Pubdate: Wed, 08 May 2002 Source: Arizona Republic (AZ) Copyright: 2002 The Arizona Republic Contact: http://www.arizonarepublic.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24 Author: Ashley Bach Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/sperling.htm (Sperling, John) POT ISSUE CLOSER TO STATE VOTE A November marijuana showdown between the Maricopa County attorney and a local billionaire is closer to reality. The Senate on Tuesday approved House Concurrent Resolution 2013, which will ask voters to allow judges to send first-time drug offenders to jail. The measure, pushed by County Attorney Rick Romley, now goes to the ballot. Romley wants to provide an alternative on the November ballot to an initiative funded by University of Phoenix founder John Sperling. It would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana and allow marijuana for medical purposes, with the supplies coming from Department of Public Safety contraband. Sperling and his supporters need to gather 101,762 signatures by July 4 to get their initiative on the ballot. If passed, Romley's referendum would tweak one of Sperling's initiatives that was already passed into law. Romley said it also would likely override the decriminalization portion of Sperling's initiative this year, even if both measures passed. Sam Vagenas, spokesman for the Sperling initiative campaign, said Romley's measure is just a smokescreen to distract voters. If measures with conflicting provisions both pass, the one with the most votes takes precedence over any conflicting provisions in the other measure, said Mary Jo Kief, assistant state elections director. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk