Patients look forward to floor vote on medical marijuana bill
Last update: November 20, 2008
A lot of progress was made this legislative session with the Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana Pilot Program bill. SB 2865 picked up three new co-sponsors this year, and the bill's lead sponsor, Sen. John Cullerton (D-Chicago), sat down with law enforcement to listen to their concerns and then amended the bill to address those concerns. In a move that is sure to increase the chances that this legislation becomes law, Democrats recently selected Sen. Cullerton to serve as the president of the Illinois Senate.
SB 2865 passed the Senate Public Health Committee with a 6-4 vote and is now awaiting a vote on the Senate floor, which must take place by January 13, 2009 per legislative rule.
HB 5938 was re-referred back to the rules committee and now must be moved out of that committee in order to receive a floor vote.
Below are some things you can do to push these bills forward and help patients like these.
1) Please send an e-mail thanking the five sponsors of SB 2865 for working so diligently to make this year's legislation a success.
2) After you have thanked the sponsors of SB 2865, send your state senator an e-mail urging him or her to call SB 2865 to the Senate floor for a vote before the January 13, 2009 deadline.
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Anyone who is interested in composing a powerful 150- to 200-word letter to the editor should send MPP legislative analyst Nathan Miller an e-mail at nmiller@mpp.org along with a short description of why you support medical marijuana laws and a little information about yourself (where you live, what you do, etc.). | |
If you or anyone you know needs help understanding the issues involved with medical marijuana, please click here to download some of our brochures and handouts. These are great materials to leave with your legislator, local leader, physician, or law enforcement official who might need a little educating on the subject.
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