Pubdate: Sun, 27 Nov 2005
Source: Post-Crescent, The (Appleton,  WI)
Copyright: 2005 The Post-Crescent
Contact:  http://www.wisinfo.com/postcrescent/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1443
Author: Ben Jones
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

MADISON WEEKLY: WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE STATE CAPITAL

The Wisconsin Nurses Association testified in support of a medical 
marijuana bill sponsored by Rep. Gregg Underheim, R-Oshkosh, at an 
Assembly committee hearing Tuesday.

Assembly Bill 740 provides a "medical necessity defense" for 
marijuana-related prosecutions and property seizures.

"It is difficult for nurses to remain silent when seriously ill 
patients are denied access to an effective medical treatment," Gina 
Dennik-Champion, executive director of the nurses association, said 
in a news release. "We support this legislation because there is 
medical research that indicates that marijuana can serve as a form of 
medical treatment for specific health problems such as nausea, 
vomiting, pain, and glaucoma when other treatments fail."

If the Capitol feels cooler these days, it's not for a lack of hot 
air. It's part of an executive order to reduce state energy usage 
recently signed by Gov. Jim Doyle.

"Faced with huge increases in heating bills, many Wisconsin families 
are looking at their thermostats and making the difficult decision to 
turn it down a notch or two - especially when they're not home," 
Doyle said in a statement. "This executive order directs state 
agencies to take the same common sense steps as Wisconsin families are taking."

One first step: the heat will be turned down in the Capitol from 72 
to 68 degrees. State agencies are also directed to turn their 
thermostats down, if they haven't already, and look for other ways to 
reduce energy.

Doyle recently outlined plans for the possible event of a bird flu pandemic.

State plans include tactics to isolate patients to prevent spread of 
the virus, agreements that will allow hospitals to assist each other, 
and testing of people who may have been exposed to the virus and are 
hospitalized with symptoms.

"There has been a lot said and written about bird flu lately - some 
of it factual, and some exaggerated," Doyle said in a statement. "But 
either way you look at it, a possible pandemic is a frightening 
thing. And I want the people of Wisconsin to know that we're doing 
everything that we possibly can to prepare for an outbreak of bird 
flu here, should it occur."

People who want to support the state Capitol, and get something for 
the Christmas tree, can purchase one of the 2005 commemorative state 
Capitol ornaments. The ornaments, which were recently unveiled, 
feature a replica of the gilded female statue that tops the Capitol.

The ornaments, which raise money for the State Capitol Restoration 
Fund, retail for $17 and are available at various Madison locations, 
including the Wisconsin Historical Society gift shop or online at 
www.wisconsin history.org.

Former state treasurer and revenue secretary Cate Zeuske helped 
spearhead the effort and in a statement called the ornaments "a 
keepsake that can be passed on from one generation to the next."

On Thursday, oil executives will be answering questions about high 
oil and gas prices in Wisconsin.

Gov. Jim Doyle subpoenaed executives of five major companies to 
answer questions about the rising cost of home heating and surging gas prices.

Executives subpoenaed include David O'Reilly, chairman and CEO of 
Chevron Corp.; Lee Raymond, chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil Corp.; 
James Mulva, chairman and CEO of ConocoPhillips Co.; Ross Pillari, 
chairman and CEO of BP America Inc.; and John Hofmeister, president 
and U.S. country chair of Shell Oil Co.

The hearing will be held at 1:00 p.m. at the University of 
Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education facility, 161 West 
Wisconsin Avenue, Room 7970, Milwaukee.

"As your family prepares for the Thanksgiving Day holiday, you might 
just get caught up in a massive crime wave sweeping across the 
state," state Rep. Scott Jensen, R-Brookfield, in a newsletter to his 
constituents. Jensen pointed out that the deeply discounted turkeys 
that grocery stores offer to lure customers are in violation of the 
state's minimum markup law, which requires retailers and wholesales 
to add a certain percentage to the cost of goods in order to prevent 
larger businesses from underselling smaller operators. Jensen 
advocates eliminating the law, which he called "silly" and 
"antiquated." He noted that state inspectors have looked the other 
way during the turkey sales.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman