Pubdate: Wed, 14 Mar 2007
Source: Albuquerque Tribune (NM)
Copyright: 2007 The Albuquerque Tribune
Contact:  http://www.abqtrib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/11
Author: Kate Nash
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

LAWMAKERS CHANGE MINDS ON MARIJUANA

SANTA FE -- Gov. Bill Richardson worked hard to change  minds on a 
medical marijuana bill he wants to sign into  law.

Apparently he didn't change a single one - according to  the 
Democrats who did what he wanted and switched their  votes from "no" 
last week to "yes" on Tuesday.

The five lawmakers who changed all said that calls from  and talks 
with the governor or his staff played no role  in their decisions.

"He talked to me, but he didn't actually change me - I  changed on my 
own," said Rep. Richard Vigil, a Democrat  from Ribera.

Vigil said he changed his mind after being assured by  supporters 
that the measure would only allow marijuana  use for medical purposes.

The House last week killed a similar bill 33-36. The  Senate then 
sent another medical marijuana measure,  essentially the same as last 
week's, to the House.

Tuesday's vote was 36-31.

Rep. Andrew Barreras said the Governor's Office asked  about how he 
would be voting, but didn't pressure him.

"All they asked me was how I was going to vote on it  and why I was 
going to vote," he said.

Barreras, a freshman Democrat from TomaE , said he  talked to people 
in his parish, his family and his  constituents before deciding to 
vote yes this time.

"I prayed about it a lot. I spoke with my wife and  children," he 
said. "If it's real stringent how they  use it, then I think it might be OK."

Rep. Ernest Chavez, an Albuquerque Democrat, said he  got an earful 
from constituents after he voted against  the bill last week.

"They said, 'You told us you were going to vote yes,'"  he said. In 
past years he has supported the idea, but  was just temporarily 
persuaded by opponents last week  to vote no, he explained.

Chavez said he also met personally with the governor  since the last 
vote, and told him, when asked, that he  would reconsider.

Rep. Mary Helen Garcia, a Democrat from Las Cruces,  said Richardson 
talked to her "but that wasn't the  convincing factor."

"After careful consideration and talking to my family  friends . . . 
I was convinced to go ahead and change  it," she said of her vote.

Rep. Thomas Garcia said he has spoken to people from  the Governor's 
Office on several issues recently, but  couldn't recall any 
conversations about the medical  marijuana measure specifically.

"I may have spoken to someone in his office, but I'm  not sure. I 
don't want to commit to it because I don't  know," he said.

Garcia, appointed by the governor to replace then-Rep.  Hector 
Balderas after Balderas won election as state  auditor, said the 
debate changed his mind.

"What came out of the debate was that first you have to  get your 
doctor to approve it and your doctor has to  get eight other people 
on this board to concur," said  Garcia, a Democrat from OcataE .

The measure calls for a board to agree that a patient  needs the 
marijuana for medical purposes.

The measure, amended by the House, now goes back to the  Senate for 
consideration.

If the Senate passes the bill before the session ends  Saturday at 
noon, Richardson has indicated he will sign  it.

Secretary of State's Office records show Richardson's  2006 
gubernatorial campaign gave at least $500 in  campaign contributions 
to all but one of the Democrats  who switched votes on the bill, 
although the lawmakers  said that didn't play a role in their votes.

Barreras received the most, including $8,305 in  contributions and 
in-kind donations.

He said that wasn't a factor in his decision.

"A lot of people helped me in my campaign," he said.

"Whoever helped me in my campaign, I made it clear, if  you want to 
help me, you help me, but I'm going up  there to represent my constituents."

The Secretary of State's Web site had no campaign  records for Thomas 
Garcia, who was appointed after the  election.

The House debated the measure for nearly three hours.

Rep. Antonio "Moe" Maestas, a Democrat from  Albuquerque, presented 
the bill in the Senate for  sponsor Sen. Shannon Robinson, also a 
Democrat from the  Duke City.

He said the measure was about being compassionate to  people 
suffering the most from serious ailments,  including cancer, AIDS and 
multiple sclerosis.

Opponents argued that the bill would open up the door  to large-scale 
illegal drug use.

But Maestas said that wouldn't be the case.

"This is not recreational drugs, this is medical  cannabis," he said.

Rep. Larry Larranaga, an Albuquerque Republican who  opposes the 
bill, offered an amendment accepted by the  House that requires 
places that are licensed to  dispense the medical marijuana to be at 
least 300 feet  from a school.

The amendment means the bill goes back to the Senate  for 
consideration before it can go to Richardson.

Lawmakers crossed party lines to support the measure.

"It's the most unlikely coalition in the history of  this body," Maestas said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom