00 SENATE CS FOR SS FOR HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 21(JUD) 01 Urging the federal government to respect the authority of the state to regulate 02 marijuana use, production, and distribution; and urging the federal government to 03 reconsider its listing of marijuana as a schedule I controlled substance. 04 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 05 WHEREAS art. I, sec. 22, Constitution of the State of Alaska, establishes a right to 06 privacy, stating "The right of the people to privacy is recognized and shall not be infringed"; 07 and 08 WHEREAS the Alaska Supreme Court held in Ravin v. State, 537 P.2d 494, 511 09 (Alaska 1975), that there is "no adequate justification for the state's intrusion into the citizen's 10 right to privacy by its prohibition of possession of marijuana by an adult for personal 11 consumption in the home . . . ."; and 12 WHEREAS the citizens of the state voted to legalize marijuana by way of Ballot 13 Measure No. 2, an "Act to tax and regulate the production, sale, and use of marijuana," on 14 November 4, 2014; and 15 WHEREAS the state has prioritized the federal marijuana enforcement objectives 01 stated in the August 29, 2013, memorandum from the United States Department of Justice to 02 all United States Attorneys, including preventing the distribution of marijuana to minors, 03 preventing revenue from the sale of marijuana from going to criminal enterprises, gangs, and 04 cartels, preventing the diversion of marijuana from states where it is legal under state law in 05 some form to other states, preventing state-authorized marijuana activity from being used as a 06 cover or a pretext for the trafficking of other illegal drugs or other illegal activity, preventing 07 violence and the use of firearms in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana, preventing 08 drugged driving and the exacerbation of other adverse public health consequences associated 09 with marijuana use, preventing the growing of marijuana on public land and the attendant 10 public safety and environmental dangers posed by marijuana production on public land, and 11 preventing marijuana possession or use on federal property; and 12 WHEREAS the state has implemented regulations under 3 AAC 306 that respect and 13 support the federal priorities listed in the Department of Justice's August 29, 2013, 14 memorandum; and 15 WHEREAS the American Medical Association supports public health-based 16 strategies, rather than incarceration, for individuals possessing cannabis for personal use and 17 urges the federal government to review its listing of marijuana as a schedule 1 controlled 18 substance with the goal of facilitating clinical research and development of cannabinoid-based 19 medicines and alternative delivery methods; and 20 WHEREAS, on August 1, 2017, Alaska Attorney General Jahna Lindemuth sent a 21 letter to United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions stating that former federal policy, as 22 articulated in the Department of Justice's August 29, 2013, memorandum, represented "a 23 pragmatic approach that effectively created space for states to be responsive to their residents 24 while also protecting federal priorities" and requesting the federal government to engage 25 directly with states to discuss potential approaches before reaching any final decisions on 26 changes to the Department of Justice's marijuana enforcement policies; and 27 WHEREAS, on January 16, 2018, Attorney General Lindemuth and the attorneys 28 general of 18 other states, districts, and territories sent a letter urging the United States 29 Congress to advance legislation to allow states that have legalized medical or recreational use 30 of marijuana to bring legal marijuana-related commerce into the banking system; and 31 WHEREAS Alaska Governor Bill Walker and the governors of Colorado, 01 Washington, and Oregon sent a letter, dated April 3, 2017, urging United States Attorney 02 General Jeff Sessions and United States Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin to engage 03 with states where marijuana has been legalized before embarking on any changes to federal 04 regulatory and enforcement systems; and 05 WHEREAS Alaska Governor Bill Walker sent letters to United States Attorney 06 General Jeff Sessions, dated August 1, 2017, and August 14, 2017, stating the manner in 07 which Alaska's regulatory framework governing state-licensed marijuana businesses 08 addresses federal interests and urging the federal government to maintain policies that respect 09 the state's authority; and  10 WHEREAS, on January 18, 2018, United States Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan 11 Sullivan joined with 14 other Senators from around the country in a letter to the Director of 12 the United States Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network 13 expressing continuing support for a 2014 Financial Crimes Enforcement Network guidance on 14 Bank Secrecy Act expectations regarding marijuana-related businesses; and 15 WHEREAS United States Representative Don Young is cosponsoring H.R. 4779 16 (REFER Act of 2018), which would prohibit the United States Department of Justice from 17 using federal funds to "detain, prosecute, sentence, or initiate civil proceedings against an 18 individual, business or property, that is involved in the cultivation, distribution, possession, 19 dispensation, or use of cannabis," when those activities are conducted in compliance with 20 state law and local regulations; and 21 WHEREAS United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions' rescission of the 22 Department of Justice's August 29, 2013, memorandum and other federal guidance on state 23 marijuana policy demonstrates a need to address federal law; 24 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the federal government to 25 respect the authority of the State of Alaska to regulate marijuana use, production, and 26 distribution and forbear any federal interference in marijuana policy of states where marijuana 27 has been legalized, and urges the United States Congress to address these issues while 28 respecting states' rights; and be it 29 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the federal 30 government to reconsider its listing of marijuana as a federal schedule I controlled substance. 31 COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President 01 of the United States; the Honorable Jeff Sessions, Attorney General of the United States; and 02 the Honorable Lisa Murkowski and the Honorable Dan Sullivan, U.S. Senators, and the 03 Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.