in NH. Right now there are 6 (out of 24) solidly pro-liberty Republican Senate Senators but even most of them aren't pro-liberty on every issue. Even if they voted will all 5 of the Democratic State Senators that would still only be 11 out of 24 votes for decrim and not enough to pass.

 

[gls]

Not that I know of. One passed the NH House last year but the Gov. threatened to veto it so it was killed in the NH Senate. It is decriminalized in MA and ME, and both share long borders with NH.

I'd guess sure a decrim bill would easily pass the NH House no matter the make-up but be stalled in the NH Senate and vetoed by Gov Lynch. We need more pro-liberty State Senators in NH. Right now there are 6 (out of 24) solidly pro-liberty Republican Senate Senators but even most of them aren't pro-liberty on every issue. Even if they voted will all 5 of the Democratic State Senators that would still only be 11 out of 24 votes for decrim and not enough to pass.

Thanks for the info. I'm surprised it is not getting more support up there as a cost-saving measure, if nothing else. A decrim bill is on the verge of passing here in CT mostly for that reason.

 

[Keith and stuff]

That's also the main reason it passed in Cali. However, while NH does certainly have some financial issues, the state government is more efficient and there are far fewer economic woes in NH compared to most states. I don't know if the budget or economy will ever get bad enough in NH for that reasoning to naturally click in the minds of the State Senators up here. They will have to be talked to about the idea over and over again.

 

[Neal Jiutai]

Also passed in the New Hampshire house this week:

· Filming Public Officials
· Constitutional Carry
· Jury Nullification
· Nanobrewing

Upcoming:

· End The Fed
· US out of the UN

Many thanks to all the activists who worked hard testifying and lobbying for these bills, and especially to the numerous Free Stater and pro-liberty representatives who ran for office, won, and thereby helped make this happen.

 

[Keith and stuff]

Nanobrewing

Yeah, that's a good point. I didn't made a thread about it but it is a good step for NH. Even though NH has the lowest or near the lowest alcohol prices in the US, the lowest taxes on alcohol in the US and the highest alcohol sales in the US, one of the most common complaints I get about NH from people that do not live here is that the alcohol industry is over regulated in NH. The nano brewing bill, which passed the NH House, will allow an additional choice to beer companies in NH.

I think there is also a bill allowing additional choices to companies in NH when it comes to wine sampling, however, I'm not sure on the progress of that bill at this time.

 

[ItsTime]

Boys and girls 221 is veto proof, if it passes the Senate with veto proof (it most likely will) it does not matter what the governor does

 

[Keith and stuff]

Boys and girls 221 is veto proof, if it passes the Senate with veto proof (it most likely will) it does not matter what the governor does

My friend Jim, the NH Senate sponsor, recently said he wasn't sure if it would pass the NH Senate. After the wonderful vote in the NH House, it may pass the NH Senate but I'd be very surprised if it passed by a veto proof majority. However, I like the way you think. Maybe you will be right

Of course, if even people in NH encourage the NH Senate...

 

[ItsTime]

My friend Jim, the NH Senate sponsor, recently said he wasn't sure if it would pass the NH Senate. After the wonderful vote in the NH House, it may pass the NH Senate but I'd be very surprised if it passed by a veto proof majority. However, I like the way you think. Maybe you will be right

Of course, if even people in NH encourage the NH Senate...

I was hearing different things. But Jim would have more of a feel than who I talked to. Good stuff anyway. Thank Jim for his hardwork and the people are behind him/them.

 

[whoisjohngalt]

I thought New Hampshire was supposed to be a "Free State"? Why not just legalize it for recreation?

 

[Keith and stuff]

I thought New Hampshire was supposed to be a "Free State"? Why not just legalize it for recreation?

NH isn't a Free State. There is no Free State. NH is the freest state in the nation, of course, but that doesn't mean it is the freest state in every single way, just overall. It is legalized for recreational purposes anywhere in the world as far as I know though it is decriminalized in small amounts in several US states and nations around the world. It seems, that no where in the world is quite ready for what you want. However, if you move to NH and work towards that, it is more likely to happen in NH.

 

[eduardo89]

Also passed in the New Hampshire house this week:

· Nanobrewing

Quick question I was wondering if someone could clear up for me (i know its off topic from this thread). The nanobrewing bill says the following:
III.(a) No beverage or liquor shall be served or consumed on the premises except that which is manufactured by the licensee.

does that mean only beer made there can be served? what about juice or coca cola?