Legislature(2015 - 2016)BUTROVICH 205

04/18/2015 10:00 AM Senate JUDICIARY

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Audio Topic
10:12:21 AM Start
10:12:53 AM HB75
10:33:21 AM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+= HB 75 Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled: TELECONFERENCED
Moved SCS CSHB 75(JUD) Out of Committee
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
        HB  75-MARIJUANA REG;CLUBS;MUNIS;LOCAL OPT ELECT                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
10:12:53 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR  MCGUIRE announced  the  consideration of  HB  75. "An  Act                                                               
relating  to  the  registration of  marijuana  establishments  by                                                               
municipalities;  relating  to   the  definition  of  'marijuana';                                                               
clarifying standards for personal use  of marijuana by persons 21                                                               
years  of age  or older;  prohibiting the  public consumption  of                                                               
marijuana;  authorizing  the  registration  of  marijuana  clubs;                                                               
relating to  established villages  and to local  option elections                                                               
regarding   the  operation   of  marijuana   establishments;  and                                                               
providing for  an effective  date." She  recapped that  version R                                                               
was  adopted during  the hearing  yesterday and  the question  of                                                               
Amendment 1, labeled 29-LS0345\R.2, was before the committee.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
She reopened public testimony and  asked Mr. Schulte to offer his                                                               
perspective of Amendment 1.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:13:10 AM                                                                                                                   
BRUCE  SCHULTE,  Spokesman,  Coalition for  Responsible  Cannabis                                                               
Legislation,  said he  believes it  is reasonable  to remove  the                                                               
references to  marijuana clubs, because it  doesn't really impact                                                               
the commercial  industry at  this point.  He expressed  hope that                                                               
through the regulatory process the  Marijuana Control Board could                                                               
better  define the  operating parameters  of marijuana  clubs and                                                               
other license  types by November  2015. This would  provide ample                                                               
opportunity for  review before permit applications  start to come                                                               
in.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCGUIRE  said she  expects Mr.  Schulte to  be part  of the                                                               
process for  years to  come as the  legislature helps  the public                                                               
define its relationship  to marijuana. She suggested  it would be                                                               
helpful  to the  public if  he  would op-ed  clarifying what  has                                                               
happened during this legislative session.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. SCHULTE agreed to carry  the message forward once the session                                                               
is over.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MICCICHE said  he's pleased with the  work this committee                                                               
has done to meet the intent of the voters.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. SCHULTE expressed appreciation  for the work that legislators                                                               
have done.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
10:18:26 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR MCGUIRE  removed her objection  to Amendment 1.  Finding no                                                               
further objection or discussion, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
10:18:46 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR MCGUIRE moved Amendment 2 labeled 29-LS0345\R.6.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
                          AMENDMENT 2                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     OFFERED IN THE SENATE                                                                                                      
     TO:  SCS CSHB 75(JUD), Draft Version "R"                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Page 9, lines 7 - 8:                                                                                                       
          Delete "use of marijuana authorized under"                                                                            
          Insert "conduct authorized in"                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COGHILL objected for discussion purposes.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
10:18:59 AM                                                                                                                   
HEATH  HILYARD,  Staff,  Senator  Cathy  Tilton,  explained  that                                                               
Amendment  2 clarifies  the intent  that even  if an  established                                                               
village  holds a  local option  election  to prohibit  commercial                                                               
marijuana  establishments,  that does  not  preclude  any of  the                                                               
provisions  governing  the  personal   use  of  marijuana  in  AS                                                               
17.38.020.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
10:20:16 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR MICCICHE  asked if this  clarifies the decision  in Ravin                                                             
v. State of Alaska.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCGUIRE said she believes so.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR.  HILYARD  confirmed that  this  is  further clarification  of                                                               
Ravin.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
10:20:52 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR COGHILL removed his objection.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MCGUIRE found  no further  objection and  Amendment 2  was                                                               
adopted.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:21:03 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR  MCGUIRE  motioned  to  adopt   Amendment  3,  labeled  29-                                                               
LS0345\R.7.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
                          AMENDMENT 3                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     OFFERED IN THE SENATE                                                                                                      
     TO:  SCS CSHB 75(JUD), Draft Version "R"                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Page 3, lines 8 - 10:                                                                                                      
          Delete all material.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COGHILL objected for discussion purposes                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
10:21:20 AM                                                                                                                   
MR. HILYARD  explained that  Amendment 3  deletes reference  to a                                                               
provision that would have allowed  municipalities by ordinance to                                                               
establish a household limit lower than 24 marijuana plants.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:21:57 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR MICCICHE  asked if  this means he  doesn't have  offer an                                                               
amendment  that clarifies  that  the minimum  is  six plants  per                                                               
person.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. HILYARD answered that's correct.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCGUIRE asked Mr. Schulte to offer his perspective.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
10:22:20 AM                                                                                                                   
MR.  SCHULTE  stated support  for  Amendment  3. It  maintains  a                                                               
consistent  message statewide  about household  plant limits  and                                                               
clarifies what  law enforcement is  to do  in the event  that 2-4                                                               
adults live together. He clarified  that this does not change the                                                               
6 plant per person limit set forth in the initiative.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MCGUIRE said  this provides  another  opportunity for  the                                                               
board  to  hear concerns  about  public  safety and  think  about                                                               
reasonable types of licenses.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
10:25:11 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR COGHILL removed his objection.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MCGUIRE found  no further  objection and  Amendment 3  was                                                               
adopted.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:25:31 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR COGHILL motioned to strike Section 1 from the bill.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:25:46 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR MCGUIRE objected for discussion purposes.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COGHILL  explained that his primary  objection to Section                                                               
1 is that  marijuana concentrates are included  in the definition                                                               
of marijuana.  This appears to  be a significant change  from the                                                               
initiative.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:26:43 AM                                                                                                                   
MR. HILYARD explained  that Section 1 comports  the definition of                                                               
marijuana in  Title 11 with  the language of the  initiative. The                                                               
goal was  to have a  uniform definition of marijuana  through the                                                               
statute.  HB 75  amends the  definition in  Title 11  rather than                                                               
removing the definition as SB 30 does.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COGHILL asked the citation in Title 11.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
At ease from 10:28:12 am to 10:29:25 am.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:29:42 AM                                                                                                                   
MR. HILYARD pointed  out that Section 1 amends  the definition in                                                               
AS  11.71.90(14) to  conform  to the  definition  provided in  AS                                                               
17.38,  which also  appears  in  Section 22  on  pages 10-11.  He                                                               
reiterated the explanation provided above.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
10:30:24 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR COGHILL withdrew Amendment 4.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MICCICHE reviewed the definition  in Section 22 and asked                                                               
if anybody figured out what "salt" was.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COGHILL  answered no and  that's one of the  reasons that                                                               
it's being removed.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR. SCHULTE said his understanding  is that the term was included                                                               
in  the federal  prohibition of  marijuana. Including  it in  the                                                               
initiative  was based  on a  lack  of understanding  and he  told                                                               
Senator Coghill that the coalition would support removing it.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MICCICHE indicated satisfaction with the answer.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:32:36 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR MCGUIRE closed public testimony.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
10:32:51 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR COGHILL motioned  to report the Senate CS for  HB 75 from                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations  and attached  fiscal                                                               
note(s).                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:33:13 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR MCGUIRE  announced that without objection  SCS CSHB 75(JUD)                                                               
is reported from the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee.                                                                       

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