[Mtnorml-list] HB-541 Hearing went well -- your calls and emails still needed

[Montana NORML]

Friends,

After a pre-dawn drive to Helena with a carload of diverse reform-minded 
citizens, we arrived in sub-zero Helena and quickly found our hearing 
room. Minutes later, the hearing for HB-541, which would REMOVE CRIMINAL 
PENALTIES FOR SMALL AMOUNTS OF MARIJUANA, had been rescheduled to a few 
hours later.

We compared notes and reviewed our prepared testimony and finally were 
called in to present. Representative Brady Wiseman (Bozeman), the bill's 
sponsor, led the discussion with an intro to the issue and the bill:

- only affects adults
- $50 fine for under 30 grams of mj
- no arrest permitted (if the marijuana/pipe is the ONLY offense of course)

Next to the proponents (that's us). There were 8 of us there, and we 
covered the bases well. My 5 minutes hammered on three themes: Current 
marijuana policy is EXPENSIVE, HURTS PEOPLE, and is INEFFECTIVE. True, 
true, and true.

Three opponents spoke, representing law enforcement and prosecutors. I'm 
not sure if their heart wasn't quite in it, or we had preemptively 
demolished their arguments, but their performance was lackluster.

Anyway, the hearing seems to have gone extremely well. This bill has a 
chance to make it out of the committee...

If you and your friends help. (Forward this email to five other 
Montanans and you get bonus points!)

The committee may vote on the bill later this week, so there's a bit 
more time to get your calls and emails in. Here are the representatives 
we believe especially need to hear from voters, particularly in the 
regions they represent.

·         Rep. Bob Wagner, R-Harrison
·         Rep. Mike Menehan, D-Helena
·         Rep. Bob Ebinger, D-Livingston
·         Rep. Ken Peterson, R-Billings
·         Rep. Michael More, R-Gallatin Gateway
·         Rep. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell


By now you should know the drill:

The phone number for leaving messages for legislators is:  406-444-4800.

The fax number for reaching House members is:  406-444-4825

You can email legislators here (use back-space to send the same message 
to multiple legislators quickly): 
http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/61st/legwebmessage.asp

Let them know to PLEASE SUPPORT HB-541, along with whatever personal and 
respectful note you wish. Some ideas here: 
http://mailapp.modwest.com/pipermail/mtnorml-list/2009-March/000107.html


The bill: http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2009/billhtml/HB0541.htm


If you want to start planning a trip to Helena to help marijuana law 
reform, your next opportunity will be March 20th, when good old SB-326, 
the medical marijuana improvement bill that increases plants, adds new 
conditions, and allows patients to obtain medicine from any caregiver, 
will be heard by the House Human Services Committee. More on that in a 
separate email.


Onwards,


John Masterson
Montana NORML
http://www.montananorml.org