SB 5528 introduced by Sen. Kohl-Welles would provide
true arrest protection for medical cannabis patients in Washington State, and direct the liquor control board to study
exempting patients from the excise tax on cannabis at 502 retail outlets. It would also clean up the language in the Medical Use of Cannabis Act (RCW 69.51A) that refers to sections no longer in the law after parts of SB 5073 were vetoed by Governor Gregoire in 2011
The bill had a hearing on February 4th, but so far has not been brought to a vote. It absolutely needs to be voted out of committee
BY THIS FRIDAY! We need to you to
- CALL Senator Randi Becker at (360) 786-7602
or
email her if you live in the 2nd legislative district (Eatonville, Graham, Orting, Lacey, Etc.) and
- Ask her to put SB 5528 to a vote and vote YES!!
You should also
contact the other members of the committee to let them know to
vote YES, especially if you live in one of their districts:
- Dammeier, Bruce (R) Vice Chair, 25th District, (360) 786-7648
- Keiser, Karen (D), 33rd District, (360) 786-7664
- Bailey, Barbara (R), 10th District, (360) 786-7618
- Cleveland, Annette (D), 49th District, (360) 786-7696
- Ericksen, Doug (R), 42nd District, (360) 786-7682
- Frockt, David (D), 46th District, (360) 786-7690
- Parlette, Linda Evans (R), 12th District, (360) 786-7622
- Schlicher, Nathan (D), 26th District, (360) 786-7650
If you don't know which legislative district you live in, you should look
here.
Reasons to support SB 5528:
- Provides real arrest protection for patients. Although all adults can legally possess up to an ounce of cannabis, patients who legally have more than an ounce, or grow their own medicine still face arrest - they merely have an affirmative defense once they get to court. This bill would ensure that patients could not be arrested unless law enforcement had probable cause that the patient was violating the law.
- Cleans up language no longer relevant. In 2011, SB 5073 would have enacted a comprehensive regulated medical cannabis system. It passed the legislature but Gov. Gregoire vetoed out sections of the bill. This left our current Medical Use of Cannabis Act full of sections that refer to sections that do not exist. Because of this there is a lot of confusion about the law, and missing definitions. This bill would restore needed definitions and remove language that is no longer relevant.
- Directs the Liquor Control Board to study exempting patients from 502 excise taxes. Many patients are low income because of the conditions they suffer. Once 502 legal cannabis retail outlets are in place, patients may want to use those stores, but the price of the cannabis may be cost-prohibitive to someone with a low income due to a 25% excise tax. This bill would direct the Liquor Control Board, who is in charge of regulating 502 stores, to study ways patients to allow patients to be exempt from that excise tax to keep cannabis an affordable medicine for patients.
